“I’ve been at Vogue for almost 10 years. I’m a connector between publicists, designers, stylists, and the Vogue team. Basically, if you see a star like Gracie Abrams on the cover of the magazine wearing a custom Ralph Lauren gown, I’m part of the reason why she’s wearing that. I need to have my finger on the pulse of the market, trends, and designers to help decide what and who we prioritize, including our advertisers. I love that I get to dabble in so many avenues, including tentpole events like the Met Gala, Vogue Vintage, Vogue World, and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
I truly love all of the covers that we do. Malick Bodian shot Michaela Coel for the November 2022 cover. She wore a vibrant neon yellow Gucci made-to-measure dress by Alessandro Michele, and we got to shoot it in her hometown with her family. It always feels special whenever we get the opportunity to do destination shoots, especially for covers. More recently, I loved the March 2026 cover with Rosalía in Dior couture, which we were able to preview before it hit the runway.
There are so many editorials that stand out, too. One that felt particularly inspiring was the Lone Star State of Mind: Snapshots of Texas Today, which was helmed by our contributing style director, Carlos Nazario. When Carlos looked for a place that really represented America—especially for a summer issue celebrating what America means to us on its 250th birthday, and how we interpret that given everything happening right now—Texas felt like the answer. It was a hodgepodge of people from so many different backgrounds. It was an incredible project to work on, though it was far from easy. We had so many people to dress, and at one point we had around 30 racks of clothes in our closet. It was truly a tour de force across every team involved.
GOING OUT
My husband, Blue, is a DJ, so his life pretty much revolves around going out, but I’m not stepping foot in a club unless he has a big gig. There was a version of me that went clubbing a decade ago, and there are times I wish I was still doing that, but I just don’t have the energy to go out at 11:30PM anymore. [Laughs.] These days, I’m more into getting really dressed up and going to a fabulous restaurant with my girlfriends. Not too long ago, we went to Obvio, and it felt like something straight out of an episode of Sex and the City. It looks like the inside of a giraffe’s belly, with giraffe print everywhere.
Recently, my version of going out meant going to the Saint James Joy Block Party. It was during the day, but it felt like such a nice way to spend time with my husband while supporting our community. My job is so demanding and I’m constantly at events, so I’ve been looking for more third spaces that let me pour energy back into myself and my relationships.
SKINCARE
Last year, I went to the Skinceuticals SkinLab and did three rounds of Moxi with Annie Otaigbe because I had so much hyperpigmentation. It really helped with the dark spots, but I was still getting breakouts all the time. Now I basically use Sofie Pavitt’s entire system: Clean Clean cleanser, Mandelic Clearing serum, Skin Jelly, Omega Rich moisturizer, and Screentime SPF 30. They’re all relatively new additions to my routine.
I went to Raquel’s for a facial with Misha Perelmuter—I only see her or Samantha Mims at Brooklyn Face & Eye—about four months ago because I’d been struggling with acne for so long. She had me completely reset my skincare routine and focus on non-comedogenic products—all of Sofie’s are—and I haven’t had a breakout since. I’m never going back to my old products, and honestly, this whole experience has made me hesitant to try new ones. Dealing with acne for so long, especially as an adult, just really kills your confidence.
I do have a couple of non-Sofie products. [Laughs.] I get really dark under-eye circles, and Beauty of Joseon’s Revive eye serum is the only eye product that’s actually helped brighten them. I always try to buy the Korean formula because some of the ingredients are different in the American version.
Three nights a week, I use prescription tret. I sandwich it between Dieux’s Skin Mercy moisturizer and Sofie’s Omega Rich moisturizer. Two nights a week, when I’m not using the mandelic serum, I use Biologique Recherche’s P50. It really helps with my hyperpigmentation. I know a lot of people hate the smell, but I don’t care. I actually want to smell my products so I know they’re working. [Laughs.] Once a week, I use one of Biodance’s collagen or niacinamide sheet masks. Sometimes I even sleep in it if my skin really needs it, and I always wake up glowing.
I’m really focused on facial exercises lately. I follow this guy on Instagram who says you should do ‘tongue exercises’ to help with smile lines. You close your mouth and trace your smile lines with your tongue in a circle for five minutes a day. I know that sounds like a lot, but I’m down to try anything. [Laughs.] My husband will sometimes walk into our room while I’m wrapped in my Higherdose sauna blanket with my face under my PlatinumLED Biomax 450 panel—my prized possession.
BODY
I take a shower both before I go out and after. That might sound crazy, but I definitely can’t get into bed after being outside, especially in the summer. I also just love being in the water—it’s my ‘me time’—so I really lean into ‘everything’ showers. I really wish I had a regular-sized tub, but this is New York, so it’s about half the size it should be.
Luckily, 39BC’s Sage Water and Silk Veil body cleansers double as bath and cleansing oils. I can still smell the cleansers in my bathroom long after I’ve gotten out of the shower, but the best part is that my skin feels clean without feeling stripped.
I’ve been using Terra-tory soaps since the pandemic started. They’re these big blocks of coconut oil-free soap with the most incredible scents like soursop, cucumber, wild heirloom tomato, and fresh sea moss. Some of them—like the plantain and coffee one—exfoliate, too, but I usually reach for Soft Services’ exfoliating bars if I want something extra. Or, if I need an even deeper cleanse, I use Hibiclens’ antiseptic cleanser. It’s so unsexy—and literally what doctors use. I tried to get Blue into it, but he told me it smelled like straight alcohol. Like, yes, but you feel so good and clean.
Then it’s time to moisturize, and that’s a three-step process. [Laughs.] Right out of the shower, I usually start with an oil. It’s either Terra-tory’s Petrichor Omega oil or a bottle of argan oil I picked up in Morocco. Terra-tory’s never leaves me feeling sticky. Costa Brazil’s is also great—and smells unreal. Then I apply La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar lotion, followed by Jao’s Goē oil—it has a thicker texture, so it really seals everything in and leaves my skin with a nice glow.
That said, sometimes I’ll use a retinol-niacinamide body lotion I found on Amazon with Amlactin’s exfoliating lotion—I get body acne, so exfoliation helps—and finish with Lipikar on top. Other times I’ll swipe The Ordinary’s glycolic acid toner all over my body and follow it with a thick layer of Nivea cream.
Oh, and I have to tell you about the Rohto eye drops I get from Japan. They make so many different versions with different vitamins. I use the Vita 40a drops with the yellow cap to help wake me up and keep my eyes moisturized. The Lycee drops in the pink bottle do the same thing, but they’re also safe for contact lenses.
MAKEUP
I’m very simple when it comes to makeup, whether it’s for work or going out, but that’s mostly because I don’t really know how to do my makeup. [Laughs.] I always start with Saie’s Glowy Super Gel, but I don’t wear foundation—just NARS’ Soft Matte concealer in Amande. I’ve been using it since 2016 and was actually in a campaign for it. It’s so easy to use and never feels heavy. Then I swipe on mascara; I like Ilia’s because it gives me really feathered lashes. Instead of proper eyeshadow, I wear Fenty’s Killawatt highlighter in Hu$tla Baby on my lids. I don’t usually wear blush unless I know I’m going to be on camera. Then I’ll finish with a lip gloss—Summer Fridays’ Vanilla Beige and Fara Homidi’s Giene [Editor’s note: discontinued] are my favorites right now—unless I’m doing a bolder lip. In that case, I’ll line my lips with Fara’s Demi pencil and top it with Giene. Or if I want to go even bolder with a red lip, I love The Lip Bar’s Bawse Glawse.
HAIR
Sunday is usually my wash day. I try not to wash my hair more than once a week, although it’s honestly hard to keep up because I’m always hearing different things. I also just don’t have time to wash it more often, and I get nervous about putting too much stress on my hair. I colored it a while back—you can still kind of see the remnants at the ends—and it caused a lot of breakage, so these days I’m focused on getting as much moisture into it as possible.
On wash days, I start with African Pride’s Moisture Miracle to work through all the little knots in my hair—it’ll just be one big matted mess if I don’t. I finger-comb it while I have my steamer going. Then I shampoo, apply conditioner, hop out of the shower for a bit, and go back in to rinse it out. Once I’m done, I use a leave-in conditioner, but I still haven’t found my perfect one.
I want Cécred to do better marketing because the products deserve it—and that’s frustrating because they’re expensive. [Laughs.] I really do notice a difference when I use the Restoring Edge Drops. People talk about them all the time on TikTok because they’ve seen so much new growth, too. At this point, I put them all over my scalp. I don’t even care.
FRAGRANCE
I’m always rotating between Byredo’s Mojave Ghost and Alto Astral. But I get the most compliments when I wear Guidance from Amouage—and that’s my favorite kind of compliment; if someone tells me I smell good, my work is done. The funny thing is that Guidance is kind of controversial. A lot of people have told me they hate it—but I don’t care. [Laughs.] You know who did love it? My Uber driver. I got into the car and he immediately turned around and said, ‘What are you wearing? I need to get that for my wife. Tell me right now. Write the name in my phone.’
In general, I like layering my fragrances with Dries Van Noten’s Soie Malaquais. All of the Dries perfumes smell incredible, but the bergamot, blackcurrant, silk, rose, and chestnut notes really complement the fragrances I wear most often. I also like layering Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540. That one’s newer for me. I stayed away from it for a long time because everyone talked about it so much, but now I get it. It’s good. It smells expensive… because it is. [Laughs.] Oh, and Bottega Veneta’s Acqua Sale is another newer favorite. I love the scent, but I also love that all of the Bottega bottles are so chic—and that they come with a green marble base.”
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Shana Trajanoska on July 24, 2026