Office Hours: How Sabrina Elba Embodies—and Bottles—African Beauty Secrets

In rallying her team around her creative vision, she likens it to being a film director. “When I watch Idris work, everyone comes to him with questions and he might not know the answer, but he’s got to have the answer in that moment,” she explains. “You want to have that equal standing where people can ideate around a vision that you started, but that it is contagious and digestible enough for them to take it and run.” Through the trial-and-error of balancing these entrepreneurial demands, she’s learned that discipline is key. While she certainly will make herself available at 11 p.m. as necessary, Elba is firm with her boundaries: “I’m trying to teach myself to not feel that I have to do everything [while] taking on this massive responsibility for a brand that I do feel a massive responsibility for—that has been a really healthy way for myself to practice the right way to show up.”

Her mornings always start at 5:30 a.m. Between a quick workout, school drop-off, checking emails, and getting her family out the door, daybreak can be chaotic. “If I don’t take five quiet minutes, literally just even five to just breathe, check in with myself, set my intentions for the day, let my nervous system just reset—it’s going to affect my business, my work, my relationships, and my productivity,” she says.

You could say her morning getting-ready ritual is a way she shows up for herself, by leaning into the demands of being a visible founder—always presentable and camera-ready. It’s about showing herself consistency and care. While Elba has been reminded of the importance of self-care through her founder journey, it’s actually a principle instilled in her from her mother. “[She always taught me that] showing up for yourself is showing up for others,” Elba recalls. “My mom was always a self-care as community-care person. You are doing this for others as much as you are doing this for yourself.”

S’Able Steps

“My philosophy now is less about covering and more about protecting and letting my skin thrive,” Elba says. After a long journey with acne, she’s found skin balance in keeping things simple, protective, and respectful of her barrier. Now, her regimen is centered around what she calls her “S’Able steps.” She starts her day with her label’s micellar water. Rich in ceramides, fatty acids, panthenol, and rooibos extract, it’s formulated to be the only AM cleanser you need. Her next step is her skin texture-refining Black Seed Toner which also lends itself useful as a midday pick-me-up. “I literally just leave it on my office desk,” she says. “It’s antiseptic as well. You got to love something that’s just killing bacteria as you go.” Last is a bit of Baobab Moisturizer—designed to minimize hyperpigmentation—and always SPF.

Minimalist Makeup

Most days, Elba is comfortable going barefaced. “It took me a long time to feel confident without makeup, but I love letting my skin breathe,” she says. “If I do add anything, it’s usually very minimal: just a touch of concealer and a brow”—spot-correcting areas of concern with a Vieve formula popular in the UK. For more glam days, she’s obsessed with Fara Homidi’s face compact and bronzer. On lips, she’s quite hooked on the Sunnies Face Fluffmatte lipstick in shade Brunette—a hue close to her natural lip color, layered with her Moringa Lip Salve in ‘Sister Wife’. “I never leave the house with it.”

Conscious Wellness

Generally speaking, movement—from walking and stretching to yoga—is Elba’s trusted wellness principle. “I’ve also been loving Lagree,” she says, along with other grounding tools (think: infrared saunas or a grounding mat) which genuinely calm her. “It’s those small rituals, combined with good sleep, that really set the tone for my day.” Perfume is also essential. An intuitive fragrance wearer, she likes that choosing her scent du jour is a joyous, conscious decision. “I think that’s so important. It’s like, ’how are you starting your day? How do you think you’re going to feel?’ That’s a mindset check-in that we should have with ourself.”

Protective Hair Practices

Elba keeps her styling simple but protective in order to safeguard against frequent potential damage from blowouts and heat styling. “One of the best ways for me to do that has been to wash my hair less,” she says, refreshing instead with dry shampoo and her hair dryer. “I can’t live without the soft heat from the Dyson. Even the cool heat just to lay my hair flat for the morning has become a big part of my hair’s health routine.” That said, heat protectant is also a non-negotiable in her hair growth journey: “Every bit of length matters and breakage isn’t your friend. Sleeping with a silk pillowcase or scarf also helps, so my hair is healthier and ready to go with minimal effort.”

Nourishing & Firming Body-Care

Fresh out of the shower, Elba will dry brush and utilize a cellulite massager she picked up at an Aman hotel. “The combination of the both just gets actually your skin quite soft and even,” she says. “I’m sure it’s doing lots for my lymphatic [system], but I’m much more aesthetic-focused when I’m going into this. It helps.” Then, to lock in hydration, she turns to her ultimate favorite whipped body butter by Josie Maran, which gives her skin hydration via argan and avocado oils and shea butter—followed by Patrick Ta’s body oil for a radiant glow. “I sleep with heat on constantly, so I wake up with very dry skin,” Elba admits. “I’m always cold, so I’m always keeping my body butters nearby.”

Comfortable, Yet Playful Style

Elba admits that her office style is more traditional—centered around a good blazer and workwear essentials. “What I do love to do is accessorize that aesthetic with a more casual look,” she says—a baseball cap with my suit, sneakers with a trouser, or a pop of color that delivers elements of both comfort and play. “For me, style is about balance: it should be functional, but it should also spark joy.”