Pro Race Car Driver Samantha Tan Drops Her Skin-Care Routine

Samantha Tan considers herself a beauty lover, but the professional race car driver’s introduction to skin care was less than enjoyable. 

“One of my most vivid memories from childhood, unfortunately, was when I was in kindergarten and my eczema used to be terrible,” Tan tells me over the phone. “It was all over my face, and the skin above my lips used to always be raw. The other kids used to think I was contagious, even though obviously eczema is not contagious. It’s something that stayed with me for a long time. I would always wear long-sleeve clothes and long pants. I never wanted to show my skin. Even up until now, I’m still learning how to accept my scars.”

She adds, cheerily, “It’s part of me, and I got to learn to love it.” That same infectious optimism shines through when Tan discusses her successful career. In 2021, Samantha Tan Racing made history by becoming the first Canadian team to win the renowned 24H Dubai; she also became the first Asian woman to win a major endurance racing series championship in the world.

“I think representation is just so, so important,” she says of the win. “It’s so monumental. It’s so important for people to people of color to see that their stories and voices are heard, and for me to be the first one is amazing, but I also don’t want to be the last one.”

Tan is so passionate about encouraging others to follow in her footsteps, in fact, that she even agreed to share the secret to her skin care. Read on for Glamour’s latest Drop the Routine. 

My cleansers

To take off my makeup, I use a micellar water. Even if you’re drunk and tired, you’ve just got to do it. And that’s funny because every time, somehow, when I get home—blackout drunk sometimes—I’m able to still take off my makeup. I use the Bioderma one, which was recommended to me by my aunt, and then I’ll go in with the CeraVe, which I definitely found because of TikTok. I also use the Foreo Luna Mini.