Swedish Model Chanelle Törnqvist Is Your New Hair Crush
With her caramel freckles and cloud of coiled brunette curls, model Chanelle Coleman Törnqvist stands out from the crowd of blonde-and-blue-eyed beauties at Fashion Week Stockholm. And not just because of her soft and sultry look. The 25-year-old Swedish-American is a model, blogger, and assistant fashion buyer at H&M. “I’m working from Monday to Monday,” she says of the weekly grind, which takes her from the office to the studio, often donning “sporty chic” ensembles that she pairs with black Timberland boots and little to no makeup. Instead, she’s armed with hydrating creams by the likes of Swedish brand Björk & Berries, Clinique, and Kiehl’s, and sheer products such as Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat highlighter for glow. It’s a minimal recipe that allows for her greatest accessory, her freckles, to shine through. “I never thought of them so much,” says Törnqvist of her natural embellishments, “until people came up to me and asked if I had drawn them on . . .”
Like her freckles, Törnqvist’s curls are the real deal, too—straightening was never an option for this Swede. “When I was younger, I hated my hair because I was the only one with [curls]; everyone else had straight long hair,” she says. “I would ask my dad if I could straighten it, but he always said, ‘You will appreciate [your curls] when you get older.’ ” Törnqvist learned to care for them through trial and error, discovering that leave-in products like Sachajuan Overnight Hair Repair, which hydrate, collect, and define her curls, and shampooing only once a week, works best. Her styling standbys? Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream and Redken Curvaceous Curl Refiner. “ArganEveryDay” she’ll often quip on Instagram.
When asked about how ideals of beauty are changing in Sweden, Törnqvist is positive. “In every way, I want to see more diversity, and if I can be a part of creating that, I’m so happy,” she says. “One of my friends, Salem Indrias @salemindrias, just became [Swedish] Elle’s first dark-skinned blogger, and I’m sharing the excitement and happiness with her. I think it’s amazing, and it also makes me think, If she can, I can. And that’s how it should be: We all can!” Spoken like a true trailblazer.
