Lemon Water, Lymphatic Drainage and Strategically Layered Scents: The Real Routine of PHLUR's Chrishelle Lim
October 8 | 5 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
As a ‘serial entrepreneur’, mother, digital creator and brand founder of fragrance house PHLUR, Chriselle Lim finds her balance through consistency. Even in the madness of travel, her meticulous beauty, nutrition and exercise routine is key – with fragrance being one of the areas where she lets her emotions lead.
Inspired by memories, moments and experiences, PHLUR is a distinctly personal brand, and Chriselle switches out her fragrances as often as her outfits. From mood-dependent scents to treatments for long-term skin health, scroll on to discover everything she does in the name of beauty.
Quick Mornings, Slow Nights
With little time to spare before school drop-off, Lim has her morning routine down to a fine art: "I always start with warm lemon water, which is already waiting for me on my nightstand. I put it in a thermos overnight so it’s perfectly warm the second I wake up... I’m usually rushing out the door. I’m a busy mama and the girls need to get to school."
She keeps her morning beauty routine simple: "I’d rather my skin do the work," she says. "I wash my face with water, then essence, vitamin C serum, moisturiser and SPF. I live in California, so SPF is non-negotiable every single day. Makeup on top of that is light – a tint or foundation, a cream blush, mascara, lip liner and balm."
Lim's evening routine is a more leisurely experience, and one that always starts with a warm shower and peppermint body scrub. "It's my favourite way to detox," she explains. "I always double cleanse – an oil balm cleanser first, then a deep cleanser. Then essence, moisturiser, retinal, eye cream, spot treatment and a hair growth serum every night. Body matters to me too, and overnight is when I can really hydrate it, so I put a thick body cream on all over. “After skincare, I light a candle by my bed and read for at least 30 minutes with a magnesium tea to get me sleepy," she adds.
Fragrance in Layers
Describing her scent as "the first emotional decision" she makes in a day, Chriselle bases her fragrance choice on how she wants to feel. "Some mornings I want to feel unbothered and I reach for Missing Person, a skin musk that reads like ’you but better’,” she explains.
"Lately it’s Vanilla Canyon, which came out of driving through the LA canyons alone with the windows down." With plum, tonka bean, honey, vanilla and oak, it's bold, rich and subtly smoky. "I layer it over Vanilla Skin when I want more warmth, which is the whole point of how our scents are designed. They’re meant to be worn together so you can build something that’s actually yours," Lim adds.
Longevity-Focused Treatments
"Every three to five months I see Cindy at Bliss Point, a small studio in Larchmont. With her I do Ultherapy to lift and contour, Potenza RF Microneedling to tighten, firm and refine texture and pores, plus Pico Laser, PRP and Rejuran®," Lim reveals. "It’s all about building the foundation of the skin rather than chasing a quick result, and it’s what keeps fine lines and texture in check for me."
In between treatments, Lim gets regular facials to decongest her skin, plus lymphatic drainage massages as often as she can: "I’m constantly flying, and it’s the fastest way to reset my body."
Nutrition and Consistency
"Before 40, I couldn’t commit to a single vitamin for longer than a week. What changed was getting comprehensive bloodwork done," Lim reveals, adding, "I didn’t want to take things for the sake of taking them, so everything I take now was custom formulated based on what my body was actually missing. I have an AM pack and a PM pack, both with food."
In addition to her warm lemon water, she begins each day with a chia yoghurt bowl and matcha, while trying to get as much protein as possible throughout the day: "Consistency matters for me because I travel so much. I like having the same simple things every morning, so my body knows what’s coming, and I have one less decision to make before 9am."
Lim also does Pilates three to four times a week, and alternates those days with strength training and lifting weights. “I used to be a cardio girl, but now I’m focused on building muscle and getting stronger,” she explains. “The mental part is just as big as the physical: it’s the one hour where I’m not making decisions for anyone else.”
