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We all know the feeling: It’s late at night, you’re exhausted, and all you want to do is drift off into dreamland. The last thing you want to do is remove your full beat and apply a multi-step skincare routine—even the most disciplined beauty lovers would agree.
This is a situation Anastasiya Van Elswyk often found herself in when she moved to Paris to start her career as Louboutin’s PR and communications assistant. With red carpets, celebrity clients, and couture, life was glamorous—but the stressful nature of fashion PR took a toll on her skin. Between constant travel, working nonstop during Fashion Weeks, and getting very little sleep, her skin suffered from breakouts, irritation, and dullness.
“After every fashion week or major event, I’d look in the mirror and think, wow, my face really went through it,” she tells me. “That unmistakable ‘tired-but-trying’ look hits differently when you’re surrounded by some of the most beautiful people in the world every day. It’s very humbling, to say the least. Not exactly the Paris fantasy I had imagined.” That’s when Van Elswyk stopped prioritizing skincare trends and cute packaging so she could focus on creating an easy, yet effective routine that would allow her to keep up with her beautifully chaotic life. This ethos of fewer products with better formulas became the inspiration for her brand, Rest Religion.
“Rest Religion is for people who don’t want skincare to feel like a part-time job,” she says. “After a long day, there’s nothing I want to do less than wash my face and overthink skincare. That’s why simplicity was nonnegotiable for me.” With just two products, it takes the guesswork out of creating an effective routine you can actually keep up, no matter how busy life gets.
Below, Van Elswyk dishes about everything from leaving Louboutin to building her brand. Keep reading for our full, unfiltered interview.
What was it like working at Louboutin? What made you realize that you wanted to make the switch and start your own brand?
Working at Louboutin was honestly a dream. I loved the brand, the people, the creativity. It’s an iconic universe, and being part of it shaped me in so many ways. Working directly with the teams behind some of the most iconic looks worn by Zendaya, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Beyoncé was an unmatched experience. Seeing your work come to life on a red carpet or concert stage gives you a rush that’s hard to compare to anything else.
I will always be a fashion girl through and through, but PR in fashion is intense by nature. Your calendar belongs to events, red carpets, and last-minute everything. In 2021, I started working on Rest Religion formulations to solve my own skincare struggles. The more I learned, the more I realized those struggles were far more common than I’d thought. That’s when Rest Religion became a real priority for me, because I could see how much women needed skincare that felt supportive rather than overwhelming. Rest Religion became my way of bringing beauty off the red carpet and into real life.
How did you get the idea for Rest Religion? Was there anything in particular that inspired you as you were building the brand?
The idea for Rest Religion didn’t come overnight. It was a perfect storm of disillusionment with the skincare industry, growing skepticism, personal struggles with my skin, and lack of sleep. During my master’s in fashion and luxury management, I worked on a skincare project for a major conglomerate and was told very directly that innovation was not the priority—new marketing was. That was a turning point that made me realize how much responsibility is placed on the consumer to understand what actually works in an industry where trends move faster than science.
At the same time, my life was getting more demanding, and the less time I had for myself, the more my skin needed real support. I didn’t want skincare that required discipline or felt like a chore—I wanted something effective, efficient, and grounded in science. What tied it all together was the disconnect between what people actually needed and what wellness culture was promoting. Skincare had started to feel performative with too many steps and too many rules. Rest Religion became my protest against performative wellness trends.
Can you tell me about the connection between the ingredients in the serum and moisturizer and how it helps you fake a full night of sleep?
The idea was always about supporting the skin in the same ways sleep does. When you sleep well, your skin repairs itself, calms inflammation, restores hydration, and looks more even and plump. Our formulas were built around those exact processes. The Retinal Skin Restoring Serum ($89) focuses on repair and renewal. It brings together over a dozen clinically-proven ingredients like retinal, peptides, and NAD+ precursors to support cell turnover, improve texture, and reduce visible signs of stress such as redness and uneven tone. It’s designed to work with the skin’s natural nighttime repair cycle, especially for those of us whose sleep is not always perfect.
The Ultimate Glow Moisturizer ($68) is about restoration. With more than 20 barrier-supporting ingredients, including ceramides, peptides, and amino acids, it helps the skin retain moisture, stay resilient, and reflect light better. That’s what gives skin that calm, healthy, well-rested look. Together, they help skin function the way it would if you were consistently getting eight hours of sleep.
Did you learn anything surprising as you were creating the brand?
What surprised me the most is how emotional skincare really is. It’s not just about visible results. It’s about waking up, noticing progress, and realizing that your skin is finally responding after a long period of trial and error. That moment is powerful.
Additionally, working closely with scientists and dermatologists made me far more aware of how much misinformation exists and how often skincare is driven by trends rather than real research. “Ingredient dusting” is far more common than people realize, and social media has made it even harder to separate what is effective from what is just loud.
On the business side, I learned that building something slowly and intentionally is a real strength. Taking the time to formulate properly, test thoroughly, and stay grounded in science has been far more rewarding than chasing fast wins.
Shop Anastasiya’s Routine
Rest Religion
Retinal Skin Restoring Serum
“I formulated this to support overnight repair and renewal without irritation, even when sleep is less than ideal. It smooths texture, calms redness, and makes my skin look rested by morning, which is exactly what I need most nights. If your skin is sensitive, start with a few nights a week and work your way up.”
Rest Religion
Ultimate Glow Moisturizer
“This is my nonnegotiable, morning and night. It deeply hydrates, supports the skin barrier, and gives that calm, healthy glow without feeling heavy.”
Rest Religion
60 Days of Retinal Serum & Moisturizer + Free Glam Band
“My holy grail. I always recommend using skincare consistently, and this set makes that easy. It’s designed to support the skin through a full cycle of renewal and recovery, which is when you really start seeing meaningful changes.”
Qure Skincare
Q-Rejuvalight Pro Facewear
“I’ve been a fan of this mask for years. I actually lost my first one while moving from Los Angeles to New York, and this Christmas I finally treated myself to a replacement. You know you love something when you buy it again, especially when it comes to an investment like an LED mask.”
Kérastase
Resistance Hair Serum for Extremely Damaged Hair
“This is one of those products I keep repurchasing because it simply works. It strengthens damaged hair, reduces breakage, and makes styling feel easier, especially after heat or color.”
Kilian Paris
Love, Don’t Be Shy Eau de Parfum
“This perfume truly has a chokehold on me. I’ve been wearing it since my days in Paris, and it’s hands down the scent I get the most compliments on. It smells delicious and comforting and makes me feel like a fluffy marshmallow in the best possible way. It’s feminine, addictive, and instantly mood-lifting.”
Christophe Robin
Regenerating Mask
“I’m very hard on my hair, and this mask brings it back to life. It deeply nourishes, smooths, and adds shine without weighing hair down. I use it when my hair feels dry, stressed, or over processed, and it always makes a visible difference.”
evolvetogether
Havana Restorative Hand Wash
“A small luxury I genuinely look forward to using. It smells divine, feels elevated, and actually keeps my hands hydrated instead of stripped. It’s one of those everyday products that quietly makes life feel a little nicer.”
