All products featured on Glossy Pop Shop are independently selected by our editorial team. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Plus, sign up for Glossy Pop Shop’s all-new weekly newsletter here.
In this week’s body-care conversation, Glossy sat down with Monti Landers, founder of 7-year-old Riot Swim, a swimwear brand on a mission to ensure people with every body type look and feel good in its products. Through Riot Swim, Landers promotes the importance of body positivity and inclusivity.
From the outside looking in, Monti Landers has it all: two beautiful children, a loving husband and Riot Swim, a successful swimwear brand. What many don’t know, however, is Landers’ long journey to reach this point in her life. For years, she struggled with body insecurities that left her questioning her purpose.
After facing constant rejection and criticism from model and talent agencies regarding her body, Landers recalls the moment when the switch flipped for her and she decided to reclaim her narrative.
“I woke up one day, and I was just so tired of feeling this way [about my body]. [Those negative thoughts] took me to a place that I never wanted to go back to,” Landers told Glossy. “[That day, I decided], ‘I’m going to love me for me, and what you see is what you get.’ … It took many years for me to grow and learn to love my body. But now, I can say I’m happy that I went through that because, today, there’s nothing you can tell me to make me feel insecure about my body.”
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1
Armed with newfound self-love, Landers decided to launch Riot Swim, a love letter to her body and to others who may experience similar struggles. Not only has Riot Swim created a community for consumers to feel comfortable enough to openly share their experiences with body insecurity, but it has also redefined Landers’ relationship with her body.
One of the biggest things Landers has learned is how important it is to take care of your skin. In fact, her skin-care journey has positioned Landers as inspo for those wanting to achieve the perfectly glazed skin look. Landers credits her silky smooth, year-round glowy skin to trial and error; she tested dozens of moisturizers before she found the perfect combination. According to Landers, mixing Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Body Oil Mist with Nivea’s Nourishing Skin Firming Body Lotion is, hand down, the secret to attaining the glow. “The two [moisturizers] together are very nourishing and luscious. It’s going to last you for many hours,” she said.
Though Landers’ glowy skin has certainly become part of her brand — as the face of Riot Swim, she often posts photos of herself on Instagram in the brand’s most popular and newest products — she said that taking time for self-care is the biggest key to looking and feeling like your best self.
Ad position: web_incontent_pos2
“Solidcore [pilates] and facials are my top [forms of self-care], along with my hair appointments,” Landers said. “Those are the things I always make sure I make time for — especially Solidcore, because it motivates me and reminds me I’m much stronger than I think I am.”
As Landers continues to grow her brand and learn new ways to love her body, she said she understands that loving yourself after years of doing the opposite doesn’t come easy. To that, she offered the following advice: “Don’t be so hard on yourself. No one’s perfect. You’re perfect the way that you are, and that’s perfectly fine.”
Read on for Landers’ simple yet effective morning and nighttime routines.
Landers’ morning routine
“I have two kids, so my morning routine is different every day. But besides the kids part, I try to keep [my morning routine] as simple as possible. As far as the products I’m using on my face and my body, I love Youth to the People. I’m new to Dermalogica, but I’ve been using their sunscreen, and I also now use their moisturizer. If I feel like I need a deeper wash, I’ll use the Tatcha Rice Water — it’s amazing. I’m very simple, when it comes to my routine. I have to pay attention to what I put on my skin because I have very sensitive skin, so I don’t wear makeup every day. I like to keep my products [and my morning routine] as simple as possible.
Landers’ nighttime routine
“At night, I have pretty much the same routine, I just add a toner. Now when it comes to my body after the shower, I like to mix in a few things [to keep my skin moisturized]. For instance, one [product] I love is Aveeno oil. As far as body wash goes, I love all products from The Ouai. [The Ouai] is No. 1, when it comes to body-care products, so that’s what I use for the shower. Other than that, I like to keep it very simple.”
Shop Riot Swim’s Holy Grail products below.
$150.00
$65.00
$99.00
$150.00
$54.00
Visit the Pop Shop to browse all products featured in Glossy Pop.
Plus, shop some of Landers’ favorite skin care products below.
Shop more Pop-approved products at the Glossy Pop Shop, here.
