Pia Arrobio, Designer, LPA

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“So I design the line LPA, and selfishly, it’s about making clothes for myself. I didn't really know where to shop anymore—I can’t afford really high-end things, and then I feel like all the fast fashion brands are following the same trends. When I was growing up and shopping every boutique I would find so many different, young brands. 10 years ago, it felt like I was discovering this really cool world. And I wanted the opportunity to recreate that at entry price points for girls who can’t necessarily afford things that are more expensive, and then I just thought I would do things that are more aspirational.

I have a similar look for day and night, it just depends on how much makeup I put on. One thing that I’m obsessed with and always start my routine with is the Ayur-Medic Anti-Bacterial Face Wash—that’s the one thing that if I could tell everyone about it, I would. If I go on vacation with a girlfriend and she doesn’t have face wash, she’ll borrow mine and be like ‘I’m so clean!’ This will take off everything and I’ll wash my face twice with it. I have one at my parents' house, one here, one at the office. It's been a game changer. So I ride or die for that.

For skincare, I go back and forth between using the whole Biologique Recherche line. It’s such an investment that if a moment happens when it stops working I get mad and resentful. I have really bad cystic acne and I was on Spironolactone and I don’t like taking it. I did a lot of research before I went on it—I actually read the article you guys did on it. The comments were really interesting. I took a quarter of the dosage that they told me to, but when I forgot to take it the acne would come back. When I started using Biologique it helped. And I try to mask at least once a week. I go through phases—like, I was only using the Glossier Mega Greens Galaxy Pack for a while and then I was only using Biologique Recherche's Masque Vivant. I'll also do the Aztec Clay mask mixed with apple cider vineager. Whatever Violet Grey tells me to do, I do.

On my lips, I use the KNC Beauty Lip Masks all the time before I go out. I also started getting my lips done recently—I recently turned 30 and I realized my upper lip got smaller. Honestly, I love it so much now. Then, I also do Botox. It’s not because I don’t want to age…I actually don’t mind wrinkles or anything like that. But my face is like a frown. My whole life people are always asking me if I’m OK, so now I look less frowny. Everyone asks me what I’ve been doing differently and the answer is that I stopped plucking my eyebrows and got a lot of Botox.

Also, I constantly use Priv. I got a spray tan here in my house yesterday, but I’ll also have them come and do a manicure, pedicure, or a blowout when I need it. The spray tan looks incredible—I’m very pale—and sometimes you just don’t have the time to go get it all done. This way it saves me so much time and I can multitask during it.

For makeup, I use a Chanel Foundation Brush and paint on Luminous Silk Foundation By Giorgio Armani in 5.5, which is a shade that works with my spray tan. Then obviously I use the Clé De Peau Concealer in Almond—I use this like a psycho, all the time. During the day, I’ll cover up a pimple, but at night, I just want to look good all night, so I use it all over. It really locks everything in.

The most important thing in the world is this Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. Emily Ratajkowski put me onto this. I use a Nars Kabuki Brush and sculpt out my cheekbones with it—a lot. And then I highlight around my eyes, upper brow, and on top of my cheekbones. When it goes away, I get so sad. I’ll even do the Glossier Haloscope and put the powder on top. For blush I use the Rose Bronze from Chanel—isn’t it nice?

On my brows I use Boy Brow in Black like crazy. I put so much of it on because I don’t have much brow, but they’re really long. I like that the Boy Brow tints them, but after that I use Ready Set Brow from Benefit to keep them up. Then I use the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara—I don’t like mascara when I've just bought it, so I’ll pump air in there to dry it out. I know you’re not supposed to, but I do it anyway. Recently I started using the Grandelash MD because I heard it makes your eyelashes grow like crazy. I’m obsessed with having long eyelashes but I won’t get eyelash extensions because I’m already a girl who gets spray tans and injections… Where's the line?

Oh! If I’m going out at night, I’ll use the Charlotte Tilbury Golden Goddess Eye Shadow Palette. I like to keep everything tonal, so I use this bronze under and around my eyes, and I use a little dollop of the brightener too. Then I’m obsessed with curling my eyelashes. I probably do it like five times a day. At first my friends were like ‘You’re a little Kardashian-y with the eyelashes’ but now if they’re not curled, they can definitely tell.

My lipsticks are all the same tones of nude and peach. I have Charlotte Tilbury Penelope Pink, which I’ll use all the time, I have Isola Bella from Nars... But I’m just starting to try red. I got this Retro Matte Ruby Woo at a Kenzo event in Paris, but I would have to do a red lipstick with literally nothing else on my face. Then I use the Dior Lip Maximizer all the time—I go nuts for that!

My favorite cocktail—ugh, this is the lamest LA drink. It’s tequila, La Croix, and Lemon. I only drink that, red wine, or a dirty martini. In New York, I go to Lucien for dinner, and then whatever weird party my friends are throwing. In terms of what I wear, I go back and forth between gaudy and kind of ‘70s. I live between between New York and LA and the style when you go out is so different. The most important moment I had in New York happened when I was at home one night and I didn’t want to go out. Everyone was texting me to come meet them two blocks away. Eventually I was like ‘Fuck it! I’m going to go.’—it was like 1 a.m. I went in a ripped-up shirt, no makeup, Nikes, and a leather jacket. Everyone thought I looked amazing! Here in LA I apply makeup like four times before I leave the house. I need to get out of here before I get fake boobs and a butt lift.”

—as told to ITG

Pia Arrobio photographed by Tom Newton in Los Angeles on October 19, 2016. Pia wears an LPA dress (as coat), Tylynn Nguyen slip, Tibi shoes, and vintage earrings.