Looking Good on Social & in Real Life, Scandi Style

All the secrets from Esteban G Villanueva, Vogue Scandinavia's previous Beauty Editor and Spalt PR's Nordic Beauty Director.

Jul 20, 2023

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Happier in a Filter-Free World

Norway made worldwide headlines two years ago, in the summer of 2021, when it banned the undisclosed use of social media filters for the face and body in all sponsored and ad content. In the meanwhile, Finland has held onto a long standing policy of not even retouching the covers of women’s magazines. Even Vogue Scandinavia has a certain realness: you experience a fashion bible that’s very much within reach. And, on the streets, Nordic women are walking around in midi-length dresses seemingly without a touch of makeup—and without recognizable fillers or injectables—and certainly no blow-dries, in bright daylight no less, as in these midsummer days, the sun doesn’t set. (Officially, sun now sets at 11pm and is up at 3:50am, but it looks like a 5-hour sunset: it’s never dark). At the same time, Nordics top the world in happiness.

Say hello to Esteban G Villanueva!

Today, I want to introduce you to one of the best beauty experts in Scandinavia, with a truly unique take: Esteban G Villanueva.

In 2021, Esteban became Vogue's first and only male beauty editor worldwide, at Vogue Scandinavia, and this summer, he joined Spalt PR, one of the biggest Nordic PR and communications companies as their Nordic Beauty Director, focusing on strategy, brand development and communication with beauty brands both from within the region and also with those who wish to enter the market.

Read on as Esteban walks us through how to get the natural look, spills the secrets to looking good on social without filters, and reveals the Nordic approach to common beauty challenges.

1.Esteban, let's start by introducing you: how did you become a top expert on all things Scandinavian beauty?

Well, first of all, thank you so much for calling me an expert in the field — while honored, I believe I'm just someone incredibly nerdy and nosey when it comes to all things beauty and that has allowed me to learn a thing or two about beauty here up north ;)

After being raised in North Carolina, I completely uprooted my life and moved to Costa Rica to study and eventually start my media career. I then uprooted my life again to move to Sweden, where I had no relationships or ties or even understanding of the Swedish language, to start at Vogue Scandinavia. While I knew beauty, I didn't know about Scandinavia and that was the biggest shock for me.

Contrary to other beauty editors, I don't have a journalistic background. I love to write and I know how to edit, but my real background and education is in Communications, PR and Advertising. I would love to be a better writer, but I find the different point of view incredibly valuable as well.

First thing I had to understand is that what was “typical” in Americas wasn’t necessarily the same in the Nordics. Beauty is a geolocated matter. From what is considered beautiful and how products are used, and even what types of products or ingredients are recommended, it all changes depending on where in the world you are. I took an anthropological approach to beauty and learning about it. I looked into what was better in the Nordics and what could use some work.

In a matter of half a year, I lived, breathed, ate and dreamt Nordic Beauty.

I looked into the traditions, local brands, regional innovations, behavioral patterns, consumer trends, reading resonance; I would even ask people I went on dates with how their beauty life was. At the same time, I was keeping tabs on how it all compared to my American experience and their beauty practices.

2. Have you noticed social media beauty standards in Scandinavia changing after the social media filter ban in Norway in the summer of 2021?

To be fully honest with you, and bear in mind I come from an American background, even since before the ban, social media practices within the Nordics were quite clean when it came to filters and body morphing. I wasn’t seeing heaps of editing or adjusting when it comes to the proportions or the look of the face and the body. What the ban did was just reassure that.

3. It sounds like this ban by Norway's Ministry of Children and Family Affairs didn’t so much change, but instead solidified Scandinavia’s position on staying real. It was really meant to protect kids, but do you think filter-free content is good for grown-ups too?

I think everybody benefits from it. I'm a fan of "unfiltered content" overall, with beauty and beyond. Especially during my time at Vogue, I was really open about basically everything that went on in my life. From bad reactions to products, insecurities and even heartbreaks, you can find a couple articles on the website that are straight up therapy sessions and memoirs of my own broken heart and failed dates. Being honest about life's ups and downs is something I advocate for and a filter ban is part of how we can reach that unfilterness of the content.

4. How should we go about going “unfiltered”? Should we skip all filters, all the time?

Now, without contradicting myself, I don't think there's anything wrong with using filters for fun as long as one is honest about it. I personally am a fan of a vampire-esc type filter on Instagram that gives you a bronzy look, faux freckles and of course, silver, red or bright yellow foxy eyes (like a Twilight vampire: imagine having Edward's skin, it's like being bathed in Fenty's Diamond Bomb — a literal dream).

When it comes to promotional content and more "permanent" content, I think the Scandis do it great in the sense of being honest and true to who they are.

I feel with them it's not about showcasing a perfectly edited life rather than showcasing a real life. Sometimes it does look more perfect than others, but most of the time the trueness is commanding.

5. As a beauty editor and director in Scandinavia, you have all the secrets! How do you—and others you know from influencers to beauty insiders to Scandi celebs—look their best in real life and on social?

Funny enough, what I always see and hear the girls raving about is natural daylight. Ironic for a place where sometimes all you get is 3 to 4 hours of light a day, right? I think they do color-correcting well. Scandi profiles tend to have their pics darker and less saturated. That does wonders when it comes to how the skin looks and how the overall aesthetic ends up being.
I'm a super-user of Lightroom Mobile — I'll take down a bit the exposure, play around with the whites, blacks, shadows and highlights if needed, then warm up the pic a bit and individually de-saturate each color so I get that desaturated but still colored look. Sounds hard, but once you get the hang of it its super easy.

Using glasses is a really good idea too. Without turning into Anna Wintour, get a good pair of glasses you always have on! My favorites are the semi-tinted ones. They're still dark enough to hide my under-eye bags or lack of sleep but light enough that I can use them indoors without looking like a rockstar amid a life crisis.

Finally, a key factor to Scandi beauty is hydration. We've seen it before in places like Asia, but Scandis are particularly good at hydrating their skin and a hydrated skin is a good looking skin.

6. I love those tips—and as for hydration, I now do a toner, serum, face cream and face oil every morning to get my glow! Now, how do Scandis deal with beauty challenges? Adopting a natural look and going filter-free is great, but it’s tricky when you are dealing with things from postpartum hair thinning to skin issues from stress. To fix this, you might want to book an appointment for glue-in hair extensions and use every filter imaginable (I have been there).

I think self-care is at the center of Scandi beauty. To be honest, I was shocked when I discovered Scandis have 5 to 7 weeks off from work. I now do get the benefits of it. I once heard this phrase and it really rings true: "The difference between Americans and Europeans is that Americans live to work and Europeans work to live". I myself have burnt out a couple of times due to lack of work-life balance: beauty and wellness is really all about finding time for "me time".

Now, if we're talking about more immediate cosmetic fixes, copy the Scandis: less is more and that is good:

Edit down your skincare routine and focus on hydration and problem fixing, whether this be pimples, discoloration, redness or aging. Don't overdo it.
Never skip SPF, and reapply during the day if possible. Look into powder SPF but only for reapplication.
Retinol is the only ingredient that will actually reverse time, but use it carefully and push through the purging process, or test the more natural alternatives
Less makeup is better. The more layers and products you use, the higher the chance that your look turns cakey and heavy-skinned. Opt for tinted moisturizers (Rose Inc's is my favorite) and force yourself to do natural makeup—at the beginning you'll feel naked, but you'll get used to it with time.
Scandi makeup basics, per Esteban: tinted moisturizer, bronzer and cream blush, a good brow gel and a good gloss. Think of the no-makeup makeup!
Fake tan — this will bring a healthy and glowy look to your complexion, Scandi style
Opt for creams and liquids when it comes to blush or highlighters, they tend to sit better on the skin rather than powders.
Don't stress and think your routine needs to be like what you see on social or in magazines.

Thank you Esteban! Follow Esteban here on Insta to keep up with the real, natural beauty trends—and some fun! Do you think you would feel better about you if social media was more real? And if all of us were less perfect, and more authentic?