“The idea that we’re supposed to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives when we’re 18 is kind of wild. That’s why I decided to go to community college first. It alleviated some of that pressure and gave me a couple of years to figure things out. Once I found my footing, I transferred to Parsons in New York, where I studied graphic design, with a heavy focus on book design. But I soon found myself gravitating toward lighting and sculpture instead.
When people ask what I do, I still go back and forth. If you’re not familiar with ceramic as a medium for lighting, it can be tricky to explain. But if I had to give an elevator pitch, I’d say I design and fabricate bespoke ceramic lighting and furniture. During New York Design Week last year, I had a solo show at Picture Room called A Better Place to Be. It was the first time I was given complete freedom to curate and present a body of work, and it ended up being the most personal project I’ve made so far. The work explored my feelings around losing my dad, told through ceramics and a collection of memorabilia. It’s a body of work that will always stay with me.
Probably 80-percent of my work is with interior designers on residential projects. Flynn McGarry included some of my lighting when he opened Gem Wine in New York a few years ago. His restaurants and the way he curates these menus and spaces are already so special, but every so often, I get a text or I’m tagged in a photo of someone eating there, sitting next to one of my lamps. That always feels really meaningful and unique. The work wasn’t in a gallery, a shop, or someone’s home—it’s part of the experience of a meal. It’s contributing to the atmosphere in this really subtle, intimate way.
When I think about it more deeply, that kind of relationship with an audience is incredibly special. I think that’s why I love lighting so much—it’s almost an interactive medium. It’s not just something you look at on a wall. It shapes a space, it’s functional, and it affects how people experience their surroundings. I love working in that gray area between fine art and everyday utility—creating pieces that are both expressive and practical, and that quite literally help people see in the dark.
SKINCARE
I didn’t grow up with much of a skincare routine, and I didn’t start wearing sunscreen until I turned 25. I’ve gotten Botox maybe three times. At first I hated it because it felt like I had duck tape on my face. Maybe I got too much. My brows were also doing a crazy, sort of Jack Nicholson thing—it was bad. Two years later, someone recommended going to Contrapposto and I had a better experience. I see Casey Welk, who is amazing and doesn’t give me too many units. The rest of my skincare is pretty simple. My holy grail is Evanhealy’s lip balm. I think I’ve turned probably 20 people into fans. It’s a very standard lip balm, but it’s the only one I’ve ever used that doesn’t make my lips more chapped later.
During the day, my sunscreen of choice is from EltaMD. It doesn’t pill, which is hell for me; there’s no worse feeling than when you put on your sunscreen and you feel like your skincare is peeling off. At night I know everyone’s into double cleansing, but I just can’t be bothered. Most days I’m not wearing much makeup to begin, but I always want a cleanser I can use in one step without making my skin feel like sandpaper. Cerave does the job. I’ve been using their hydrating cleanser for a year now.
I’m new to toners, but I’ve noticed my face is brighter and less dry since using them. When I ran out of the Isla Elixir, I grabbed the bottle of Biba De Sousa I had in my cabinet. Then it’s on to serums. I avoided them for years because of my eczema, but when I tried Dr. Sturm’s Night Serum, which I mostly picked up because I figured I should be using a night serum now that I’m 30, I was surprised by how gentle and hydrating it was. And I started using the iS Clinical Pro Heal serum a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t seen a huge difference with it, but I think it’s too early to tell.
My skin is so dry that I sometimes feel like nothing will hydrate it—even if I slather on coconut oil, my skin drinks it right up. But I was at a grocery store called Lazy Acres and they had this cream called Power Repair Nourishing Face Cream that looks like something you’d buy at the farmer’s market. It wasn’t too expensive—maybe $20—so I gave it a shot and I’ve been hooked since. I’m on my third jar now. The only downside of it is that it almost always gets into my hair and then I have to use dry shampoo because it makes my hair oily, but it’s worth it.
I try to gua sha three times a week. I put the Supernatural face oil from Emma Lewishman on my hands, pat it on my face, and go to town. Sometimes I just use my hands to massage my face, too. I genuinely feel like I get knots in my face—it holds a lot of tension—and massaging it feels so good.
MAKEUP
On a regular basis, I’ll wear a lip, something on my cheeks, and brow gel. Everything else is case by case.
The Hourglass Vanish concealer in Sepia really covers anything—you need the teensiest amount. I don’t love it under my eyes because I think I look kind of funny when my freckles disappear, but I have a lot of sun damage around my mouth and my nose gets pink, so I focus it there. Then I skip foundation entirely and do a layer of EltaMD’s tinted sunscreen instead.
Saie’s Soft Focus bronzer is one of those products you truly can’t fuck up. It’s creamy, comes in a cute little tube, and feels like something you could apply in the back of a car. A lot of Saie’s products feel that way to me—they’re super user-friendly and melt nicely into the skin. I love their cream blush in Spicy. I place it high on my cheekbones, up toward my temples, and swipe a little across my nose. Benetint is another tried-and-true; I’ve been using it since high school. I gravitate toward it in the summer—it looks so natural, like you went on a long walk and caught some sun. I also still keep RMS Lip2Cheek in Illusive around. When I had eczema, RMS was one of the few brands that didn’t irritate my skin, so it earned a permanent spot.
Glossier Boy Brow is an OG. It was probably the first brow gel I ever bought. It never flakes and doesn’t shellac your brows. My only complaint is that it doesn’t come in a bigger tube because I go through it so fast. I used to use Brown, but now I’m a Clear girl.
I love the Chanel stylos—they have the consistency of oil pastels or soft crayons. They’re another foolproof product. I don’t like really defined features, so I use them for a smudged liner look. The rounded tip is great on the waterline, and I just buff everything out with my fingers. It looks like you lived in eyeliner all day, in the best way. Electric Brown is my go-to. If I want something more defined, Urban Decay’s liner in Whiskey does the trick. I also like Jones Road’s brown pencils.
It’s truly a game changer if you know how to use lip liner. I prefer cooler brown tones—MAC’s Oak is probably my favorite because it works whether I’m pale or have some color. It’s easy and forgiving, so if you go slightly outside the lines, it’s not obvious. I also like Cool Spice. Jones Road’s liner in Nudist is another favorite—my pencil is basically a nub at this point. I usually apply it, add some chapstick, and smudge everything out.
WELLNESS
I know everyone talks about lemon water like it’s a fix-all, but to me it’s the easiest, simplest pick-me-up. I drink it every morning—heavy on the lemon. Even at hotels, I’ll call room service just for a couple of lemon slices. I’m also big on ashwagandha. I’m an anxious person and really sensitive to hormonal changes, so winding down at night can be hard. Ashwagandha—mine’s from Gaia Herbs—helps a lot; I take it about an hour before bed. Magnesium helps too. And in the mornings, I take vitamin C and glutathione from Thorne.
I’ve always had a complicated relationship with exercise. I wasn’t athletic growing up and felt insecure in gyms and workout classes. I had this idea that I just wasn’t good at working out for a long time, but it’s so necessary. A couple of years ago, I hurt my neck badly and had a slipped disc, which kept me from exercising for a long time. Within the past year, I started weight training twice a week—something I never thought I’d do—and there’s honestly nothing better than feeling yourself get stronger. On the other days, I try to go on really long walks.
HAIR
You always want what you can’t have, and I wish I had big curls like Carrie Bradshaw—or my mom; she has amazing jet black, thick, curly hair. But my hair is straight and fine. It’s pretty easy to deal with, except sometimes it’s kind of dry but I skip conditioning often because conditioners tend to weigh it down. I like the one from Necessaire’s rosemary line—and their shampoo, too. They smell great. It sounds obnoxious, but sometimes my hair is so soft after I wash it that it’s a little limp. Rōz’s thickening spray gives it a little bit more life—and makes it easier to throw up in a bun. And if I need even more volume, I use Bumble & Bumble hairspray. It gives me a light hold without making my hair crunchy. One thing I’ve noticed is that my hair gets much oilier when I’m in California versus New York, so I rely on Living Proof dry shampoo. It never leaves a horrible white cast like others I’ve tried. It’s also not super fragranced—I don’t like carrying those scents around with me all day.
NAILS
I don’t think I’ve had a manicure in five years. Maybe if I didn’t work with ceramics I would be more open to doing fun things with my nails, but I can’t because my issue is that the second I have a chip, I have to take off all of the polish. I also just love when people’s nails are bare. But I’m really into pedicures. I go to Haven Los Feliz once a month. My friend Beatrice and I go together—I don’t think I’ve gotten a pedicure without her in two years.
FRAGRANCE
I don’t like scents that are too sweet. I think that’s why I really like Aēsops’s fragrances—they’re a little more woodsy and spicy. Rōzu falls in those categories. I don’t know how to describe it other than it has a really amazing rose undertone to it without being floral. Miss Dior is another rose scent I like, but more than anything, it’s nostalgic for me. And honestly, I just love rose-scented things. I know some people say Chanel No. 5, which also has roses, smells like their grandma, but I like that one, too. If I want something different, I grab Soleil Blanc from Tom Ford. The dry down is so nice. And Ralph Lauren’s Polo Earth is nice, but I use it more as a room spritz.”
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Brittany Bravo in Los Angeles on October 20, 2025