The #ITGTopShelfie interview series focuses on the beauty routines of Into The Gloss' lovely, accomplished, and loyal community of readers. Submit your own on Instagram—post your Top Shelfie (tag us @intothegloss!) and include the hashtag #ITGTopShelfie for a chance to be featured on ITG.
"Hi! I’m Nicole Petitto (@allthingsbarre), Senior Manager for Barre Group Fitness Programming at Equinox. I create all their group fitness class concepts for Barre, Pilates, and Dance Conditioning, so I travel all over as an educator, training instructors within each region. One of my more recent launches is a program called The Muse. It is a dance inspired, low impact workout that packs a huge cardio punch in just 30-minutes. Of course, I am always in search of functional athlesiure fashion, natural beauty products, innovative fitness-related technology and healthy eating habits that will make me feel, look and perform better from the inside out.
Growing up, my mom was a makeup artist so I was exposed to makeup and a variety of skincare products at a pretty young age. I even had the opportunity to assist her on a few shoots from time to time, which was fun and helped me learn lots of tips and tricks. With that background, I always felt pretty comfortable to experiment with it on my own.
My general philosophy is to choose products that enhance, rather than cover or change, your natural beauty. I usually gravitate toward neutral tones because I like the feeling of looking natural—but not because I’m not wearing any makeup, just in that it’s applied in a way that accentuates my natural features. I’m not necessarily a brand loyalist—I’ll try whatever works! One of my favorite products that I use daily is the Nars Illuminator in Copacabana. It brightens up my skin, and I’ll apply it around the cheekbones for a dewy glow. Also—the Lavender & Ceaderwood Linen Spray by Bath and Body Works was recently given to me as a gift for Christmas and I am now officially obsessed. I take it with me even when I travel. It’s a great way for me to unwind before bed.
I started coloring my hair in college and I was recommended to a great stylist by a good friend of mine. I have to say that my hair is the one feature that makes me feel the most confident, probably because I do spend an hour drying and curling it every day. Because I have thick hair that takes 45-minutes to blow dry, curl and style, I try to only wash my hair twice per week. It’s nice to give my hair a break from all the heat of the styling tools too. But the real key to my hair is this pomade by Bedhead.
Once a month, I'll plan a personal pamper day for myself. I do the works—appointments for eyebrow threading, a massage and a manicure that come complete with a salt scrub, paraffin and an extra massage. A day full of relaxation is the best during months when I'm traveling, but I really feel like it's always important to allot time for rejuvenation. After a long day of travel, there’s nothing better than enjoying a fabulous glass of Cabernet. One of my favorite wines comes from a boutique winery in St. Helena called Eh-lers—so good. And before bed, I love that Bath and Body works linen spray to help me sleep."
—as told to ITG
