“I grew up around a lot of women who took good care of themselves, but I struggled with my skin from a young age. Going into aesthetics was partially because of my own trial-and-error experiences. When I started, not many people were focused on bridging the gap between inflamed skin and acne, and the preventative treatments for it. I wanted to find a way to dig into people’s backgrounds, keep their history in my back pocket, and keep their skin clear and happy. I bring in some Eastern practices, too—like in my Synergistic Qi facials, which use 24K gold magnets with acupuncture points to target specific issues like breakouts, fine lines, and inflammation. I find Eastern medicine to be very flexible, whereas Western modalities can be rigid. Combining both allows for the best results.
SKINCARE
There’s a big misconception around acne. It’s a genetic condition, not a lack of discipline or cleanliness. Even if you have a perfect routine and get regular facials, sometimes your body still needs help. For me, acne is also how my body manifests stress. I’ve had some pretty bad flare-ups with painful cysts as an adult. One of the only things that helped was spironolactone, and to this day, I’m on a low daily dose.
On the product front, I get to try a lot, and what I use depends on what I need that day. When I cleanse, I usually start with Bioeffect’s micellar water. It’s pricey, but it’s made with Icelandic water, which is mineral-rich, and it removes makeup without leaving a soapy residue. Then I go in with either Environ’s Skin EssentiA cleansing lotion or iS Clinical’s Cleansing Complex. I gravitate toward the latter because it’s not super stripping, but it has willow bark, which acts like a gentler, natural version of salicylic acid.
Then it’s time to tone. Environ’s Skin EssentiA collection has a good exfoliating toner that still leaves my skin moisturized because it’s formulated with lactic acid, which draws hydration to the skin. Face Reality’s soothing toner is my basic, hydrating option. It has cucumber extract, which my skin does well with, and it’s good at neutralizing redness. Qi Beauty’s spritz is more of an all-around mist. I like to end my facials with it because it has a lot of antioxidants, but it also smells heavenly.
I use Sofie Pavitt’s mandelic serum every morning. It’s one of my can’t-live-without products. When you’re acne-prone, your skin produces more dead skin cells than ‘normal’ skin types. Mandelic acid is gentle, so you can use it daily to prevent those cells from getting trapped. Even my non-acne clients use it because it’s so multitasking: It brightens pigment and firms the skin, too. Once a week or every other week, I’ll skip the mandelic serum and use iS Clinical’s Active Peel System for extra exfoliation.
At night, I love using Bioeffect’s EGF essence and serum together. The essence dampens your skin and gives you an initial dose of growth factors to enhance absorption of the serum. But whenever my skin feels extra dry, or I’ve had a crazy week and haven’t slept enough, I’ll use Environ’s DF tool to infuse my skin with their Malachite-NP Complex.
I wear Sofie’s Omega moisturizer day and night. If you’re more of an oily girl or you don’t like to feel like you have much on your skin, it might be a little too much. But for drier skin, it’s amazing. If my skin really needs it, I’ll mix in a couple of drops of Qi Beauty’s Intense oil, but I mostly use the oil when I massage my face or use my gua sha and need some glide.
I rotate between Omad’s Instant Firm and Lift 2.0, Bio Cellulose Restore & Repair, and Miracle Balm masks. Omad is my holy grail and gives such an insane glow. The Bio Cellulose masks are what I reach for when my skin is feeling compromised or extra dry. The Miracle Balm is great for any sort of inflammation flare-up, eczema, redness, or just general hydration. I also treat myself with CO2Lift’s Carboxytherapy Skincare Gel mask, which delivers carbon dioxide (CO2) to the subdermal levels to stimulate oxygen production, in turn killing acne-causing bacteria and boosting blood flow to firm, tighten, and calm skin.
And I never forget SPF. Ultra Violette’s Supreme Screen is Australian—Australians make the best sunscreens. It wears really well under makeup, and Ultra Violette’s Preen Screen comes as a mist, so it’s perfect for reapplication. And for my body—and sometimes my face—I like Tizo’s Ultra Zinc non-tinted formula.
TOOLS & DEVICES
The Neurotris Pico Toner is the best microcurrent device on the market. It has two settings: one to depuff and drain lymph and a second to sculpt. With microcurrent, you see better results cumulatively, so you have to be consistent with it, but with this one, you do notice a difference after one use. It’s also strong enough to use on the body. It’s a great bang for your buck.
Cecily Braden’s lymphatic brushes are a great intro for people who want to get into tools but don’t have a lot of time. They have a very specific bristle pattern and density that grabs your skin in a way that helps drain the fluid since the lymph system doesn’t have its own pump. Plus, it feels so nice. It’s like doing ASMR… on your face. [Laughs]
Environ was founded by Des Fernandes, who is the doctor that pioneered the use of microchanneling and retinyl palmitate, the fat-soluble vitamin A. I love the brand’s Cosmetic Gold Roll-CIT. It creates better channels for products to penetrate with 260 ultra-fine, surgical-grade stainless steel microneedles spaced apart very specifically so they don’t drag on the skin.
OK, LEDs. I mostly use the Celluma Pro on my face—and I use it in my treatments, too. It’s one of the most clinically tested devices, and there’s an almost immediate glow and calming of inflammation when I use it. The Platinum LED panel has an infrared setting that’s great for pain management, healing, and cell regeneration, too.
Vibrating plates were trending on TikTok, so I get if people are skeptical, but they’re great. They’re meant to move your lymphatic system. I think everyone should get the one from Medic. The vibration mimics a pumping mechanism and it helps with puffiness and all of that, but I’ve really noticed a difference in my energy levels and digestion. I first started using it because my aunt had lymphatic cancer and had a bunch of lymph nodes removed, and she was looking for ways to support her lymphatic flow. She got one and loved it, and later gave me one for Christmas. The rest is history. I use it every day, even if it’s for two minutes.
People might think I’m crazy, but I also have an inversion table, where you literally strap your feet in and hang upside down. I’m not obsessive or freaky about it. [Laughs] Because I sit in a certain position all day while doing facials, it’s helped prolong the time between my chiropractic visits. If I’m good about it, I’ll use it a few times a week for a few minutes.
ORAL CARE
My biologic dentist, Dr. Gerry Curatola, makes an incredible prebiotic toothpaste called Revitin. His toothpaste is supposed to rebuild the mouth’s microbiome instead of killing all the bacteria—good and bad—which a lot of astringent mouthwashes and fluoride can do. It also makes your teeth so white without anything stripping—and makes your breath smell so good. You can even rub it on your gums as an overnight treatment. I put it on my floss sometimes. I also use Living Libations’ Ozonated gum gel. It’s made with ozonated olive oil—which is meant to remove plaque—and essential oils. I had complications with my wisdom teeth and a broken tooth when I was younger, so there’s some scar tissue back there that gets inflamed every once in a while. I dab a little on my brush or I’ll go straight to the point and rub it on inflamed gums.
MAKEUP
Anytime I have a big event, I call Erin Battsek. She’s so talented and really gets my face and how I want to look: An enhanced, defined version of myself. I don’t like shimmer, but I love a good glow.
When I do my own makeup, I try to be as minimal as I can with something like Tizo’s Ultra Zinc tinted SPF, a clear brow gel, and lip balm. If I want a little more, I start with Laura Mercier’s Pure Canvas primer. It’s acne-safe and gives me such a beautiful glow without pilling. On top, I like Danessa Myricks’ Yummy Skin tint in shade 4. Her complexion products are elite. This one especially gives me the perfect amount of coverage without looking heavy. Sometimes I grab Dior’s Forever Skin foundation stick. It’s super buildable and photographs well. I also use Dior’s contour stick in Medium under my cheeks, on my temples, and on the tip of my nose.
Makeup by Mario makes a gorgeous blush called Barely Blushing that really looks like a natural flush. I alternate between that one and Pat McGrath’s Divine Cream balms. I have every single color, but Forbidden Fleur and Alluring Nude are my favorites. One swipe of Pat’s gives you the perfect amount of pigment.
I run Revitalash’s clear gel over my brows. It’s one of the few I’ve tried that doesn’t get flaky. Then I alternate between two mascaras: Maybelline’s Mega Plush [Editor’s note: discontinued] and Westman Atelier’s Eye Want You. Mega Plush has a sort of elastic quality that accentuates my lashes without changing them too much. Westman’s is my event mascara.
For my lips, Chanel’s Nude Brun is the perfect neutral nude pencil. I think of it more as a lip contour. Sweet Nothing from Juvia’s Place is a bit lighter, but they’re both really creamy. On top, I prefer hydrating, tinted balms like Dior’s Addict lip butter in Toffee. And Make Up For Ever’s Mist & Fix setting spray goes on last. It blends and sets without leaving me overly dewy or matte.
HAIR
Reece Walker glazes, cuts, and styles my hair. He’s so freaking talented and gets it. I went red with Hannah Hubley—the only time I’ve ever colored my hair—and then Reece brought me back to my natural color when I noticed some grays.
When I went to Masa.Kanai, I discovered an Italian hair brand called Oway—Organic Way—that grows its ingredients from its own biodynamic farm. The products are scented with essential oils, and everything comes in glass. The formulas have genuinely changed my hair; it’s much less frizzy now. The Fortifying Hair Bath gets my scalp nice and clean without stripping it. That’s my first cleanse before I wash with the Moisturizing Hair Bath. I keep a Tangle Teezer scalp massager in my shower so I can massage them in. And the Curly Deep Mask is my version of a thick conditioner.
When I step out of the shower, I spray Unove’s Water Ampoule in my hair. It’s both a detangler and leave-in conditioner. I love Dupï’s scalp microbiome mist, too. Dupï also has a really great gua sha comb that hits my trigger points.
I don’t always add heat to my hair, but I still use Color Wow One-Minute Transformation because it’s so good at taming frizz without weighing down my curls. Then at night, I use Oribe’s Gold Lust hair cream on the ends to add hydration between wash days. I always sleep with my hair in a braid. It’s so long and gets matted otherwise. I’ve heard it also prevents the breakage that happens as you move around. And from a spiritual standpoint, they say that your hair is connected to your soul, so braiding it is protective.
NAILS + FRAGRANCE
Because I’m constantly washing my hands and touching all sorts of products, my cuticles get pretty dry. I always have Junoco’s polishing gloss around—it has a great brush. Same with Skinfix’s hand cream, because I tend to get eczema on my hands, and this one has colloidal oatmeal. If I’m not dealing with a flare-up, I just use iS Clinical’s Sheald balm. It’s a multipurpose, everything-fixer-upper for me. And it’s not super greasy, so I can touch things and not feel slimy. I call it my Windex—you’ll know what I mean if you’ve watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
When it comes to scents, I love anything with fig, moss, cedar—anything earthy. I love D.S. & Durga’s Debaser, and I’ve really gotten into Vyrao’s Verdant recently. It’s super mossy. Victoria Beckham’s 21:50 Reverie is so chic and sexy. Bvlgari’s Tygar is my nighttime scent—that’s the one I pull out for special events. It’s strong but earthy, sexy, and androgynous. Valaya from Parfums de Marly is an event perfume, too. It’s still unisex but cleaner and a little musky.
In my studio, I only burn Holy Ficus candles from D.S. & Durga [Editor’s note: discontinued]. I’m really big on scent association, so it’s always the same fragrance because I want you to walk in and feel like you’re being transported. At home I burn Diptyque’s Figuier and Temple des Mousses. And I burn a lot of incense, too. Vyrao’s Ember and Tennen Studio’s Japanese incense Ironwood Thorn are supposed to help eliminate negativity. I don’t know about that, but they do smell great.”
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Shana Trajanoska in New York on December 7, 2026