'I’m from Toronto, so I’m part of the Canadian mafia—a bunch of us Canadians who have ended up here. I had been styling for the designer Jeremy Laing out of Toronto, and we were traveling so much to New York, to Paris... I was never one of those people who wanted to work like 10 jobs to live in New York and just hustle and hustle and hustle and sacrifice my quality of life, but a lot of my friends started moving to New York during that time and the energy just grabbed me. So I thought, 'Let’s see what happens,” and I made the move.

I was introduced to Anja Rubik pretty soon after that and I jumped on board with 25 magazine. It’s a very intimate team and we work with a very specific vision loosely based around this ‘70s publication called Viva, which was kind of like a Penthouse for women. We felt like women's magazines these days were either really prude or vulgar in terms of angle and sensuality. So there’s an erotic twist throughout 25, but it’s really just about empowering and inspiring women. I’ve been doing that for more than three years now. I also work with Marc Jacobs to coordinate his collection show every season, which is cool because it kind of breaks things up—you go in for an intense seven days and you go out.

SKINCARE

My parents are Filipino; my mom is really fair and my dad is really tan, and I obviously take after him. I love sunbathing—it’s awful. So now, most of my routine revolves around hydrating my skin. Morning and night, I always spray myself with La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water or the Santa Maria Novella Rose Water before I put my cleanser on. I’m using Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream as well as the Cleansing Milk. I have a Clarisonic, but I think it can be too aggressive sometimes, especially if I’ve been out in the sun. I really like the Bliss Pore Perfect Facial Polish as an exfoliant. My toner is from Joëlle Ciocco Lotion Lacteé. I love it. And Joëlle Ciocco Eyelisse Eye-Lip Contour Emulsion smells really nice too.

I always start moisturizing with a layer of serum because my skin is so dry. I alternate between the Chanel Hydra Beauty Sérum or GM Collin Concentrate, especially under my cream before I go to bed. The Nars Skin line is really nice for young skin that’s prepping for anti-aging without being so full-on. I use the Nars Aqua Gel Luminous Moisturizer as my daily moisturizer—it’s like drinking eight glasses of water. It’s so hydrating and super light, so it’s great for the summer. In the winter, I use the Nars Luminous Moisture Cream, and when I want more sun protection I use the Kiehl’s Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Cream SPF 30.

I like to switch up what masks I wear seasonally. When I feel clogged up, I use the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask. It’s very satisfying in a way. It’s like a Biore strip—you peel it off and see results right away—your skin feels tighter. Dr. Hauschka Hydrating Mask is very moisturizing. I’m obsessed with SK-II Signs Eye Masks, because, you know, we all get tired in New York. Definitely worth the splurge. If I don’t use those, I’ll use Kiehl’s Facial Fuel under my eyes, because it has caffeine in it. When I’m traveling, I leave the Aveda Intensive Hydrating Mask on my face the whole flight. I think it’s just a sheer layer of aloe, so you can also use as a moisturizer. And then when you get off the plane, don’t look crazy. It keeps you dewy and moisturized.

I’m not prone to breakouts, but before bed I put on the Sonya Dakar Drying Potion just in case.

BODY

I moisturize like four times a day. People say I have dolphin skin. I don’t know what dolphins feel like, but that’s what I’ve been told. I always exfoliate with Diptyque Smoothing Body Polish—I love the spongey texture of it and it smells like a dream. The Sabon Body Scrub is great too, because my skin feels baby soft afterwards. Then I'll use Aesop Geranium Body Balm or Bioderma Nourishing Balm, which I just got.

And then there’s all my Hawaiian stuff— Coconut Skin Trip, almond oil, Sun Bum Cool Down After Sun Lotion—that's the best in the summer, sometimes I even put it in the fridge. I'm obsessed with anything that smells beachy, like the Amazing Maui Babe After Browning Lotion and their tanning stuff. Last time I was in Hawaii, I got a bunch of products by Honey Girl Organics. I think they sell it at Whole Foods, too. I use their After Sun Rejuvenating Face and Body Lotion. It's like putting honey on your skin. All their products give you this glow.

I love oils—the Nars Monoï de Tahiti oil for my skin and my hair is great and I really like the Dr. Hauschka Rose Body Oil. I'm really into essential oils at the moment—I put Dr. Hauschka Foot Balm with lavender and rosemary oils on my feet before bed. It smells really weird, but works well. And then I finish up with Yardley of London English Rose Powder and go to sleep.

HAIR

My hair is probably the most low-maintenance thing about me. It's always been really long. When I was a kid, it was just hair and feet. I trim it all the time to keep it healthy; I don’t really have a maximum length. In the summer in New York, I let it air dry—the only heat I use on my hair is the sun. I don’t like when girls have dripping wet hair when they're going some place, so I'll braid mine if I'm going somewhere. I try to wash it once every two to three days using the Shu Uemura Moisture Velvet Nourishing Shampoo. I also love the Oribe shampoo and conditioners. I like the hair masks from both of those brands, too.

Once it's dry, I'll put some product in and throw it up in a topknot, but it does get kind of heavy. I like the surf sprays for the summer, like Brooklyn Beach Hair Spray, which I found at Warm on Mott Street. It creates this amazing sea wave texture.

MAKEUP

I’m not a makeup girl. Actually, I used to wear makeup until Tommy Ton was me for Halloween one year—it was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. It was basically Tommy in drag, and after seeing that, I never wore makeup again. [Laughs] I’ll still use tinted moisturizer and primer like Nars Pore Refining Primer with Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Cuba on top. It keeps up with my tan. And every now and then, I’ll use Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation. But I don’t put anything else on my face. Except maybe some Perscriptives Camouflage Cream if I get a spot.

Right now, my favorite lip color is Nars 413 BLKR. I love MAC Morange—it’s a very '90s orange. With that, I use Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Red Square, which is sort of orange, but it makes the color less '90s and little more red.

For my brows, I love the Anastasia pencils. Their Clear Brow Gel is really awesome too—it sets everything in place.

FRAGRANCE

Patchouli is one of my favorite scents, I put it behind my ears. Santa Maria Novella makes the best Patchouli Cologne in the world. It’s one of those things that people love or hate, but I love that kind of musky, weird, strong scent. It’s like a spell. It’s very intense and distinct. Whenever I go into that store, I end up spending like $500 because everything smells so divine. But I always switch my perfumes. Dries van Noten Par Frederic Malle is a favorite right now. There is patchouli in it, but it’s not full-on like the Santa Maria ones. Diptyque Geranium Odorata smells amazing too, like a dream. I have my Comme Des Garçons Series 2 Red or Series 1: Leaves Lily that I love. And I always have candles going on.

I have so much stuff, I don’t ever buy to replace. I end up using everything together with no rhyme or reason. All I have in my apartment is beauty products, my shoes, and me,”

—as told to ITG

Sarah Chavez photographed by Emily Weiss in New York on August 7, 2014.