Sarah Guirguis Famous for her raw, inspiring content on social media, Nayra Nassar is the creator of what you may know as ‘Self the Blog’ on Instagram. While mainly centering on skincare, the blog covers everything under the umbrella of self-care – from her personal hair journey to makeup recommendations, wellness tips and more. We talked to Nassar to learn more about the creative process that goes into her blog and her brand, along with her guide to the effortless beach look to flaunt this summer.
Share with us your story and how you first came to be a beauty content creator.
I’m a twenty-five year old who is so passionate about everything skin-related. For the past ten years, I’ve been experimenting with everything and anything! My mother used to take me with her to dermatologists and salons, and I was always very interested in going with her. That’s how I was exposed to beauty-care at a very young age. My best friends used to be my lab rats, but after a few burns here and there, they started resisting and stopped believing whatever I said. So I thought of creating a blog – just for fun – to share everything I know, and at first, I thought I knew enough.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love that I get to be 100% myself. I really don’t fake a moment out there and I’m so happy that I was able to achieve this in an era where everyone is trying to be anything but themselves, especially on Instagram.
How did you decide on ‘Self’ as the name of your brand?
I wanted the name to be easy, relatable and expressive. I also wanted to encourage everyone to feel themselves so I decided to talk about self-care. Basically, every thought that came to mind at the time was related to this phrase, and this is why I chose the name ‘self’.
Your merch is definitely unrivaled. Tell us about the making of your products.
I created my products after I was three months into the blog. It was an idea that came to me overnight, when I got inspired as I coincidentally gathered data about the market for the blog. I realized that there wasn’t one brand that solely provided skincare aiding tools. I also pictured offering tools that will complement my blog’s aesthetic. That’s how it all came together!
With the variety of lifestyle content on social media these days, how do you build your own blog identity in a way that really speaks to your audience?
Since day one, I promised honesty and authenticity on my blog. And since day one, I’ve been getting acknowledged for that. I decided that no matter what happens, honesty and originality will always be in the DNA of my work.
Where do you generally find new ideas to generate fresh content?
Instagram and Pinterest are my main sources of inspiration. Although, the general content is always ready in my mind. I have so much to share and so little time! If I could, I would be online 24/7 covering ten years worth of experience. I haven’t even shared half of what I want to put out there.
Walk us through your take on how to get that “effortless beach look” this summer.
I would say, an effortless beach look is simply a makeup-free look. I see so many girls applying makeup before going to the beach and it never fails to shock me. You really have to avoid going out with makeup in the sun, let alone the beach. So that would be my first tip – embrace your natural beauty; beach days are always an excuse to flaunt your natural hair and skin.
In terms of fashion, I would go for either an oversized tee with my favorite flip-flops, which is a basic red Nike, or a whole different mood with a mesh cover-up, a tiny beach bag and probably be barefoot. I’m either this or that but 90% of the time you’ll find me in an oversized tee. As for skincare on a sunny day, I recommend water! Drink plenty of water. Always. You can also keep rose water in your bag for extra refreshment, and maybe grab a brush and Pantene’s oil replacement to untangle those beachy waves.
If you’d like, you can go the extra mile by applying eyelash extensions. They would give you a doll-like look for at least three weeks. Maybe apply a summery gel polish, that would also last for three weeks. Make sure you shorten your routine as much as possible because the mix of sun exposure and chemicals will literally damage your skin. Above all, make sure you enjoy yourself!
