Photo: Ayça Göker
Routines
Inside Ayça Göker’s World of Refined Simplicity
For the founder of Atelier Ayça Göker, self-care is about staying anchored within herself and building mindful routines rooted in simplicity.
Text Seda Yılmaz
Ayça Göker’s approach to beauty and self-care mirrors her personal style: considered, intentional, and far removed from passing trends. She values nuance and thoughtful detail, guided not by the zeitgeist but by her own inner compass. “I’ve always known exactly what I want,” she says, a line that quietly captures her outlook on both life and daily rituals. We sat down with Göker to talk about routines, beauty, travel, and the quiet awareness that shapes her life.
What role do routines play in your life? Are there any you truly stick to?
Ironically, I struggle with routines, even though I live with two people who are incredibly disciplined and inspiring. The only practice I’ve managed to sustain is reminding myself to move through the world with gentleness toward all living beings.
What is your favorite time of day, and how do you like to spend it?
The moments just before dawn and shortly after. I find the energy of a new day, with all its possibilities, deeply reassuring. Wherever I am, I make a point of stepping outside then—into a garden, a park, nature, or simply the streets if I’m in the city.
Ayça at the Hermès boutique in Paris.
The Netanyahus, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions, is among her favorite books.
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Beauty trends evolve at lightning speed, especially thanks to TikTok. Do they ever influence you?
I technically have a TikTok account. I opened it to stay in touch with my daughter, Mira, but once she moved to WhatsApp, I stopped using it. Most of what I know about trends comes from her.
What prompts you to try a new beauty product? Anything you’ve loved recently?
My skin is extremely sensitive, and after giving birth, rosacea became part of my reality. That’s why laser is the only treatment I can really tolerate. After cleansing, I sometimes apply a calming serum, and in winter, a moisturizer. On warm, sunny days, sunscreen is usually enough.
When curiosity gets the better of me, I try products with gentle, soothing ingredients that won’t trigger rosacea. Recently, I picked up a natural camellia oil in Kyoto, and it’s been a joy to use.
Have you ever had a beauty mishap?
No, none that I can think of. I believe I’ve always had a clear sense of what works for me.
What are the beauty staples you’ve relied on for years?
A silk exfoliating mitt and a garshana massage glove.
What does self-care mean to you? Do you have any go-to rituals?
For me, self-care only works when I feel present in my body. I take care of myself through simple, grounding practices: Ayurvedic eating, long walks, going to bed early, and transcendental meditation. Above all, I try to stay aware, so I don’t drift away from myself.
While I genuinely enjoy solitude, my awareness sharpens most when I’m with another being, whether an animal or a person.
Your look has stayed remarkably consistent. How does makeup fit into it?
With age, I’ve come to believe that less makeup simply looks better. I reach for the Gucci Westman Vital Skin Foundation Stick when I want to tone down redness. Knowing that Westman also has rosacea is part of why it works so well for me.
Suqqu mascara, Edward Bess lipstick, and Henry Jacques Down to Heart perfume have stayed with me for years.
A natural sea sponge she uses to wash her face, her longtime signature scent Henry Jacques Down to Heart, a Hakuhodo makeup brush, and a selection of objects she treasures.
Eau de Ki, a botanical lotion fermented for six months and preserved by the Sankodo family for nearly a century. On makeup days, Ayça reaches for a Westman Atelier foundation stick and cream blush, an Edward Bess lipstick, an EviDenS de Beauté sunscreen, a Flora Lab Paris conditioner, and a Tata Harper gua sha tool.
Where do professional treatments fit, if at all, in your approach to skincare?
Because of rosacea, regular professional treatments are not really an option for me. To be honest, I don’t think they’re essential either.
Last year, I visited Sophie Carbonari’s salon at the Palais Royal. Her work draws on holistic techniques practiced for centuries and feels far removed from conventional facials. It stayed with me, and I can see myself returning once a year.
What kind of advice do you give your daughter when it comes to beauty and self-care?
Mira isn’t really one for advice. I only ever remind her that beauty comes from the way you move through the world.
Travel is a true passion for Ayça. Seen through her lens, a Kyoto shop dedicated to traditional calligraphy tools.
In Paris, she retreats to the Jardin du Luxembourg to slow down, reflect, and take a pause.
She enjoys spending time in galleries, kitchenware shops, boutiques, and bookstores. Dehillerin in Paris is one of her cherished stops.
Travel has always been part of your life. Which recent trip stayed with you most?
I return to places I love again and again, but experiencing a place for the first time feels like tasting a fruit you’ve never tried before. It awakens something childlike in me. I become curious, open, and excited.
Last summer, I visited Kyoto for the first time. What struck me most was the calm, care, and respect people brought to every action, whether in quiet gardens or crowded markets. That level of attentiveness felt woven into everyday life and society as a whole. I found that deeply moving.
What are the beauty essentials in your travel bag?
An eye mask, sunscreen, and oils like amber, sandalwood, rose, or lavender to help balance vata dosha while traveling.
Your favorite places to shop for beauty and self-care?
Le Bon Marché, Bijou, Oh My Cream, Muse & Heroine.
What does beauty mean to you?
To me, beauty is about being natural, simple, and elegant.
What’s your favorite flaw?
I don’t really believe in so-called flaws; they’re mostly a construct of the mind. Friends like to tease me about my right big toe being a little fuller than the rest of me. I suppose that’s the one I’d call my favorite flaw.
