fty jfth d

THE BEAUTY EXPERT

HALSEY

Five Comedians Walk Into a Studio…

Mother of Self-Invention

A Survivor’s Guide to Melanoma

Dolly Parton Talks Beauty (Oh Boy, Does She Ever) The ABCs of LSD

The

HEALTH ISSUE

How Nick Jonas, Whoopi Goldberg, Shay Mitchell, and 14 More Found Wellness After Diagnosis A

U

G

U

S

T

2

0

2 1

93 0

SA TU

RN

IT

UP

!

INTRODUCING MIRACLE GEL™ IT TAKES TWO™

96

0

SU

GA

R

FI

X

*UP TO 8 DAYS OF COLOR & SHINE GLITTER SHADES MAY NOT PROVIDE SAME PERFORMANCE

2

simple steps

NO U.V. LAMP NEEDED

94

0

SU

ND

OW

N

SO

CI

AL

92 0

RA

IN

-G

LO W

95 0

QU AR TZ

&

KI

SS E

S

IT

E

AUGUST 2021 BEAUTY REPORTER 14 Needle-free acupuncture 16 How to read an ingredients label • Nail tips and tricks • A new way to massage your face 18 Editors’ Favorites 20 Chef Sophia Roe wants everyone to have a seat at the table • A sneak peek at this month’s Allure Beauty Box 22 Reintroducing blush • Allure takes a cordless flatiron to the beach 24 Words we’ll never say again (unless we really mean them) • New strides in sustainability

64 BRIGHT EYES

JACKIE NICKERSON

Looking ahead, Halsey can’t help but smile.

Noir Kei Ninomiya coat. Schiaparelli necklace. To create a similar look: Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Dionysus and Fractal Lip Color in Sudden Shift by About-Face.

2 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

Don’t let a lifetime of expressions reveal your age Fight the formation of expression lines with PCA SKIN®’s new ExLinea® Pro Peptide Serum with the proprietary Peptide-Pro Complex.

This breakthrough innovation is a neuropeptide spot treatment that works in three unique ways.

Minimize visible expression lines

Lift, tighten and firm skin

Smooth skin and improve texture

100% of patients showed a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles*

Scan or visit pcaskin.com/allure to see Before & After photos Find a PCA SKIN® Certified Professional at pcaskin.com/locator

AUGUST 2021

50 Phenomenon.

Working Out, Staying In. The personalities and products that have come to define the fitness industry.

58 Talking Beauty.

Dolly Parton goes just too far enough.

As told to Jenny Bailly FEATURES 64 Leaps & Bounds.

Halsey didn’t become a rock star and beauty brand founder by holding back. On issues from pregnancy to identity, they walk the talk.

By Danielle Pergament 70 Laugh Your Head Off. If laughter is the best medicine, these are your friendly, if eccentric, pharmacists.

70 FUNNY FACES Where the comedic (as in five rising comedy stars) meets the dramatic (wigs, and lots of ‘em). Raf Simons shirt.

To create a similar look: Nail Lacquer in Alpine Snow, Mi Casa Es Blue Casa, Big Apple Red, and Black Onyx by OPI.

NEWS & TRENDS 30 In Conversation.

Birds of a Feather.

The ladies of Poog teach us how to be better besties.

42 Modern Wellness.

Build a Better Brain.

The future of psychiatry is looking like one weird trip.

76 What It Means to Be Well. Whoopi Goldberg, Nick Jonas, Emma Chamberlain, and 14 other people with lifeaffecting health conditions share their take on “wellness.”

86 More Reasons to Smile. It’s time to rethink what it means to have beautiful teeth.

ON THE COV E R Salvatore Ferragamo dress.

Burc Ayol top. Tiffany & Co. cuffs. To create a similar look: Fractal Eye Liner in Past Life and Fractal Eye Paint in Refract by About-Face.

Photographed by Jackie Nickerson. Fashion stylist: Law Roach. Hair: Marty Harper.

Makeup: Halsey. Set design: Bette Adams. Production: Viewfinders.

REGULARS 8 Michelle’s Most Wanted 12 Editor’s Letter 36 Ask the Beauty Expert. Do so-called beauty supplements work?

40 Dream Kit. For activist Rachel Cargle, skin care is self-care.

48 The Face Chart.

Katey Denno plays with plant-powered pigments.

90 Allure Recommends.

This bar soap is as good as it gets.

ALLURE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT © 2021 CONDÉ NAST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 31, NO. 6. August 2021 issue. ALLURE (ISSN 1054-7711) is published monthly (except for combined issues in December/January and June/July) by Condé Nast, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: Condé Nast, One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. Roger Lynch, Chief Executive Officer; Pamela Drucker Mann, Global Chief Revenue Officer & President, U.S. Revenue; Jason Miles, Chief Financial Officer (INTERIM). Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503.

Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 123242885-RT0001. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (SEE DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to ALLURE, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to ALLURE, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617, call 800-678-1825, or email subscriptions@allure.com. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within eight weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to ALLURE Magazine, One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. For reprints, please email reprints@condenast.com or call 717-505-9701, ext 101. For reuse permissions, please email permissions@condenast.com or call 800-897-8666. Visit us online at www.allure.com. To subscribe to other Condé Nast magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.condenastdigital.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617 or call 800678-1825. ALLURE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ARTWORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY ALLURE IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

4 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

DANIELLE LEVITT

44 Survivor’s Guide. The Skin You’re In. Powerful stories from skincancer survivors, plus advice for performing checks at home.

MICHELLE LEE EDITOR IN CHIEF EXECUTIVE BEAUTY DIRECTOR

JENNY BAILLY

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

NATHALIE KIRSHEH DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL OPERATIONS AMANDA MEIGHER JESSICA CRUEL

CONTENT DIRECTOR

DEPUTY BEAUTY DIRECTOR

ELIZABETH SIEGEL

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS

SOYINI DRISKELL SENIOR WRITER BRENNAN KILBANE SENIOR BEAUTY EDITOR DIANNA MAZZONE SENIOR MANAGER OF SPECIAL PROJECTS

MONICA PERRY BEAUTY EDITOR PAIGE STABLES ASSISTANT MARKET EDITOR KAREN LOPEZ EDITORIAL ASSISTANT GABRIELA THORNE BEAUTY ASSISTANT TALIA GUTIERREZ

CREATIVE KATHRYNE HALL SARAH OLIN SENIOR VISUALS EDITOR LAUREN BROWN DESIGNER BELLA GERACI JUNIOR DESIGNER CLARA HENDLER ASSISTANT VISUALS EDITOR CASSIE BASFORD SENIOR DIRECTOR, TALENT CASTING HELENA SURIC VISUALS DIRECTOR

DESIGN DIRECTOR

SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

EUGENE SHEVERTALOV BOOKINGS MANAGER MORGAN SENESI

PRODUCTION/COPY/RESEARCH NICOLE STUART PRODUCTION MANAGER BRENT BURKET SENIOR COPY MANAGER LESLIE LIPTON COPY MANAGER DAWN REBECKY RESEARCH DIRECTOR LORI SEGAL RESEARCH MANAGER AMBER ANGELLE EDITORIAL BUSINESS MANAGER TAYLOR SHEA DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

ALLURE.COM SITE DIRECTOR DEPUTY EDITOR

SAM ESCOBAR KARA MCGRATH

ASSOCIATE BEAUTY DIRECTOR

SARAH KINONEN DEVON ABELMAN WELLNESS EDITOR ROSEMARY DONAHUE STAFF EDITOR JIHAN FORBES NEWS EDITOR NICOLA DALL’ASEN BEAUTY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS JESSICA CHIA, KRISTIN CORPUZ, EMILY NEWHOUSE, MICHELLA ORÉ, DANIELLE PERGAMENT, MARCI ROBIN, LIANA SCHAFFNER

EDITOR AT LARGE DAVID DENICOLO

FOUNDING EDITOR LINDA WELLS

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SOCIAL MEDIA

KELLY GALLAGHER SARAH HAN COMMERCE EDITOR NYKIA SPRADLEY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, ANALYTICS MELISSA HANEY ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MANAGER AMANDA KLEIN VP OF COMMUNICATIONS JILL WEISKOPF SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS ASHLEE BOBB ASSOCIATE MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS REMI BERGER SENIOR COMMERCE WRITER

SUSAN D. PLAGEMANN CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER KIMBERLY FASTING-BERG LUCY KRIZ HEAD OF SALES, HEALTH CARRIE MOORE HEAD OF SALES, CPG & VICE JEFF BARISH

HEAD OF MARKETING

HEAD OF SALES, BEAUTY

DOUG GRINSPAN PAMELA QUANDT

HEAD OF SALES, BIZ/FI/TECH VP, REVENUE – MIDWEST

VP, REVENUE – SAN FRANCISCO

DEVON ROTHWELL VP, ENTERPRISE SALES – LOS ANGELES

HEAD OF SALES, HOME & TRAVEL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BRAND MARKETING

CAMILLE DARBY SENIOR DIRECTOR, BRAND MARKETING

TONI NICOLINO KELLY HWANG

SENIOR BUSINESS DIRECTOR

BETH LUSKO-GUNDERMAN

DAN WEINER

HEAD OF SALES, AUTO & MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT

VP, FINANCE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

BILL MULVIHILL

SYLVIA W. CHAN

PUBLISHED BY CONDÉ NAST

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

IN THE UNITED STATES CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

PAMELA DRUCKER MANN

DEIRDRE FINDLAY CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER STAN DUNCAN CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DANIELLE CARRIG CHIEF OF STAFF ELIZABETH MINSHAW

CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER

CHIEF PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

CRAIG KOSTELIC

ANNA WINTOUR

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT – REVENUE

AGNES CHU

SANJAY BHAKTA CHIEF DATA OFFICER KARTHIC BALA CHIEF CLIENT OFFICER JAMIE JOUNING

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

CHIEF CONTENT OPERATIONS OFFICER

JACKIE MARKS

CHRISTIANE MACK

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ROGER LYNCH

GLOBAL CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER & PRESIDENT, U.S. REVENUE

PRESIDENT, CONDÉ NAST ENTERTAINMENT

JOSEPH LIBONATI CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER, U.S. ADVERTISING REVENUE AND GLOBAL VIDEO SALES

MONICA RAY

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD JONATHAN NEWHOUSE WORLDWIDE EDITIONS France: AD, AD Collector, GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Vogue Collections, Vogue Hommes Germany: AD, Glamour, GQ, GQ Style, Vogue India: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, Vogue Italy: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, Experience Is, GQ, La Cucina Italiana, L’Uomo Vogue, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired Japan: GQ, Rumor Me, Vogue, Vogue Girl, Vogue Wedding, Wired Mexico and Latin America: AD Mexico and Latin America, Condé Nast College Américas, Glamour Mexico and Latin America, GQ Mexico and Latin America, Vogue Mexico and Latin America Spain: AD, Condé Nast College Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue Taiwan: GQ, Vogue United Kingdom: London: HQ, Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design, Vogue Business; Britain: Condé Nast Johansens, Condé Nast Traveller, Glamour, GQ, GQ Style, House & Garden, Tatler, The World of Interiors, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired United States: Allure, Architectural Digest, Ars Technica, basically, Bon Appétit, Clever, Condé Nast Traveler, epicurious, Glamour, GQ, GQ Style, healthyish, HIVE, La Cucina Italiana, LOVE, Pitchfork, Self, Teen Vogue, them., The New Yorker, The Scene, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired PUBLISHED UNDER JOINT VENTURE

Brazil: Casa Vogue, Glamour, GQ, Vogue

Russia: AD, Glamour, Glamour Style Book, GQ, GQ Style, Tatler, Vogue

PUBLISHED UNDER LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT COOPERATION Australia: GQ, Vogue, Vogue Living Bulgaria: Glamour China: AD, Condé Nast Traveler, GQ, GQ Lab, GQ Style, Vogue, Vogue Café Beijing, Vogue Film, Vogue Me, Vogue Business in China Czech Republic and Slovakia: Vogue Germany: GQ Bar Berlin Greece: Vogue Hong Kong: Vogue, Vogue Man Hungary: Glamour Korea: Allure, GQ, Vogue, Wired Malaysia: Vogue Lounge Kuala Lumpur Middle East: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, Vogue, Vogue Café Riyadh, Wired Poland: Glamour, Vogue Portugal: GQ, Vogue, Vogue Café Porto Romania: Glamour Russia: Vogue Café Moscow Scandinavia: Vogue Serbia: La Cucina Italiana Singapore: Vogue South Africa: Glamour, GQ, GQ Style, House & Garden Thailand: GQ, Vogue The Netherlands: Glamour, Vogue, Vogue Living, Vogue Man, Vogue The Book Turkey: GQ, Vogue, Vogue Restaurant Istanbul Ukraine: Vogue, Vogue Man Condé Nast is a global media company producing premium content with a footprint of more than 1 billion consumers in 32 markets. condenast.com Published at 1 World Trade Center, New York NY 10007.

LIGHTWEIGHT MOISTURE

FOR FINE CURLS.

UNCAP THE LOVE™

W A N T E D M O S T M I C H E L L E ’ S

divine inspiration AS SOMEONE WITH COUCH POTATO TENDENCIES, I’VE FOUND THAT THESE PRODUCTS GIVE ME THE EXTRA OOMPH I NEED TO GET UP AND MOVE.

1. JONES ROAD COOL GLOSS IN NUDE BEIGE. Parched lips are a no-no regardless of the activity.

This minty formula delivers enough shine and tint to look like you put in just the right amount of effort. $22.

1

2

2. EQUIPT UWRAPS. I Velcro these veganleather weights to my ankles and channel Jane Fonda for some nostalgic floor exercises. $65 for three-pound weights.

3

3. GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE BRA. Functional enough for yoga, chic enough to wear under a jacket after the class. $38.

4

4. DR. LORETTA URBAN ANTIOXIDANT SUNSCREEN. Summertime workouts require major sun protection. This tinted cream with zinc oxide shields and doubles as a primer. $50.

5

6

6. APL TECHLOOM WAVE SNEAKERS. I’m a big fan of wearing sneakers everywhere, and these are so comfy and the neutral shade is so versatile. (Side note: There’s a cool loop so you can tuck in the laces for a clean look.) $225.

7. COVERGIRL LASH BLAST WATERPROOF MASCARA. One of my all-time favorite drugstore mascaras—scratch that— one of my favorites, full stop. Natural-looking, nonclumping. Perfect. $6.

8

8. LAGREE THE MICRO #5. Pre-pandemic, I loved taking SLT (Strengthen, Lengthen, Tone) classes, which are a bit like souped-up Pilates. I was thrilled when Lagree made an at-home machine. Abs and quads on fire. $1,560.

8 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

LAGREE REFORMER: COURTESY OF BRAND. REMAINING IMAGES: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

too. $95.

WHAT THE BEAUTY EXPERTS WANT NOW

All members will receive Able Skincare Retexturing and Resurfacing Duo Moisturiser (full size), Acure Brightening Vitamin C Jelly Mask, La Roche-Posay serum in either Hyalu B5 or Retinol B3; either Ciaté London Trend Edit Palette in Bronzed or Original (both full size); either Winky Lux Uni-Brow Universal Brow Pencil or BrowGal Eyebrow Pencil (both full size); and a product from Crabtree & Evelyn or NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner. Members never receive the same product twice.

New members will also receive a new member gift. On sale July 1-31, 2021. All while supplies last. *Includes retail value of new member gift.

E D I T O R

While doing a little research for this letter, I was surprised to see “personal care & beauty” often lumped in with stats about wellness-industry market share. Is beauty part of wellness?

I don’t typically think of, say, plumping lip gloss as a wellness item. But I suppose it is difficult to overlook that the beauty and wellness worlds are commingling more than ever, with some beauty brands launching crossover products like natural deodorants or biotin supplements, and more wellness products (including digestive enzymes and mushroom coffee) showing up in stores like Sephora and Ulta.

Product trends are fine, but they can’t define a movement. While health is the state of well-being, “wellness” (and self-care, by extension) is the process of making choices toward better health. Although the word dates

12 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

back several centuries, the concept of wellness as we know it can be traced to the 1950s. Today, a Google search of the word yields more than one billion results.

The term has taken on a conspicuous consumption connotation in some circles (I hope it goes without saying that you don’t need solid-gold dumbbells or a jade vagina egg). But there are plenty of simple, inexpensive wellness practices we can all engage in, like getting enough sleep, moving our bodies, and eating a serving of broccoli every now and then.

It’s wonderful that more people are taking a proactive approach to their mental and physical well-being. But wellness can carry us only so far. In the words of my colleague Jenny Bailly, “There is no wellness without good, accessible health care.” The phrase “self-care” actually dates back to the civil rights movement: Black women needed self-care because they were denied health care.

So we are devoting this issue to the topic of health—of the body and the mind. The broken, expensive health-care system in this country has left millions of people at risk from issues that can’t be solved by herbal tinctures and breath-work classes. More than 13 percent of Americans (about 34 million people) say a friend or family member died in the past five years after not being able to afford treatment for a condition, according to a 2019 poll by Gallup and West Health. And the stark racial inequities in medical care have led to alarming consequences, such as higher death rates from chronic diseases and higher maternal mortality for Black people.

The past year has certainly taught us that it’s not just our own health we should care about. The health of everyone around us can greatly influence our existence. The pandemic also showed how easily millions can be left without a safety net. As of June 2020, as many as 7.7 million Americans were laid off and lost their employer-sponsored health coverage. When you zoom out and count their 6.9 million dependents, that leaves 14.6 million people who lost health insurance, according to a report by the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation dedicated to improving equity in health care.

So, yes, your well-being is absolutely within your control. Keep breathing, stretching, unplugging, journaling…and advocating for yourself and others to have access to solid, affordable health care. We’ll all be much better for it.

COURTESY OF MICHELLE LEE

T H E F R O M L E T T E R

to your health

3X IMPROVES SKIN

*

BETTER

Infused with prestige skin care ingredient Retinol, Olay transforms skin from dry and stressed to bright and smooth.

+RETINOL

FEARLESS IN MY SKIN

R E P O R T E R

seeds of change The amethyst-colored crystals above may look like jewelry, but they are ear seeds, a kind of acupressure inspired by traditional Chinese medicine. The treatment involves placing magnetic or adhesive gems (or stones or metal) on the ear, much the same way acupuncturists use needles to target points on your body. Anecdotally, ear seeds are said to relieve insomnia, pain, stress, digestive issues, and more. There hasn’t been large-scale research on their efficacy, but some small studies suggest benefits for lower-back and acute pain. Unlike fullbody acupuncture, “ear seeding can be done at home, so it’s a nice way to keep your body tuned up until you can get on the table,” says Mona Dan, an acupuncturist in Beverly Hills. After the seeds are placed, massage and press them periodically to help their

14 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

effects last, suggests Daphne Lim, an acupuncturist in Los Angeles.

If you’re thinking of trying one of the many new at-home ear-seed kits (we like WTHN, Cosma, or Vie Healing, Dan’s own brand), be aware of any allergies to metals (like gold) and consult a licensed acupuncturist to learn the proper placement first.

—KRISTIN CORPUZ

Purple gems from the WTHN Rainbow Ear Seed Kit (the four shown here come in a pack of 40 ) have been placed on the spots said to help (from top) improve sleep, reduce pain, relieve stress, and support digestion.

MODEL: RAMONA REUTER/BLAUBLUT-EDITION.COM. EAR SEEDS: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

b

B E A U T Y

2

R E P O R T E R

1

full disclosure You no longer need a magnifying glass to read the ingredients list on a box or bottle. Brands like SkinCeuticals and Paula’s Choice pioneered putting ingredient concentrations on their front labels, and The Ordinary doubled down by using active ingredient potencies as actual product names (Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution). Now, Ingredients (a line of skin care, teas, and throat and nasal sprays) is taking

transparency to the next level, listing the exact percentage of every ingredient in their Face Serum, their Oil Complex (above), and more on the front of the bottle. To be clear: This is entirely voluntary. “For most cosmetics, percentage claims are not required,” says Laurel Naversen Geraghty, a dermatologist in Medford, Oregon. The FDA only regulates over-the-counter skin-care products that make drug claims to affect the function or structure of the skin, such as sunscreens.

And while no one can argue with proactive, full transparency, it’s worth noting that unless you are a chemist, reading ingredient percentages can be misleading. “More does not mean better,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King. “We need to stop this percentage game because skin can only take up a certain amount of actives through our skin barrier.

An optimal level, clinically proven, means more than a high percentage.” And in the case of products that loudly proclaim only some of their ingredient percentages, Naversen Geraghty points out that while “it might sound potent and more pharmacologic, that number doesn’t account for what else is in the formula, which has the potential to reduce the effects of that active.”

As for Ingredients, cofounder Erik Malka says their nothing-to-hide-here approach has a greater purpose: “We are a selfregulated industry, and our goal is to cause a shift [that] focuses consumers on what is inside the bottle versus marketing claims.”

So keep asking smart questions, keep talking to your board-certified dermatologist (or following 1, or 20, on Instagram), and keep trusting your intuition— 100 percent of the time.

—GINA WAY

4

RIGHT ON THE NAIL

Sunny days and vibrant manicures are better together. We can’t say why for sure, but we can say how to achieve it.

(The manicures, that is.

Allure cannot impact the weather—yet.)

Always Greener. Green is the new blue. It’s why Gucci Beauty just launched not one, not two, but three green Vernis À Ongles: Miriam Mint 719, a crisp pastel [1]; Melinda Green 712, a Granny Smith apple; and Dorothy Turquoise 713, a soft pistachio. And Jinsoon’s Palma [2] looks as fresh as cut grass.

Sticker Shock. Kiwis, cacti, bees—each Cheat Sheets nail sticker [3] from Ciaté London is cuter than the last. Use them to stretch a manicure, advises nail artist Gina Edwards: “Apply stickers around the cuticle line, [add a] topcoat, and it’s brand new.”

On the Go. Sally Hansen’s pocket-size Miracle Gel It Takes Two wands have a shade of gel on one end (like Quartz & Kisses [4]) and a clear topcoat on the other. —NICOLA DALL’ASEN

ROLLING STONES

product review

16

It was around two years ago when Marta Pichlak-Miarka began seeing face massage pop up regularly on spa menus: “I remember thinking, What if you could have that experience at home?” Enlisting the help of a dermatologist friend and a former Calvin Klein designer, she made Carbonnique. With its forked ceramic balls, the tool gently pinches bone and muscle ridges, rather than merely rolling over them. The balls are magnetized (pop them off for easy cleaning) and made of an alloy used for bone grafts and tooth implants.

(The more you know!) The pinching closely mimics pressure applied by a masseuse and it produces a feeling two shades shy of an orgasm, which may explain why it has a growing wait list. Run it along your palms; up and down each finger; down your neck. The possibilities are endless and beg to be cataloged, which is why this summer Carbonnique is launching a platform called Carbonnique Studio for full-body rolling tutorials. “Peloton, but for beauty videos,” as Pichlak-Miarka describes it. —BRENNAN KILBANE

CARBONNIQUE AND JINSOON: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE. REMAINING IMAGES: COURTESY OF BRAND.

B E A U T Y

3

defy Defy hiding your period — it’s natural.

Choose U by Kotex ,

U by Kotex® Security® pads Gentle on skin

designed to fit your body and your mindset.

period or not,

®

U by Kotex® CleanWear® pads Move with you

® Registered Trademark or * Trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. © KCWW.

ALL THE SHINY, HAPPY THINGS WE HAVE ON HEAVY ROTATION THIS SUMMER.

5. Hanni Weighted Razor and Hero Holder. They say they don’t make ‘em like they used to, but “they” must not have tried this fresh take on an old-school razor.

With stainless steel blades and a weighted handle, this is as ergonomic as it gets.

1. Diptyque Ilio Hair Mist.

Spritz your hair with this iris- and jasmine-infused scent to give your loved ones a sweet surprise now that you’re finally able to squeeze them.

2. Rare Beauty Discovery Eyeshadow Palette. So many eye shadow palettes are one-hit wonders, but this is more like a platinum-selling album: You’ll use every one of the easy-toblend warm tones (in matte and shimmery finishes) inside this sleek compact.

3. Clinique Moisture Surge 100H AutoReplenishing Hydrator. If we had a dollar for every time we’ve named this gel-cream when someone asked us to recommend a lightweight moisturizer... And now the classic has been enriched with aloe so it’s even more hydrating. (That one’s on the house.)

4. Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Power.

The teardrop-shaped tip of this longwear lipstick (seen here in shade 106) is a tiny detail that makes a big difference in helping define the edges of your lips.

18 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

2

6. Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Mist SPF 50. Every complaint you’ve ever had about reapplying sunscreen—it’s a pain, it messes up your concealer—is rendered moot by this featherlight mist.

(Use a sunscreen lotion in the morning so you’re not just relying on a spray.)

7. LAFCO Retreat Signature Candle.

This soothing blend of matcha, clary sage, and palo santo was inspired by spa rituals from around the world.

(If you’d like us to verify that, we can have our bags packed in 20.)

8. Tatcha The Essence. An extra

7

step doesn’t feel like extra work when the results are this worth it. Now with more lactic acid and antioxidants, this liquid goes on just before serum and/or moisturizer and makes skin appear plumper and smoother.

9. Crown Affair The Dry Shampoo. Dip the fluffy brush into the tapioca starch-spiked powder, then dust it along your roots for the most elegant scalp degreasing of your life. (Yes, we did just use “elegant” and “degreasing” in the same sentence.)

CLINIQUE: DAVID COOK. LIPSTICK: LUCAS VISSER. GIORGIO ARMANI: LUCAS VISSER. REMAINING IMAGES: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

R E P O R T E R B E A U T Y

EDITORS’ F AV O R I T E S

When is a stew more than a stew? When it’s a conduit for creativity and self-acceptance. Sophia Roe, chef and host of Vice’s Counter Space (about the role food plays in culture and politics), cooks as a means of catharsis and advocates for equitable access to healthy food— always with a perfect flick of eyeliner.

On timid cooks: “Chefs aren’t showing you every time their bread doesn’t rise. Cooking isn’t necessarily intuitive.

It’s practice. You need to practice.”

On food as a form of healing: “I don’t have the best childhood memories.

There’s a chapter in my cookbook called ‘I Don’t Know My Grandma,’ because I don’t. I used to feel so ashamed of it, not having a family special [food]. I could give a rat’s ass [now]…. Cooking is my coping mechanism. It’s how I deal with pain. It’s safe. The good moments I remember with my mom were with food. Full transparency: All of the culinary work I do comes from a trauma space. As

a codependent person, I want to make people happy. I want to feed folks.”

On involved recipes: “What makes me feel calm in the kitchen are long, labored recipes no one wants to make, like a stew, or things you have to strain five times, like a broth.

When I’m stressed or sad, it’s something to put my feelings into.”

On giving back: “I take at least 60 percent of my income and redistribute it.

When I was a kid in foster care, I got one new pair of shoes every year. I’m 33 years old and I’ve been wearing these Keds my whole life. I grew up without a lot, so as I make money

“Winged eyeliner, that’s my signature,” says Roe, who likes UZ Eye Opening Liner in Brown-Black.

I’m fine not having it….

You have to be prepared to lose something, right?

Lose money, lose time, lose resources. That’s what real advocacy is about.”

On the power of scent: “My partner wears Vio-Volta

by D.S. & Durga, and I am obsessed with it. It’s like electricity in a smell.

It is insane. It smells like lightning.”

On washday: “I blow-dry about 50 percent of the way, and then use Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel. Let the record show, the back three or four inches of my head are shaved.

You’ve got to do the undercut.” —TALIA GUTIERREZ

Allure Beauty Box alert! P R A C T I C A L M A G I C I have combination skin and even though I moisturize in the morning, my cheeks and forehead are usually parched again by sunset. But with 111Skin Y Theorem Day Cream my complexion felt as soft and smooth in the evening as it did when I massaged it in after breakfast. The rich formula hydrates with hyaluronic acid (but isn’t so heavy that it clogs my oily T-zone or feels uncomfortable on muggy days). And it contains just about every vitamin in the alphabet (A, C, E, F, and H). —MICHELLA ORÉ The August Allure Beauty Box includes a full-size jar of 111Skin Y Theorem Day Cream (a $270 value!) along with six other products ($23 per month). Go to allure.com/beautyreporter to subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box by August 31 and get this cream (while supplies last) and more delivered to your door.

20 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

ROE: JESS FERAN. PRODUCTS: COURTESY OF BRAND. 111 SKIN: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

R E P O R T E R B E A U T Y

simmer down with sophia

ON THE BEACH (!)

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Talia Gutierrez, from the shores of Los Angeles:

Angela Trakoshis, from the mean streets of Queens, New York:

“On-the-go touch-ups make the world of difference for my coarse, wavy hair that’s prone to flyaways. I’ll often find myself needing to re-straighten small sections. This compact flatiron targeted my baby hairs—always the first to curl up—and made it easy to polish my waves. Yes, even at the beach.”

“I drive everywhere, so I keep the necessities stocked in my car: hand sanitizer, a powder foundation, and now a flatiron. It fits in my glove compartment and I can charge it on the dashboard.

From the gym parking lot, I’ll iron out my ‘money pieces’ in front—and then I look like a million bucks.”

BETWEEN APPOINTMENTS Michella Oré, from Columbus Park in Lower Manhattan: “In this photo, I’d been relaxing in the park and was smoothing out a little frizz before meeting a friend. I was on a bench amid card tables and soccer games, but whipping out a flatiron was far from shocking to anyone (this is NYC!). I did catch a few smiles, though.”

feeling flush We like rosy cheeks as much as any beauty editor, but blush usually plays backup to the rest of our makeup. So when we noticed that a ton of brands— Benefit, Saie, Hermès, Drunk Elephant, the list goes on—were not just promoting but reimagining blushes, we were intrigued. Benefit Playtint (the color of pink lemonade) and Saie Dew Blush (in pinks and berries) look more like watercolors than liquid blushes. Benefit treated water as a key ingredient, balancing it against emollients, to achieve its ethereal finish. Inside the Hermès Colour Library in Lyon, France, product developers perused more than 75,000 silks, translated about 60 into blushes, then picked their favorite eight. They left out pearlescence and upped the concentration of pigments to create a halo of unadulterated color on the skin. And here’s something different: Drunk Elephant O-Bloos Rosi Drops are meant to be mixed into a dollop of moisturizer or serum and applied all over the face.

Founder Tiffany Masterson told us that the goal was to create “a wash of healthy.” Putting blush on every inch of the face may seem crazy, but we tried it and the results were our-skin-but-better, with a very subtle glow. (You can also put the metallic peach tint right on cheeks for a reflective gleam.) Makeup artist Lisa Eldridge set out to create a blush with a skinlike finish with her Enlivening Blush, which sounds very Silence of the Lambs, but is actually a cream blush—in shades like bright coral, watermelon, and soft-pink—that’s incredibly light and easy to blend.

“Everything is cyclical,” Eldridge says. After covering our skin with contour and highlighter and, most recently, face masks, “it makes sense that fresherlooking skin is making a comeback. It binds an entire look together and brings life to the face. It’s the ultimate expression of joy.” —PAIGE STABLES

22 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

PORTRAITS: COURTESY OF SUBJECT. GHD: COURTESY OF BRAND. BLUSHES: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE. MODEL: EDDIE NEW/TRUNK ARCHIVE.

R E P O R T E R B E A U T Y

The brains inside the flawlessly styled heads over at GHD recently unveiled their latest creation: a cordless hair straightener. GHD’s Unplugged packs serious heat (365 degrees to be precise), can be charged virtually anywhere (with its USB charger), and lasts at least 20 minutes. Three Allure editors issue dispatches from the field:

TRY ON THE BRIGHTEST, BOLDEST LOOKS OF THE SEASON

Allure’s September issue will inspire with a

words matter “Sustainability” is an ambiguous, ever-evolving concept.

In the beauty world, it encompasses many things, but among the biggest environmental concerns are the bottles, jars, and tubes that accumulate in our medicine cabinets, showers, makeup bags—and then our trash cans. We at Allure want to affirm our commitment to choosing our words clearly and carefully when we report on sustainable packaging, and we call on the beauty industry to do the same. Important strides are being made, but we need to do much more to understand and address the realities of the beauty waste problem—and a good place to start is how we talk about it. Here is our pledge to you on the sustainability buzzwords we will no longer use, or use only with careful qualification: RECYCLABLE: We will never refer to any type of plastic as “recyclable.” Yes, many plastics are able to be recycled, but most of them never are (even when you thoroughly clean them and place them in the correct bin). Only 9 percent of all plastic waste ever produced has actually been turned into something that we were able to use again.

GREEN: We will only use the word “green” to describe something that is literally verdant in color. Otherwise, what does it mean exactly? (We certainly don’t know!)

BIODEGRADABLE: We will never use the word “biodegradable” without being extremely specific about what we mean. The word is defined as “a substance or object that is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms,” but there is no specific time limit—even plastic will break down in a few thousand years—and most landfills don’t have enough oxygen to get the job done.

GLUT CHECK “There’s no perfection when it comes to sustainability,” says environmental advocate Valeria Hinojosa, who has consulted on sustainable practices for more than 400 brands. But here’s a

24 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

good place to start: Shop smarter. Before you make a purchase, ask yourself questions like, What’s the packaging made of?

Can I reuse it? Do I really need it? “Going through that brainstorming process triggers the

COMPOSTABLE: We will only use the word “compostable” to describe a product that can break down in a residential composter in approximately 90 days, creating zero soil toxicity in the process. Only 4 percent of Americans currently have access to curbside pickup that will transport their compost to an industrial facility and, according to a recent study by TerraCycle, only 10 percent of those industrial facilities actually accept compostable plastic.

ZERO-WASTE: We will never describe a product or its packaging as “zero-waste.” Instead, we will ask the brand using that descriptor to tell us exactly what they mean by this undefined term.

EARTH-FRIENDLY: We will not call any type of product packaging “Earth-friendly” (or “eco-friendly” or “planet-friendly”)—unless it is nonexistent.

consciousness that we need to have as consumers,” says Hinojosa.

Audit your trash. Take note of the items you throw out frequently, says Tyler Chanel, who has lived virtually waste-free since 2018 and runs a blog called Thrifts and Tangles.

Replace everything at

the top of the list: Swap makeup wipes or paper towels for reusable cotton rounds or cloths, and choose pretty, scented bars over hand wash in plastic pump bottles.

Divide and conquer.

Hinojosa has a separate

bin for packaging she ships to TerraCycle (which offers a program for recycling some beauty-product packaging) and suggests adding one to your bathroom, otherwise almost everything heads to a landfill.

MODEL: BETINA DU TOIT/TRUNK ARCHIVE. SKY: GETTY IMAGES. OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF BRAND.

B E A U T Y

R E P O R T E R

A L L U R E ’ S N E W S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y P L E D G E

WASH THIS WAY The average bottle of shampoo is 80 percent water—but more brands are cutting back on H20, or doing away with it altogether. Eliminating or minimizing water “reduces the weight of a product, which reduces CO2 emissions in transport,” says Anna Cummins, cofounder of 5 Gyres, a nonprofit focused on curbing plastic pollution. “It also reduces the need for plastic packaging, [since] a dry product can be packaged in paper or materials that don’t need to be water-repellent. And it concentrates the product, so a smaller amount goes a longer way.” Davines Momo Shampoo Bar looks like a bar soap and suds up like a bar soap, but is formulated to clean your hair.

Our tester said its lather felt like traditional shampoo and was easy to work through her long hair. Garnier has reimagined their Whole Blends liquid formulas as solid Shampoo Bars. And a quarter-size sprinkle of Meow Meow Tweet Rose Geranium Shampoo Powder made our tester’s bleached hair feel soft, not stripped. Bonus: The metal vial (with an easy-to-remove label) can be reused as a bud vase. —GABRIELA THORNE

that’s a wrap

THE SACHET We opened it in the shower, held it under water, and the wrapper made good on its claim to dissolve before your eyes. But here’s where things get complicated: Something can become invisible to the naked eye but still have the potential to exist microscopically and make it into our waterways. “So it’s rather a question of the [makeup of the] product that is diluted,” says Marcus Eriksen, cofounder of 5 Gyres. The brand says its sachets are free of microplastics that contaminate lakes and rivers; instead, they are made of wood pulp (sourced from Forest Stewardship Councilcertified forests) and food-grade ink. In addition, the finished product has

A lot of brands call themselves sustainable, but you could call yourself the queen of England—doesn’t mean it’s true. So we took Plus, a new body wash that bills itself as “zero-waste,” to sustainability experts to help us navigate the world of eco claims.

THE POUCH “Place in compost”: It’s printed in big white letters on the bag and makes you feel pretty good—but are you really going to compost it? Would you know how? Only 8 percent of Americans do home composting and only 4 percent have access to industrial composting, according to TerraCycle. (Plus says its bag can be composted at home or industrially.) So chances are good your pouch will go to a landfill, says Tom Szaky, TerraCycle’s founder. It would have been “even better if the packaging was eliminated.”

been third-party tested to be nontoxic to aquatic organisms. (Eriksen read the third-party testing for us and says the results check out.)

THE SOAP This solid, single-serve square of body wash lathers like a liquid, but contains no water.

“Dehydrating the soap is huge [because it] eliminates the high-energy cost of shipping water,” says Szaky.

C O N V E R S A T I O N I N

birds of a feather JACQUELINE NOVAK AND KATE BERLANT AREN’T WELLNESS GURUS. THEY’RE COMEDIANS, BEST PALS, AND HOSTS OF THE PODCAST, POOG (SPELL IT BACKWARDS), WHICH ADDS HILARIOUS INQUIRY TO TALK OF SQUALANE OIL AND HARD KOMBUCHA. BUT THEY ARE VERY LEGITIMATE EXPERTS ON AT LEAST ONE TOPIC: HOW A HEALTHY FRIENDSHIP CAN LEAD TO A HEALTHIER LIFE.

A tender moment (topped off with Tatcha’s Violet-C Radiance Mask) between comedians Jacqueline Novak (left) and Kate Berlant. On both: Sleeper pajamas.

Fashion editor: Karen Lopez.

30 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

photographed by phylicia j. l. munn

Jacqueline Novak: Our friendship began in the belly of the beast that is stand-up comedy. Stand-up is a weird, crass world.

Kate Berlant: Stand-up is different from when we started, honey. Now it’s for hot people. When we started, it was for nerds and the hideous.

Then one day, it was like Jacqueline and I, seeing one another across the bar. [Berlant acts out a brief moment of recognition.] “Hi!” Novak: Oh, my God, exactly! “Hello?”

Berlant: “You also do this?”

Novak: There was a bond, or a recognition of qualities. And then the brothers-in-arms bonding of comedy festivals. You and me in those hotel rooms, cackling in the beds at night...

Berlant: Talking shit...

Novak: Sharing a hotel room is pretty significant. And by sharing a hotel room, I mean sharing a bathroom, right? Oh, but here’s another stage of our friendship: Me and you sharing a bed at that bed-and-breakfast.

Berlant: That’s what I was going to say! We performed at Bard College, my alma mater. And it’s before Airbnb—this is a true B&B. Jacqueline and I arrive at 11 p.m., with Chex Mix and Cup Noodles…

Novak: My nightmare. To be clear, I actually adore Cup Noodles, but the only thing open was a 7-Eleven. We get to the place, we open the door,

For more of Novak and Berlant’s musings, scan this code to hear a very special episode of the Allure podcast.

and there are these stairs. And then we see a man.… Was he in boxers?

Berlant: I think he was in a bathrobe.

Novak: And he’s just like [Novak adopts the expression of a confused uncle], “Girls?” [Novak and Berlant erupt into laughter.] But we shared a bed. And I have restless legs. I kicked through the night, and you suffered that.

Berlant: I have a really strong memory of waking up at 3 a.m., and you were sitting up in bed with your headphones on, just rocking back and forth. And I was like, “This bitch...”

Novak: That sounds deranged. Was I asleep?

Berlant: No, I think you were awake!

Novak: I think the joke of our friendship dynamic is anxiousavoidant. Kate is anxious about getting lunch dates on the books, which makes me avoidant. She feels me resisting and she goes harder to lock down the lunch. [But] Poog has solved any issues around that dynamic because Kate is now built in to my week.

Berlant: Let’s just say I text you something and you don’t respond.

I’m fine.

Novak: You know I love you. You know it’s coming.

Berlant: I know if I’m having a breakdown or a full thing, you’ll be there. If I text you something and you don’t text back, I’m not like, “Bitch!”

Novak: I try to communicate to people that if it’s an emotional emergency, tell me, and then I’ll be on instantly. I’ll drop everything.

It’s confusing when it’s all mixed together and every text or phone call is given this same weight of obligation. I also keep coming back to, as an adult, if it’s not working out naturally with someone, why maintain it? We’re not trapped in a school system.

Berlant: The shared understanding of each other’s limits and an encouragement not to resist them.

I’m not even sure I should be saying this, but…yesterday I was microdosing on mushrooms and was getting very moved by my friendship with Jacqueline.

Novak: She’s lying around being moved.

Berlant: I FaceTimed her being like, “If she doesn’t pick up, that’s completely fine.” When she picked up, I was so overwhelmed with joy.

Novak: I believe you were on the floor, writhing between cat and cow [poses]. I think a friendship is almost

like a space that you occupy with someone. We have our room. And we do certain things in our room.

Berlant: That is a fucking genius way to approach all relationships. We need different rooms for different people!

Novak: I guess the podcast is us broadcasting from the room, a room with skin care and books mixed in with equal enthusiasm. If you were just my critical theory friend, that wouldn’t be as fun.

Berlant: [Laughs] That’s part of Poog.

It allows us to talk about existential crises, while being anchored in the uncomplicated and unintellectual reality of serum.

Novak: And if our “room” is full of products bought in panic and fury, that’s okay.

Berlant: Of course, my dream is us, elderly, dying next to each other in twin beds. There’s something really comforting about when you feel like you’re in a friendship that will endure.

Two Peas in a Podcast “A friendship is like a space that you occupy with someone. We have our room,” says Novak. “And Poog is us broadcasting from the room, a room with skin care and books mixed in with equal enthusiasm.”

“What does it mean to be relaxed with friends? To be comfortable laying out your thoughts and feelings, live, as they’re unfolding.”

It’s exciting in a way you don’t get with romantic attachment. “Oh, we’ll grow old together, but we won’t have to sacrifice ourselves.” Because of my life, [it’s] always suggested I follow these Instagram therapists. I saw this one talking about letting friends go.

She said the average friendship lasts a cycle of seven years.

Novak: I never trust wisdom that involves specific numbers.

Berlant: Relationships require maintenance, and sometimes you disengage and come back together.

But there’s also something real about

what you’re describing, Jacqueline, about reaching a certain age and realizing you don’t have to maintain a friendship that doesn’t actively make you feel good. I’m speaking specifically about relationships between women, where the stakes are so high. Attachment between women is really intense.

Novak: Absolutely. I remember selfhelp author Deborah King talking about giving yourself permission not to go home around the holidays if your family brings you down. It’s not like obligation equals closeness. My

C O N V E R S A T I O N I N

other friend Erica and I are till the end, and we go months without talking, and when we do, we just enjoy it. Shall we spend time assessing whether the friendship is on track or enjoying each other’s company when we have it? I just want to feel a sense of relaxation.

Berlant: We assume we’re relaxed around our friends, but that’s so not the case.

Novak: What does it mean to be relaxed with friends? To not have to hide, to be imperfect, to be comfortable laying out your thoughts and feelings, live, as they’re unfolding. And then you have your little roles within a friendship that can be fun. Like, Kate enjoys when I “free” her, okay? I go in with some targeted perspective when I see an area where I think I can free her. [Laughs] Berlant: Truly. She really does free me. Recently I was spiraling about something, and I kept saying, “Thank God for the friendship. Thank God for the friendship.” Friendship is the most important thing in our lives by far, I would argue.

Novak: Maybe that’s why I get so annoyed when people use the term “good friend” as if it’s a singular definition that applies across all relationships. A romantic relationship, a spouse, comes with fucking thousands of years of associations and expectations cooked into our collective memory. Friendships should look like whatever they naturally look like. It’s the wildflower garden instead of the hotel landscape. I love the individuality of a given friendship.

Berlant: My intimate friendships are as valuable to me as my romantic relationships.

Novak: When you fantasize about the [dying in the] twin beds...you said 80s. I prefer to say we’re 115.

Berlant: We’ll be into our 100s.

Novak: With all these new light therapies, it will be grand. I remember my grandmother and her best friend were ultimately in the same care facility. Both of their husbands were passed on at this point, and we went and visited and asked how it all was.

My grandmother’s best friend goes, “It’s fantastic. We do whatever we damn well please.”

Berlant: I take so much comfort in that. If you’re a woman who is partnered with a man, he’s gonna die first. Then you’re finally free to hang out with your best friend. —AS TOLD TO BRENNAN KILBANE

AUGUST 2021 ALLURE 33

ADVERTISEMENT

Soft skin = self-care

My favorite Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond Bar!

©HDIP INC

Mother/dog-ter time

A stop at the flower market

Masking and multitasking

Self-care & chill

Sweet Escape Beauty, travel, and fashion content creator Kristin Corpuz shares how she makes time for everyday luxuries.

I scream, you scream, we all scream about how busy we are. I’m always running from meeting to meeting, client to client, and event to event, so I’ve had to master the art of multitasking: putting on my makeup during a video call, editing content while my dog is playing at the park, or treating myself to a selfcare routine while indulging in my favorite treat, Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

I typically hit the ground running with work as soon as I wake up, so I like to use my lunch break for a little self-care time. I start with a quick steamy shower and use Ouai’s Scalp + Body Scrub to exfoliate from head to toe. After toweling off, I apply the ultra-hydrating Dr. Jart+ Cryo Rubber Mask. Finally I seal in all that moisture with an antioxidant-rich serum like the Allure-editor fave Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, plus a pillowy moisturizer like Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream.

While I’m waiting for all these products to sink in, I’ll have a quick lunch followed by a pause to enjoy the real star of the show, my favorite Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond Bar. The sweet, crunchy mix of ultra-smooth vanilla ice cream coated in chocolatey-almond goodness is absolute heaven. I might have just been moving a mile a minute, but at this moment, it feels like the world stops and I can recharge for the rest of my hectic day.

My life may be fast-paced and chaotic, but I love it. My version of luxury is finding beauty in the chaos (and an easy-to-grab Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bar definitely helps with that!) As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” so I highly recommend this self-care routine—because there’s nothing more luxurious than loving the life you live.

Time to relax

© HDIP, Inc.

Luxury is where you are.

!

Once upon a time, Allure ran advice columns by our favorite beauty pros. In celebration of our 30th anniversary, we’re bringing back the tradition, but this time the beauty expert is—us! (We’ve learned a lot over the years.)

ASK THE BEAUTY YOU HAVE MORE THAN A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT SO-CALLED BEAUTY SUPPLEMENTS. TRUTHFULLY, SO DO WE. BUT HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE.

discontinue it? —REBECCA G.

says dermatologist Annie Chiu.

She recommends a daily 5,000

consult your doctor.)

Biotin—which may offer nail growth and healthy skin benefits too—is believed to work by boosting the body’s production of amino acids that create keratin, which is what our hair, nails, and the very top layers of our skin are comprised of, says Chiu. However, she notes, any positive outcomes are purely anecdotal: Very little clinical research is available on the aesthetic benefits of biotin.

It’s also possible you might not see results at all unless you’re actually deficient in biotin, which we typically get through foods such as eggs, fish, and nuts, and by way of biotin-producing bacteria in our digestive system. Though exact figures aren’t available, the National Institutes of Health report that biotin deficiency is rare in healthy adults eating a balanced diet.

Then why do some dermatologists suggest it for patients? Because, well, giving it a shot “can’t hurt,” says Chiu.

“Your body can’t store too much of it.” Biotin is water-soluble, meaning what your body doesn’t use, you urinate out. (But high biotin supplementation can sometimes interfere with lab results, so Chiu says it’s important to discuss

36 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

with your doctor when doing routine bloodwork.)

So, you can safely give it a go for a few months, then reassess. The only thing you have to lose is about $5 a month.

Does collagen powder actually do anything for your skin?

—MARY JANE T.

If your skin is a mattress, collagen is most of the springs or foam inside.

It’s the main structural protein of our skin, responsible for its resilience and firmness...or lack thereof. Our body’s natural collagen supply starts to decline around age 20, says dermatologist Melanie Palm, which results in sagginess and wrinkling in the decades that follow. So wouldn’t it be great if you could replenish your body’s supply by drinking the stuff?

You may have noticed that we at Allure don’t tend to cover ingestible collagen—and that’s because, as with biotin, there simply hasn’t been enough research. As of this moment,

we can’t say for sure that adding a scoop of collagen to your morning coffee will help firm your skin. (Not a very authoritative answer coming from The Beauty Expert, we know.)

At the end of the day, collagen is protein, which our bodies need to build new structures. But no matter the source, you can’t control if the protein you ingest results in skinplumping collagen or, say, brain cells, says Palm. To set yourself up for potential skin benefits, “it really just comes down to having a daily protein source, whether that’s collagen powder or bone broth or just lean proteins in your diet,” says Palm. (Keep in mind that whole foods—versus supplements—offer myriad other nutrients that can also benefit your body.) How much protein you need each day depends on your age, weight, and activity level, so check in with your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist.

RELIABLE SOURCE One supplement that’s worth looking into for your general health—particularly that of your bones—is vitamin D. We get it from fatty fish, milk (look for “fortified” on the carton, says Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic), and sunlight (but “wear your sunscreen as directed,” she says). Still, about 50 percent of the population has a vitamin D insufficiency. According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended amount for adults under 70 is 600 IU daily. But unlike biotin, vitamin D is not water-soluble, meaning you can overdo it, so talk to your doctor first.

Cheeky, lippy, and eye shadow-y advice, courtesy of Allure’s editors. Send your burning (or itching, or otherwise inflamed) questions to beautyexpert@allure.com.

GETTY IMAGES

How long do you need to take

YOU DESERVE TO FEEL GOOD.

S H O P N O W AT J I M M YJ A N E . C O M / S E L F &

K I T D R E A M

2

1 3

5

cargle The activist sheds light on issues of race, particularly as they affect women, for her nearly two million Instagram followers.

And as the founder of The Loveland

6 7

“I start my mornings with a candlelit shower.

I’ll scrub my skin with [Mama Glow for Good Medicine Beauty Lab Sacred] Scrub [7] and cleanse my face with Neutrogena Hydro Boost [Hydrating Cleansing Gel] [6].”

8

40 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

“After the shower, I’ll combine [Organic Bath Co. Moroccan Rose Organic] Body Butter [4] with a few sprays of L’Occitane Almond [Supple Skin] Oil [8] on my body.”

orange scent.”

“I cannot believe I didn’t have Black Girl Sunscreen [SPF 30] [5] in my life sooner.

Another Black-owned product I love is Pattern [Scalp] Serum [9].

It rejuvenates and hydrates my curls, which I keep in a protective style most of the time.”

comes to makeup. You won’t even find a brush in my makeup bag. Ilia [Super Serum] Skin Tint [SPF 40] in ST13 Kamari [2] gives lightweight coverage that I can apply with my hands without masking my freckles, which I love to show. Lipstick depends on my mood, but my baseline is a deep, burgundy red like the Lip Bar [Liquid Matte] in Bawse Lady [3].”

PORTRAIT: MATTHEW SAYLES. PRODUCTS: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

“I use Mad Hippie

PROMOTION

SHOP YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCTS IRL

FROM BEAUTY’S MOST TRUSTED SOURCE.

OPEN NOW

build a better brain THE FUTURE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE WEIRD TRIP. BY BRENNAN KILBANE

This is your brain on drugs: If your neural networks were organized like the freeways across Los Angeles, the introduction of a psychedelic substance would halt and scramble traffic instantly. Highways would split and undulate and brush together and fly apart, like ribbons in a tornado. Foundations carved into California bedrock would rise heavenward. Everything else—trees and Toyotas and toll booth operators and Academy Award-nominated cin-

42 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

ematographers—would be tossed up in the air, mingling in suspension. All of this chaos puts the human mind into a dream state, where it is susceptible to any number of visions, from the mystical to the terrifying. It also creates a “neuroplastic” environment, in which neurons can communicate as they’ve never done before. If one was looking to make subtle changes to the fabric of their being, this would be as good an opportunity as any.

illustration by simone noronha

W E L L N E S S M O D E R N

Recreational users of psychedelic drugs report sublime visions and communions with God. Clinical users of psychedelics—or those participating in one of many trials being conducted as I write this—have reported improved mood and well-being. Researchers report mind benefits that have the potential to last far beyond one or two sessions. But how?

The short answer is that the scientific community doesn’t exactly know. A slightly longer answer is that they don’t exactly know, but are rapidly trying to find out. “It’s this interaction between the biological effects of the drugs, and the psychological effects of the drugs, the intentions of the participant to change, and the therapeutic tools they’re given to make those changes,” says Michael Bogenschutz, who is the director of NYU Langone’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine. “It’s a combination of all of those that seems to contribute to the outcomes that we’re seeing.”

Now this is actually your brain on drugs: When a psychedelic compound such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin (from fungi, or “magic” mushrooms) crosses the blood-brain barrier, it primarily interacts with a protein found in the surface of certain human nerve cells (the serotonin 2A receptor, also known as the 5-HT2A receptor).

The abnormal function of that protein has been linked to disorders like schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and drug addiction. Many drugs target the 5-HT2A receptor to different ends, particularly in the treatment of psychological illness, but none produces a reaction quite like psychedelics, nor are they able to produce the same long-term effects.

Bogenschutz’s background is in addiction psychiatry, which has a long relationship to the therapeutic administration of psychedelics. The founder of Alcoholics Anonymous considered adding LSD to the program before the 1970 Controlled Substances Act labeled it a Schedule I substance—dangerous, addictive, with no accepted medical purpose—despite little evidence. It wasn’t until the 21st century that Bogenschutz began seeing studies using psilocybin to treat addiction, thanks until recently mostly to private donors. “We’re just getting to the point of doing the first adequately powered efficacy studies [on using psychedelics to treat] addictions and mood disorders,” he says. Right now, the power of psychedelic medicine is undeniable—just shy of miraculous—and not even close to fully realized. The field is “absolutely in its infancy,” according to Bogenschutz. In 2018, the FDA designated a psilocybin treatment designed by Compass Pathways for treatment-resistant depression as a “breakthrough therapy,” an honor previously granted to the likes of cystic fibrosis medicines and a treatment for the Zaire Ebola virus.

And this year, Rick Perry, the former Republican governor of Texas, shared his support of psychedelic treatments for veterans with PTSD, signaling a notable shift in the politicization of drugs since the Controlled Substances Act. “The game hasn’t even begun,” says Sa’ad Shah, cofounder of Noetic Fund, which invests in a variety of psychedelic-based pharmaceutical companies, including Cybin (psilocybin for major depression), Numinus (ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinics), and MindMed (psychedelic therapies for addiction, anxiety, and ADHD).

“We’ve parked, and we’re walking into the stadium.”

The New York Times reports that clinical psychedelics could begin receiving FDA approval as early as 2023, as astronomical amounts of money gather like cumulonimbus clouds over the fertile market. If a growing number of medical experts and their mounting research are to be believed, the resulting crop could eventually become players in the $140 billion mental health economy. MindMed—which, like Compass, is now publicly traded on the Nasdaq—is sharpening its scythe. The company has already planted $5 million in NYU Langone’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine to grow a new vanguard of psychedelic experts.

The current model of psychedelic therapy in NYU’s studies begins in advance of and ends weeks after any “trips.”

Step one is good, old psychotherapy and helping a patient to establish an intention. “The other part of the therapy is simply developing rapport between the participant and the therapy team,” Bogenschutz explains.

The psilocybin-induced trip usually lasts between five and six hours, and occurs somewhere deep within a building on Manhattan’s East Side. Supported by three pillows and two therapists, a patient reclines on a sofa during the hours-long experience. Noise-canceling headphones and sight-canceling eye shades ensure that one’s gaze is focused inward.

“At a very basic level, it’s important that there’s trust and an empathic bond during this potentially very intense experience,” says Bogenschutz. “And it’s also important for [the patient] to be educated about the kinds of experience they might have.” This is not a typical doctor-patient interaction.

“They’re not sitting there in a lab coat and notepad and watching you,” says Shah. “They’re there to hold your hand.”

(Sometimes literally, though Shah is speaking figuratively.)

“They’re there to listen. They understand, when you have to cry like you’ve never had a gut-wrenching cry before, what it means.”

J.R. Rahn, MindMed’s cofounder, sees the nascent therapy as one in which the American mental health system can be completely reorganized, much like nerve networks in a neuroplastic brain. “I’m not saying that there’s not great work going on or that there aren’t very dedicated professionals out there, but we clearly need a new approach,” he says. Right now the system often relies on daily doses of an SSRI (antidepressants like Zoloft and Prozac), but Rahn points out that psychiatrists can be found in less than half of all American counties, and as many as half of SSRI users quit their medication after the first three months. Research suggests that, while SSRIs are effective in treating depression, new treatments are desperately needed. “I think psychedelics are probably the first phase of reengineering the mental health-care system in America,” Rahn says.

After we spoke, Rahn announced he was stepping down as MindMed’s chief executive officer. “This transition is a natural progression as the company heads into later-stage clinical trials,” Rahn said, via press release.

MindMed’s chief development officer, Robert Barrow, will serve as interim CEO. But if Barrow’s pharmaceutical background makes you think that the future of MindMed includes ketamine tablets and pscilocybin gummies sold at CVS, think again. Shah assures us that the future of mental health is one we haven’t even envisioned yet. “The holy grail is that one day we will all go to visit a clinical retreat once, twice, maybe three times a year for a mental reset,” he explains. “Just like we visit the dentist. You’re just telling your neighbor, ‘Bob, good morning! I’ve got my reset today.’

‘Good luck.’ And off you go.”

G U I D E S U R V I V O R ’ S

the skin you’re in

Slick Thinking Model Slick Woods is easy to talk to. But one thing she doesn’t want to talk about? The skin cancer she was diagnosed with after her dentist noticed suspicious spots inside her mouth during a routine appointment. The 25-year-old likens it to asking someone about a scab.

“You wouldn’t ask somebody, ‘How’s your scab doing?’ You know what I’m saying?” Fair enough. So, I say, “Let’s talk about life.”

That is a subject with which she is eager to engage. “Every day, I do exactly what I want to do—I want to be happy every moment of all 24 hours I got. I got the same 24 hours as Beyoncé. Fuck it. We all here, present,” she says. “I’m just trying to live the best of my years. I’m here until I’m not.” While she’s here, Woods is focused on her two-year-old son, Saphir. “Sometimes I catch myself treating [him] like he’s a homie,” she says, smiling. But then her mom instincts take over. “I [hug] him up and munch on his little cheeks,” she says, hugging the air to demonstrate.

44 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

You can’t choose whether or not you are one of the roughly 9,500 people who will be diagnosed with skin cancer today, tomorrow, and every day after. But you can choose to do all you can to minimize your risk. And that goes far beyond wearing sunscreen every day. (One more time for the people in the back: Wear sunscreen every day.) We talk to doctors and skin-cancer survivors about protection and diligence and the power of your voice. Listen, please, because if you have skin—of any age or color—you are at risk.

OPPOSITE PAGE: PAOLA KUDACKI/TRUNK ARCHIVE. WATERCOLORS: GETTY IMAGES.

Two years after she was diagnosed with stage III melanoma, Woods is putting stock in her family, her friends, and her work—including plans to develop her own CBD brand.

For years, cannabis has been a part of her self-care routine, and it’s now more important to her than ever.

Also of great importance: protecting her skin. Woods has become a devout sunscreen user, but she’s not loving it. In fact, “I hate wearing it.” Many sunscreens make her look “pasty,” the age-old SPF issue for melanated folks. Her go-to is residue-free Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration. But Woods also has a lessconventional sun-protection tool: “I wear a ski mask every day,” she says (currently a white one from Ivy Park). “I got it from [rapper] Plies. He wears his ski mask rolled up.” She’s followed his lead, usually keeping her ski mask folded up above her mouth—until she wants the protection of a face mask and pulls it down over her mouth. It works out well. ”I always lose my [face] mask.”

The approach is unfussy, like the rest of her routine. “I have five things in my bathroom drawer: sunscreen, a toothbrush, a little gold dust, oils, and bleach for my hair.” Simplicity is where she’s at right now. “I don’t expect to be the person to tell you who I’m going to be today,” says Woods. “We’ll just see what happens.

That’s part of loving me. Every part and side of me.” —JIHAN FORBES

S U RV I VO R’ S

Watch Your Back

S TO RY

ALISON BOWLES, MODEL AND FOUNDER OF YOUV RADIANCE

I was in a hotel in New York City and there was a double mirror in the bathroom where I could look at my back.

I noticed that a mole on my back had changed colors. I was like, “Okay, that’s weird.”

I flew back to St. Louis the next day and saw my dermatologist. They did the biopsy and it came back cancerous. I caught [the melanoma] in time. Surgery [left me] with 12 stitches and a huge scar, but if it hadn’t caught my eye it could have been much worse. —AS TOLD TO MAGDALENE TAYLOR

On Guard “Skin cancer is such a unique cancer because we know exactly what causes it— the sun’s ultraviolet rays—and we can limit sun exposure,” says dermatologist Elizabeth K. Hale.

But as any survivor will attest, wearing sunscreen is just one step in staying protected.

Timing is Everything

Wear Layers

Stay Covered

“I avoid peak sun exposure hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., given my particular increased risk of developing skin cancer,” says Sofia B., who was diagnosed with melanoma at 31. “I will go out in the sun for short periods of time, but never without applying my favorite sunscreen” (that would be CeraVe’s Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50).

“I use Neutrogena Oil-Free SPF 35 Facial Moisturizer before makeup,” says Casey Balkcom, who was diagnosed with melanoma at 28. “I also changed my foundation to one with SPF— L’Oréal Paris True Match with SPF 17.” Next up: Balkcom applies Brush On Block, a translucent powder with SPF 30. Never rely only on makeup with SPF or only on sunscreen powders, though; they’re great extras, but you don’t use enough for full protection. A sunscreen cream or lotion—with an SPF of at least 30—is always your first move.

UV-blocking clothing is a must for days spent outside, says Leah Adams, a runner, kayaker, occasional golfer—and melanoma survivor. She’s even become a brand ambassador for L.U.V. (Low Ultraviolet), a UPF 50+ clothing line. UPF stands for ultraviolet protective factor and L.U.V.’s lineup includes longsleeve tops, wide-brim hats, and wraps that can be worn as skirts or shawls. —NICOLA DALL’ASEN

photographed by celeste sloman

G U I D E S U R V I V O R ’ S

Spot Checks Life is about choices, and “a skin check is a lifesaving choice because of how common skin cancer is,” says dermatologist Orit Markowitz.

More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. There is some good news, though: “We have this unique ability to see skin cancer on the skin and detect cancers early, while they are still completely curable,” says Hale. “Every adult over 18 should have a skin check

once a year with their dermatologist, regardless of their family history.” If you have a primary relative (parent, full sibling, or child) with a history of melanoma, make it twice.

Unlike most primary-care doctors, a dermatologist has the tools and training to do a thorough skin examination. “Similar to a cardiologist using a stethoscope, a dermatologist should be using a dermatoscope when looking at patients,” says Markowitz.

(A dermatoscope is similar to a handheld magnifier, but with

S U RV I VO R’ S S TO RY

polarized lighting that enables doctors to see the depth, patterns, and features of moles.)

But even your non-medically trained, naked eyes can do a lot to catch skin cancers. No one is more familiar with your body than you are—every angle, every contour, and every patch of skin. Scan yourself for signs of skin cancer, at least once a month, and remember these five letters:

A is for asymmetry. A normal mole is symmetrical and oval or circular, so if you draw a line down the middle, it should create equal halves.

B is for border. Jagged, scalloped edges are a red flag.

“Melanoma is biologically active, so if you have an area that looks like an offshoot from the mole, that could be an area of activity,” says dermatologist Michelle Henry.

C is for color. Benign moles are evenly pigmented, light or dark brown. Areas of black, red, or white are all concerning.

D is for diameter. Anything larger than a pencil eraser should be looked at by a dermatologist.

E is for evolving. This may be the most important letter of them all.

Change is an indicator of something turning to an atypical mole or melanoma. Bleeding, scaly patches and itchiness are all significant warning signs. —PAIGE STABLES

FEAR FACTOR NATALIE FORNASIER, FREELANCE BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE WRITER

I was diagnosed with stage III melanoma at age 20; it started as a mole on my toe. I had my toe removed, but it had spread to my groin, so surgery was required to remove the entire lymph node system there. In 2018, on a check-up scan, a mass appeared in my lungs and I advanced to a stage IV patient. Today, my health is my full-time job. This isn’t what I envisioned for my 20s, yet that’s what I’ve spent the alleged best years of my life doing—fighting cancer. I’ve had to figure out how to live life with a permanent fear attached to me. No one really talks about that fear—it’s like a wolf is on your back, with its teeth at your neck. It’s forever there once you’ve been welcomed into the cancer club. —AS TOLD TO M.T.

46 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

WATERCOLORS: GETTY IMAGES

EASY DOES IT A biopsy always used to involve a scalpel. But a new, noninvasive technology called DermTech is letting doctors evaluate moles without breaking the skin. You simply stick DermTech on a mole—much like you would a piece of Scotch tape— and scuff it up. “This releases some of the RNA that’s expressed on the top of moles to detect the genetic mutations that occur more commonly in melanoma than in benign lesions,” says Hale. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, when melanoma is detected early, the fiveyear survival rate is 99 percent—and more and more dermatologists are using this streamlined approach to make that possible.

JESS VAN ZEIL, SPEAKER AND AUTHOR OF EYE WON

I’d had a red spot on the white of my eye for as long as I can remember and it was never an issue. Then all of a sudden…it was potentially cancerous. I was diagnosed with conjunctival

S TO RY

melanoma at 21. The doctors said there was no option other than to lose my eye and remove the contents of the eye socket. After initially being misdiagnosed, I’ve had to learn

BODY & SOLES

that my best interests are something that I am allowed to

Skin cancer does not discriminate. Though melanoma is less common in Black and brown skin, it is often diagnosed at a later stage for those with more melanated skin and, as a result, has a worse prognosis. The five-year melanoma survival rate for Black patients between 2010 and 2016 was estimated at 67 percent, compared with 92 percent for white patients, according to a report earlier this year from the American Cancer Society. Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is the most common form of melanoma among people with darker complexions, but it is rarely the subject of conversations surrounding skin cancer. It can be particularly tricky to catch because it’s often found in locations where you may not think to look—under nails and feet, between toes, and on the palms of your hands. So no matter your skin tone, keep track of any and all changes.

According to Hale, ALM usually presents as a hyperpigmented, irregular patch of skin that you might initially believe is a bruise. —AMANDA MITCHELL

put forward. Just because I’m not medically trained does not mean that my thoughts aren’t valid. —AS TOLD TO M.T.

WATERCOLORS: GETTY IMAGES

Healing Touches Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Other types—basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma— are rarely fatal, but can be disfiguring. The most effective treatment for both is Mohs surgery, which involves the removal of thin layers of skin until no cancerous tissue remains. The treatment itself can be done in a day, but caring for the wound can take months. Chances are high you’ll have a hole where the carcinoma once was. Sometimes the hole will “close nicely” on its own, says dermatologist Kira Minkis, and heal as a straight line.

But many areas require a little more help to heal smoothly.

One option is a flap (the area is reconstructed with skin from an adjacent area) and another is a skin graft (skin is taken from an unrelated site). In either case, your fresh scar needs to be moisturized. “Scars tend to be a little bit drier than normal for a while afterward,” Minkis notes.

No amount of heavy moisturizer (such as Vaseline or Aquaphor) will be too much for it. While most scars will heal on their own, using a silicone sheet can help flatten and soften them. They “create a

protective barrier, which increases hydration and helps halt excessive collagen buildup,” says dermatologist Kathleen S. Viscusi. For the most dramatic improvement in the texture and color of your scar, you’ll need in-office treatments. Steroid injections and dermabrasion can help smooth raised edges or thick scars; lasers are helpful for reducing redness. Always consult with your doctor and keep in mind that scar healing is a lengthy process that can take up to a year. Give yourself time. —DEVON ABELMAN

FOR MUCH MORE ON HOW TO PREVENT, TREAT, AND SURVIVE SKIN CANCER, GO TO ALLURE.COM/TOPIC/SURVIVORS-GUIDE-MELANOMA.

S U R V I V O R ’ S

S U RV I VO R’ S

G U I D E

A CLEAR VISION

T H E

F A C E

C H A R T

W I T H

katey denno !

Before there were how-to videos, there were face charts.

To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’re inviting makeup artists to pay homage to the art form.

EARTHLY DELIGHTS There’s natural makeup and then there’s natural makeup, as in eye shadows and blushes made entirely from chestnut, rhubarb, and flower extracts. We tapped Botanical Colors, a Seattlebased studio that specializes in sustainable textile dyes, to create the hues you see here. These powders and inks—made from pigments reclaimed from dye processes and food waste like avocado pits—aren’t cosmeticgrade (please don’t apply indigo directly on your eyelids), but they are proof of just how beautiful nature’s palette can be.

48 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

“I started rocking what I consider a fully clean makeup kit around 12 years ago. I would put my foundations in empty bottles from designer brands because I didn’t want to have to explain [myself]. Creating this face chart with the truly organic pigments from Botanical Colors reminded me of those early days of clean beauty, when the shades and textures available were more limited. But these colors felt perfect for the dog days of summer—they give you that I’ve-been-outside sort of flush. I like to apply blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend up and out, and added bronzer underneath to create contour. I think fun eye looks are here to stay, so I played with color blocking, but blended the shades into each other for a softer look. Clean beauty has come a long way, but there’s still so much room to grow. I don’t think it’s about finding the fruit hidden in the Amazon. It’s about giving money and time to chemists who can do the most with the resources we have.”

illustration by samantha hahn

by invitation | tipsntrends,inc | info@tipsntrends.com

tell me lies, give me

i

FOR THE NEW FITNESS ICONS, IT’S A MIND GAME.

50 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

it’s not about that. It’s about selflove. Sure, her breakout TikTok draws in viewers with some impressive transformation photos (Lind prefers “transformation” to “before-and-after”), but the external glow-up is incidental.

The hot-girl walks are an antidote to social media. She likes that people click on her TikTok expecting something toxic. “People love to see an external change,” she says, “and it’s those people that I want to reach. Those are the people that are probably grappling with their own bodies and their own image of self, who are looking for a change and a way out.”

She reached me. Every step I took became a hot-girl walk. I proselytized the hot-girl walk to all. “Taking a hotgirl walk to get tacos,” my neighbor would text me, and then we’d be off.

After I got vaccinated, I got hotter in more appointment-based, satisfying ways: I got a haircut, my brows done, Botox, a manicure. I thought about those things and how good I felt. I did not think about boy drama.

I hot-girl walked for about a month, which is the longest I have committed to any fitness program since high school cross-country. I enjoyed the thought exercise, but just as I didn’t feel measurably more courageous after Adriene Mishler’s “Yoga for Courage,” the walks didn’t cork the geysers of self-loathing that occur at intervals throughout my day. I often gave myself over to the same professional spiraling that keeps me awake at night, and my mind occasionally drifted to boy drama. But I did lose a pound or two.

—LAUREN LARSON

Lauren Larson is a writer and features editor at Texas Monthly.

She lives in Austin.

GETTY IMAGES

I have never been more convinced of the cyclicity of fashion and fitness than during the pandemic. Almost four decades after Jane Fonda released Jane Fonda’s Workout on VHS, I was in my home, wearing leggings and jumping around in front of my television like my foremothers.

I even started following Richard Simmons, who had emerged from blissful hermithood to bless YouTube with some archival videos.

But we haven’t quite come full circle: The new vanguard of home fitness influencers operates under very different banners than the gurus of yore. Since 1969, when Jacki Sorensen and Judi Shepphard Missett began selling the idea that fitness could be fun (through dance aerobics and Jazzercise, respectively), fitness celebrities have sought to work out the mind as well as the tuchus. Since early 2020, at least, less tangible goals like selflove, de-stressing, and mindfulness sometimes seem to have entirely subsumed aesthetic goals.

Surely that shift was catalyzed by the yoga boom and companies like SoulCycle, which markets “mind-altering fitness,” but it’s also a response to the body-positivity movement. It now feels a little bit gauche to admit that in the summer of 2016 I lived according to Kayla Itsines’s wildly popular “Bikini Body Guide.” In May, Itsines announced

her decision to change the name of her BBG programs to “High Intensity With Kayla.” In a video posted on Instagram, she explained that the former name “now feels like it represents an outdated view of health and fitness.” During the pandemic, when separated from eucalyptusscented towels, gym crushes, and all the other things that make exercise palatable, the militant pursuit of a bikini bod began to feel rote.

The fitness gurus I invited into my living room last year were the ones who convinced me I was exercising for a more noble goal than [cue Regina George voice] losing three pounds. Amid global catastrophe, we “tended to our hearts” with chill yoga queen Adriene Mishler. We inhabited Britney Spears’s body with Peloton demigod Cody Rigsby. We didn’t merely exercise, we became clouds of glittering vapor rising from an enchanted waterfall. If we happened to lose three terrestrial pounds, Yahtzee!

This past spring, I imprinted on Mia Lind. Lind, 22, is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California. Early in the pandemic, Lind says, she decided to become TikTok famous and committed herself to the dances that have defined the platform. That plan didn’t pan out, but in January she released a TikTok outlining the dogma of “the hot-girl walk.” On such an outing, Lind hot-walks four miles around her neighborhood, thinking only of things she’s grateful for, her goals, how she’ll achieve those goals, and how hot she is.

“You may not think about any boy drama,” she says.

Prior to the pandemic, Lind was an avid SoulCyclist. (She has since purchased a Peloton.) “I really liked having somebody motivating me, somebody in my head. I was like, Where can I find a podcast for that?

Somebody to talk to me and tell me I can do it?” Lind recalls. “That’s when I thought, Well, why don’t I just be my own podcast in my head?

Why can’t I just say these things to myself?” Lind caveats that when you move briskly for four miles, some health benefits are inevitable—but

photo illustration by hella bella

P H E N O M E N O N

muscular thighs

P H E N O M E N O N

STRONG DESIGN WHEN THE EQUIPMENT IS THIS BEAUTIFUL, THE WORKOUTS ARE OPTIONAL. EVERYTHING HERE IS FUNCTIONAL, BUT NOTHING MINDS BEING PURELY FOR DISPLAY.

1. Lulu and Georgia Shashenka floor mirror.

Perfect for self-reflection and spotting one’s own form, in three finishes.

2. And Jacob designer dumbbells. Free weights or exquisite paperweights, carved from marble and crafted in Mexico.

3. Ultimate Ears cordless earbuds. These candycolored Bluetooth headphones mold to the shape of your ears during their first minute of wear for a truly perfect fit.

4. Bala Beam. Just over a dozen aesthetically pleasing pounds.

5. Jeanne The Label Box Crop. Support courtesy of ribbed nylon and spandex, with a squared-off neckline.

6. Myro deodorant. If your deodorant isn’t already refillable, consider Myro’s option (available in myriad color cases).

1

2

4

5

6

8

10

52 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

9

7. Tangram SmartRope Rookie jump rope. Sync it with the app to track your training, compete against other users, and more.

8. JBL portable speaker.

A deck of cards-size speaker for broadcasting your workout playlist at a respectful personal volume.

9. Nike React Metcon Turbo sneakers. An electric palette adds jolt to jogs.

10. New Balance cork yoga mat. Because cork just looks nice (and feels nicer).

LULU AND GEORGIA SHASHENKA FLOOR MIRROR, ULTIMATE EARS CORDLESS EARBUDS, BALA BEAM, NEW BALANCE CORK YOGA MAT: COURTESY OF BRAND. WALTER KEMP II: COURTESY OF OBÉ. REMAINING IMAGES: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE.

7

soul trainer CAN A FITNESS CLASS BE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE? IF YOU’RE ASKING, YOU HAVEN’T MET WALTER KEMP II. Walter Kemp II splinters his training circuits into three short acts.

Act I is focused on the movements themselves. “I break everything down,” he says. “ ‘Make sure your weight is in the back of your heel.’

‘Make sure your core is tight.’”

It is safe to say that Kemp’s core is tight. It is also safe to say that his compression shorts, peeking out from beneath emerald-green shorts, can barely contain his thigh muscles. Angling himself toward one of three cameras, he crawls into a geometrically perfect plank position. Elsewhere, thousands of other people—med students, special-education teachers, consulting professionals, and other striving souls who have logged in to Obé (pronounced “obey”) this weekday morning for a 28-minute strength class—do the same, though not nearly as precisely as Kemp.

Near the Brooklyn Heights

waterfront, a windowless studio is crammed with recording equipment, Ikea furniture, a changing area and makeup table, a neon rainbow of spandex-outfit possibilities, and a magazine writer (hello!). But mostly, the studio is filled to bursting with Walter Kemp II, who is short and muscle-bound but somehow also manages to make his presence felt in every molecule of the room.

“The Box,” as Obé fans call it, is where workout classes are captured and streamed live to the heaving masses, wherever they are. The walls and floor are lit from within, glowing in blue, pink, and green.

Its incandescence was inspired by the works of Dan Flavin and James Turrell, installation artists who work in abstractions of color and light; Obé is actually an acronym for Our Body Electric, a Walt Whitman reference.

But the service’s primary source of radiance is Obé’s cast of 25

instructors, all of whom teach classes live and on-demand from The Box, seven days a week. In brilliantly hued athletic separates, they squat and lunge against great, moving fields of pastel color. When Kemp transitions from the morning’s warm-up into an ass-blasting squat set, The Box blushes from glacial blues to downy sunrise tones.

Since joining the company in 2018 as its first male instructor, Kemp has been one of the brightest stars in Obé’s constellation. The pandemic, which drove people out of gyms and into the arms of digital fitness services, only turned up the wattage.

Kemp’s origin story comes up not infrequently in his class and at times takes on the contours of a fitness parable: He struggled with obesity, moved to New York from his native Miami to pursue dance, and came to understand his obesity as an obstacle. “I had a professor who said, ‘What’s your dream role on Broadway?’ And I was like, ‘to be Seaweed in Hairspray.’ And he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t you think you’re a little chubby for that?’”

Kemp was hurt, but ambitious, so he began to gradually incorporate exercise into his routine. He’d go jogging and let his mind wander. One day, he experienced something like a vision: a beautiful Black man standing before him. Thick of biceps, svelte of waist, gold of chain, and platinum of teeth. It was Walter Kemp II, but from the future. “Ever since that day, the weight dropped,” Kemp says now.

“Whenever I work out, and even in my class, I say, ‘See yourself completing this workout.’ If you can hold it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand.”

This brings us to Act II of Kemp’s strength circuit. After the moves have been taught, it’s time to let the mind wander, where it can fall prey to divine revelations.

“Round two, you know exactly what to do.” He grins a heavenly white. “Now you’re just chilling.”

“Entertrainment,” or fun and fitness coupled into glorious harmony, is Obé’s unique value proposition, according to cofounder Mark Mullett. He and cofounder Ashley Mills met working as agents at CAA, where their skill for scouting electric performers and their mutual love of boutique fitness classes fused into a business plan. Mullett declines to share information about Obé’s viewership numbers, a corporate messaging strategy similar to that of Netflix: “We want to make sure that all of the talent, all the folks at home are just fixated on having a great,

awaiting salvation. Kemp may or may not be able to access yours, but he is absolutely going to try. As Mullett explains, the platonic ideal of the fitness instructor is a blend of friend and superhero—someone who cares about you more than just superficially, who can also demonstrate advanced human physical performance. They have to be full-body entertainers, which is perhaps why many of Obé’s instructors come from musical theater backgrounds. It is not enough to make the workout look easy; it has to look irresistibly fun.

Fostering a sense of intimacy, even between a fitness influencer and thousands of breathless strangers, is also key, so a TV placed under the middle camera scrolls the names of class participants while Kemp shouts them out. “Jane, welcome to class!” Kemp beams, mid-lunge. “Jolene, I haven’t seen your name in a long time. I’m not calling you out, I’m calling you in!”

He laughs. “Hi, Kelly! Good to see you. Beautiful work, Gary!”

During the upper-body set, Kemp sermonizes while demonstrating a shoulder press. His left arm is tattooed in an exquisite Bahamian motif—a tribute to his grandfather, who was also a dancer. His right arm is ink-free and glistens like rainsoaked pavement. “Let me tell you guys something,” Kemp says. He grips two 10-pound dumbbells as they ascend into a shoulder press.

“I experienced a storm recently in my life and it caused me to stay at a place longer than I expected.”

(He explained the incident before class: Kemp was in his native Miami celebrating his 34th birthday, but his flight back to New York was canceled due to inclement weather.)

“I was freaking out and I didn’t know what to do. But I had to surrender. And once I surrendered, I realized that I was meant to be there,” he says. “I want you to surrender.” —BRENNAN KILBANE

class acts

PLOT YOUR PREFERENCES, THEN PICK YOUR PROGRAM.

ZERO-FLUFF

DAILY BU RN T E MPO

FU TU RE

Lifting weights on your own can do more harm than good, but this 42-inch smart screen monitors your form using infrared light and offers tips for improvement. Also included: an exhaustive set of weights.

A personal coach designs custom workouts and checks your progress via Apple Watch. (They’ll lend you one if need be.)

SWEAT APP

O BÉ MIRROR A full-length mirror doubles as a screen on which digital instructors guide you through moves.

A dizzying array of live and on-demand classes, using as much time and equipment as you have on hand.

P.VOLVE P E LOTON The stationary bike rode ’round America.

(The app also offers non-spinning options.)

Strapping an inflated ball between your legs seems silly until you notice what it does for your glutes.

Choose from thousands of at-home workouts or expand your horizons with a companion app just for runners.

Yoga, strength training, Pilates—treat this app like a Thanksgiving plate and try a little bit of everything.

THE CLASS It’s normal to cry and scream simultaneously during this HIIT-meetscardio class.

BASICALLY THERAPY

THE SC U LPT SOCIETY Wildly popular for its muscle-sculpting and dance cardio programming.

NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

CLEAN OUT YOUR SPARE ROOM

P H E N O M E N O N

pure experience with the instructor, or themselves, or the group,” he halfexplains. Plus, by not alluding to the material, conversations about Obé inexorably drift toward the spiritual.

Even so, Mullett concedes, a single Obé class is attended by more participants than could possibly fit in your traditional American fitness classroom. Later, I’m told that it’s “definitely safe to say” thousands of people tune in.

On Kemp’s makeup table sit a single tube of Alpha Male Cosmetics concealer next to a short stack of fan mail. In his Instagram DMs there are hundreds more messages. The comments underneath his posts are unilaterally positive, ranging from heart eyes and fire emojis to full declarations of worship. His fan base coined a nickname for The Box when Kemp is in it: the Altar of Walter.

Which brings us to Act III of Kemp’s strength circuit. Now that the body has been engaged and the mind unwound, the soul is left

TEACHERS’ PETS When asking fitness instructors for their beauty product recommendations, expect strong opinions. —AS TOLD TO PAIGE STABLES

A M A N D A K L O O T S , AK! Fitness My [jump rope and dance] classes are high energy: lots of smiles and lots of sweat. I like to keep you moving, so I prefer to always wear my hair back when I work out. Before I do a braid or any style, I put in Iles Formula Finishing Serum to keep little frizzies down and protect my hair from breakage, which is important when you’re pulling your hair back every day. And I use Gimme Beauty hair ties. They’re very soft and don’t pull your hair. Since I tend to sweat a lot, I like to hydrate my skin before a workout, but I avoid lotions and creams to prevent clogging my pores. I like to be very fresh-faced, so I’ll mist on Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Toner Mist and then layer on Mario Badescu’s Hyaluronic Dew Drops. I keep that toner and Lumion Skin Hand + Skin Cleanser in my workout bag and do a little spritz of either one after a workout to feel fresh.

KLOOTS: RANDEE ST. NICHOLAS/CBS. WOOD-TEPPERBERG: SARAH ORBANIC. DIAZ-HERRERA: MARISSA YATES. OYENEYIN: MIGUEL HERRERA. STILL LIFES: JOSEPHINE SCHIELE. REMAINING IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES.

M E L I S S A W O O D -T E P P E R B E R G , Melissa Wood Health When I started meditating and slowing things down in my life, combining forms of movement like yoga and Pilates, I really transformed myself from the inside out. Doing my skin care and makeup helps me put my best foot forward. I press Furtuna Skin Face and Eye Serum into my face and neck. And I’m obsessed with Furtuna Skin Biphase Moisturizing Oil. I put it all over, and then I use my Wildling Facial Gua Sha Empress Stone every morning. If I get any tension in my neck after a workout, this relieves that too. I [use] Kora Organics Rose Mist and put on my makeup, starting with a light layer of Saie Slip Cover Tinted Moisturizer—like, really sheer! I want to see my freckles. Then I use Ilia Illuminator highlighter stick down the center of my nose and on my cheekbones. I’m a big believer in setting with Ilia’s Soft Focus Finishing Powder on the T-zone, where I get extra oily.

And then I bronze my cheekbones lightly. How I look on camera is how I look in person. I like that.

J E S S I E D I A Z - H E R R E R A , Curves With Moves I have really dry skin. I have anhidrosis—I retain a lot of heat and don’t sweat a lot—so I have to make sure I drink a lot of water and am constantly moisturizing and all that. Even before class, sometimes I’ll [use] a rose spray on my face to get it kind of wet. At night, after I shower, I’ll do my skin-care routine. I love Humphrey’s witch hazel with rose, and I just got this Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin toner and cream for people with really dry skin. I like the body lotion too. Maintaining my curls is a whole thing. Workouts totally enhance them. I have really fine curls, so in order to get volume I have to have product that’s not going to weigh my hair down. My daughter has 4A curls, I have 3B curls, and we both use Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner. I’m a big fan of natural deodorants, but they’re not as strong, so I have to use two. I’m into Native Eucalyptus & Mint and I carry Weleda Citrus Deodorant Spray with me. It’s a gym-bag must.

T U N D E O Y E N E Y I N , Peloton Being a makeup artist was my first love. From those 16 years in the cosmetics industry, I learned that your makeup is only going to look as beautiful as the skin underneath it, so take care of your skin. One of the most slept-on beauty products is a toner. They minimize pores, which makes the surface of the skin look so much better. I use [a] Caudalíe toner. And I’m a big SPF girl. I wear EleVen by Venus Unrivaled Sun Serum. Then I go into my look: I love Revlon’s ColorStay foundation and concealer [Oyeneyin is a Revlon ambassador], and I do sheer layers. Makeup is supposed to enhance the face, not take over the face. I don’t use waterproof mascara on the bike; somehow I manage to get my mascara to stay on. I use Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Stretch Mascara and Revlon Big Bad Lash Mascara. Lipstick is my jam. I tend to play up a pinkish, orangeyred vibe on the bike. There’s a certain energy you put out, and then you pull that energy back in.

AUGUST 2021 ALLURE 55

Is Vitamin C in your routine? †

47% reduction in the appearance of free radical damage in just 3 hours!*

Naturally Potent

Vitamin C for brighter, healthier looking skin

*As evaluated by the reduction in UV induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human ex vivo skin after 3 hour application with a sunscreen product (versus applying a sunscreen product alone). Premature signs of skin aging can be attributed to ROS (a type of free radical).

CRAIG MCDEAN/ART AND COMMERCE

T A L K I N G

B E A U T Y

W I T H . . .

dolly parton LESSONS IN COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE FROM A LEGEND WHO HAS MASTERED THE ART OF GOING TOO FAR ENOUGH.

m

y look was always kind of trashy.

It was a country girl’s idea of glam—the backwoods (1) Barbie. And I’d kinda overdone it, I guess, but I was always comfortable. So I remember Chet Atkins, one of the world’s most famous guitar players and a friend of mine, who was born and raised in East Tennessee like I was, and was the head of RCA Records for many years, he pulled me off to the side in my early days. He said, “Dolly, I don’t think you’re ever going to do everything that you want to do by looking like that. You’re a right pretty girl, you don’t need all that.” And I thought, Well, I wish you hadn’t said that. I hate to not take the advice of someone I love and respect. I just kept doing that look more and more. And then after I became so famous, I was on RCA and he was one of my bosses, and he came up and said, “Now ain’t you glad you took my advice?” And I said, “Yeah, right.”

Do what makes you happy, because if you’re happy and you’re comfortable, people are going to be happy around you. They’re going to be comfortable with you—even if you might look ridiculous to them. Because there’s something about you that makes them feel content. I’m not preaching [that] somebody should look like me. Most people don’t want to wear that much makeup or hair, but at least I have one thing that I know for a fact is real: I am comfortable with who I am. And I dress for me. I do what makes me happy. So I would just say to anybody: “If you’re comfortable wearing no makeup, be that. If you wanna wear too much, do that.”

I don’t know that there’s a nice thing about aging. We do it. But for me, I’ve always looked the same way, and I think I’ll look this way pretty much if I live to be 100. I’m like the Gabor sisters—Zsa Zsa and Eva—you never knew how old they were. When you’re a cartoon kind of character like me you never really know if that person’s old or young. I’m not going to be like Judge Judy, who I love to death. She wore her hair and her makeup so great, but now she’s gone to just wearing her hair pulled back in a bun and—well, she’s comfortable and that’s all good. She didn’t want to have to work so hard, being at the age she is. And I respect that and I love that. But for me, I’ll just do what I’ve always done. I’ll do what’s best for me, as everybody should.

I never go out with a bare face. Not even when I go out.

Somebody, please open my coffin to put some makeup on me. At night, I leave my makeup on. I don’t want to go to bed in curlers and Clearasil and patches all over me for my husband (2). A lot of people say, “Oh, you should never go to bed with your makeup on.” And I say, “You should never be telling me what to do.” I don’t know what’s going to happen in the middle of the night. My husband is not in great health, and I have to be ambulance-ready at all times—an ambulance for him, or for me. I have to be earthquake-ready, I have to be tornado-ready (3). You’re not gonna catch me out in the streets bare-faced unless you’ve caught me in the morning when I’m cleaning my face and getting ready to put it on again. If I had to hit the streets then...I probably would just die

1. Parton was raised in a two-room cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children.

2. Parton married Carl Dean on May 30, 1966. They met two years earlier outside the Wishy Washy laundromat in Nashville.

3. MidTennessee has seen several significant tornado events in 2021.

Tennessee also has a high earthquake risk as it is located in two seismic zones.

AUGUST 2021 ALLURE 59

1

5. After hearing of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s coronavirus research efforts, Parton donated $1 million.

She later found out that her donation helped fund testing of the Moderna vaccine.

T H E D O L LY P A R T O N S TA R T E R K I T

From left: Dior Addict Stellar Gloss in Shock, MAC Lash in Romantic Lash, Olay Moisturizing Lotion, Dolly Scent from Above, Lise Watier Lip Designer Contour & Fill Liner in Cashmere.

60 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

8

PRODUCTS: COURTESY OF BRAND. IMAGE 4: COURTESY OF DOLLY PARTON. REMAINING IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES.

4. Mary Kay Intrigue, launched in 1971, is a warm and spicy mix with amber and musk. It was eventually discontinued.

in the tornado. I can do my makeup in 15 or 20 minutes, though, and I wear a wig almost every day.

I have a few houses scattered here and there. I spend time in L.A., and we have a place on the lake, and I have a little apartment in my office downtown [in Nashville], and then my big house where I live with my husband. So I have little wig cabinets that Cheryl [Riddle, my hairdresser,] sets up everywhere, and I can always say, “Okay, yup, I feel like that today.” Wigs are just so handy. I would love to do a wig line next. And I’m going to be doing makeup.

But I’m doing fragrance first. People will always run me down the street or even backstage, they’ll come up behind me and say, “Oh, my Lord, I love that smell! What is that?” And I’d have to say, “I just call it ‘Dolly’ because it’s not just one smell. It’s a combination of things I love.” The two main ones were Tova’s musk bath oil and Mary Kay Intrigue (4). When they said they weren’t going to make that perfume anymore, I went on eBay and bought every bottle. I was paying a huge amount of money buying Intrigue.

I’ve got hundreds of bottles even still, that’s how serious I was about the smell. So when I got ready to do my own fragrance, I took those two things, along with all my lotions and stuff, and said to [the company], “Help me find the closest thing we can.

But legal.” It took us two years to get this to where it was really right. I said, “No, I’m not putting something out that don’t smell like me. I don’t want to have my own perfume and then still wear something else.” I think it turned out even better than what I was wearing. It smells like angels.

I go where my heart leads me ’cause I pray every day that God will lead me in the choices that I make. When I made the donation for the vaccine (5), I just felt led to do that. If we don’t have our health, we have nothing. I try to be as cautious and as conscious as I can be with my own health, though I don’t always take as good care of myself as I should, I guess. But I’m developing my own line of exercises for people that are older or not well, or lazy, like me. If you tell me I’ve got to do an exercise routine, that I’ve got to do this and do that, I dread it so bad. So I just put on music or sing gospel songs and do my own kind of workout—shouting and stretching and praising. I do more “rejoicing” than I do “working out.” I do a few little floor exercises now and then, a few little squats. Especially diddly-squats. I’m big on those. —AS TOLD TO JENNY BAILLY

9

10

2

7

3 6

4

D E C A D E S O F D O L LY

5

1. 2019: Parton and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus duet at the 61st Grammy Awards.

2. 1974: Parton’s 13th studio album—released when she was 28—featured two new entries into the country music canon: “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” 3. Circa 1970: An iconic look is born. 4. 2021: Parton receives a shot of the Moderna vaccine—she helped fund the research for it. 5. 2014: Parton onstage at Glastonbury music festival. 6. 1987: Biggest hair on record. 7. Circa 1955: A portrait of the artist around age 10. 8. 1977: Dolly’s 19th (!) studio album is released. 9. 2002: Parton as a newly minted ambassador of the Tennessee Film and Music Commission. 10. 1994: Parton at the BMI Pop Awards. 11. 1980: Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda after the premiere of Nine to Five in New York.

12. 1965: Fresh out of high school and already reaching new heights. 13. 2001: Parton at the 43rd Grammy Awards. 14. 1978: Yellow, Dolly!

11

12

13

14

ALLURE PRESENTS

A PODCAST HOSTED BY MICHELLE LEE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, AND JENNY BAILLY, EXECUTIVE BEAUTY DIRECTOR Join Allure as we explore the inextricable link between science and beauty — and don’t be surprised if you discover your next favorite serum, hair mask, or scalp treatment along the way. If you’ve always wondered what a wrinkle actually is and how retinol can make it go away, or why your hair is curly and which polymers will give it the most spring, come get nerdy with us!

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE SCIENCE OF BEAUTY WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS

LEA PS IN EVERY SENSE, HALSEY’S VOICE IS HER CURRENCY. WHETHER SHE’S TALKING ABOUT IDENTITY, RELATIONSHIPS, PREGNANCY, OR THE ROAD FROM A JERSEY GIRL NAMED ASHLEY TO TATTOOED ROCK STAR, SHE DOESN’T HOLD BACK. DANIELLE PERGAMENT MEETS A MOTHER OF SELF-INVENTION. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JACKIE NICKERSON

S D N U BO

&

In the Pink Gucci dress and hat.

Tiffany & Co. earrings and bracelet. Vram rings.

To create a similar look: Daytripper Matte Eye Paint in Freaked, Replicant, Everything Now, and Incoming, Matte Eye Paint in White Noise, and Daytripper Light Lock Stick in Prince’d, all by AboutFace. These pages: Fashion stylist, Law Roach. Hair: Marty Harper.

Makeup: Halsey. Set design: Bette Adams.

Production: Viewfinders.

i

“I’m going to tell you something that’s going to get me fucking slaughtered on the internet,” says Halsey, “but I’m going to go ahead and say it.” She’s in the kitchen of her home in Los Angeles County. And that’s when she tells me: “I didn’t take my prenatals.” That’s it. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. Our Zoom confessional booth.

Halsey is pregnant. Really pregnant. So pregnant that by the time you read this it’s likely she will have already given birth. Pregnant Halsey is, on one hand, different from all the Halseys we’ve come to know up until now, but at the same time, not so much. Because the one thing she’s always done is change.

For starters, Halsey hardly fits the profile of someone with 40+ tattoos, four albums, two Grammy nominations, and 23 platinum singles, who also favors acid-blue eye shadow. “My favorite place is Target,” she says. “I love Target. I love Marshall’s. I love Panera Bread. I love the suburbs. It calms me down.”

She’s only 26, but Halsey has already learned the value of keeping her ego and her alter ego on a level playing field—to change without canceling your former self. “You have to remember, this is what the world sees, right? I’m the tattooed rock star named Halsey, but growing up, I was a girl from New Jersey named Ashley. I had the most basic name. I lived in the most boring place,” she recalls. “I felt really unremarkable. I graduated high school when I was 17 and we moved to New York, and that’s when I was like, I don’t want to be one of seven Ashleys in my class.”

The emotional gymnastics it takes to transform from a suburban teenager to a rock star who packs arenas with over 50,000 people require more than a little skill—and those are moves that few people ever acquire. We are, all of us, watching Halsey acquaint herself with celebrity in real time. Her first album came out in 2015, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that the singer hit critical mass. And at the beginning of this year, Halsey released About-Face, a makeup line full of rich lip pigments, saturated eye shadows, and a few dozen SKUs dripping in irreverence.

“I went to a hibachi restaurant the other night because I was craving fried rice. We walked in and it’s dimly lit, there’s no one there, it’s in a strip mall, and I’m drinking, like, a Shirley Temple,” she says. “And I was like, ‘I feel so calm right now.’ It felt like I was in New Jersey again.”

66

If Ashley’s happy place is a strip mall hibachi place, Halsey’s is with Alev Aydin, her partner and the father of her child. “The judginess started from the beginning,” she tells me. “Alev and I have been really good friends for four years. And when the stars aligned, our relationship became romantic and it was pretty evident that he and I were both like, ‘Oh, my gosh! You’re the person I’m supposed to start a family with.’ A lot of people had opinions about that.” She says “opinions” as if it’s italicized, a euphemism for a far uglier word. It feels safe to assume those opinions weren’t the loving, supportive, encouraging kind.

“Nobody knew I was dating someone,” she explains. “As if people were entitled to an update, like, ‘I’ve met someone, we’re going on dates, it’s getting serious, they’ve moved in, we’re planning a child, we are having a baby, we had a baby, this is the gender….’” The corner of her life in which she is her most mama-bear self is this one: “I signed up to give my whole life away; my loved ones didn’t.”

Halsey is acutely aware of the dangers of too much attention, that fame can be a burden, and that her loved ones may be asked to bear it too. “Part of the reason it took Alev and I so long to start dating was because I liked him so much,” she says. “He was writing a movie about my life, a biopic, so we spent a lot of time together. One night we went somewhere really public together. As we were leaving, I got swallowed by a mob of paparazzi and fans and people wanting me to sign vinyls and whatever else. It was all very dramatic, like a movie scene. I looked over my shoulder and he’s being pushed away from the mob and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I didn’t even say goodbye!’ I remember sitting in the car and being like, ‘I can never see him again. I like him too much to ruin his life and drag him into all this craziness.’ ” But, she continues, “he swiftly reminded me I was being super melodramatic and he was like, ‘I don’t care. It’s not that big of a deal.’ ” Then she pauses for a moment. “I’ve never talked about him before,” she tells me. “That’s crazy.”

There is something—many things—so unguarded about Halsey. She is intrinsically open. Maybe it’s my own maternal instinct, but it’s hard to talk to someone who isn’t cynical without wishing they will stay that way—and knowing they probably won’t.

But if anyone can do it, it just might be Halsey. Her appeal to millions of people isn’t just her voice—and her rich, breathy voice is searing in its emotion and raw beauty.

People are drawn to her because she’s open about her pain, her struggles with bipolar disorder, her reproductive health difficulties (she had surgery for endometriosis), her gender fluidity, her experience as a biracial person, her extreme humanness. It feels good to root for someone who uses her microphone to spread a gospel of love and inclusion. If you don’t always know where you fit in life, Halsey’s world is an incredibly appealing place to land.

She even tells you when she doesn’t take her prenatals.

“I took them the first two months, and then the vomiting got really bad, and I had to make a choice between taking my prenatals and throwing up or maintaining the nutrients I did manage to eat that day,” she recalls. “I was on so many medications—Diclegis and Zofran and all these anti-nausea, anti-vomiting medications. I went to my doctor, crying my eyes out, and I was like, ‘I haven’t taken my prenatals in six weeks. Is my baby okay?’ I was so angry with myself. You have one fucking job! One job! Take your prenatals! Your body’s doing everything else, you can’t even do that. I felt like such a failure.”

Internet, if you’re listening, are you really going to drag a person for not taking her vitamins? Yes, of course

Radiant, Baby To create a similar look: Flash Color Case

by Make Up For Ever.

Shine of the Times Noir Kei Ninomiya coat.

Schiaparelli necklace and rings.

To create a similar look: Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Dionysus and Fractal Lip Color in Sudden Shift by About-Face.

68

you are, because you’re the internet. But rest assured, Halsey’s doctor gave the singer and her growing baby a clean bill of health. Move along, prenatal judges. Nothing to see here.

“When this pregnancy started, I was like, ‘You’re going to do yoga and eat flaxseed. You’re going to use essential oils and hypnobirth and meditate and fucking journal every single day.’” Then she deadpans: “I have done none of those things. Zero. None. I eat cookies and had a bagel every single day for the first five months of my pregnancy.”

There’s Wellness with a capital W that comes from flaxseed and meditation and whatever TikTok is selling that season, but I’d venture there’s another kind too. The kind that’s millennia older and rooted in the deepest pockets of our soul. Some of us are born with it—the wisdom to know who we are and total acceptance of that person. The rest of us spend our lives seeking it out, learning how to be grounded in a world full of frayed electrical cables; souls searching for the purest, most honest expression of themselves. That kind of wellness is what Halsey gives off—in her music, her persona, even across a Zoom screen.

What’s weird about Halsey, though, is that this comfort with herself comes not exactly from knowing who she is, but from realizing that none of us are ever completely sure who we are. Halsey, who uses the pronouns she and they, used to lie awake at night questioning who she was, questioning her gender, her sexuality. “I’d be staring at the ceiling, going, ‘What does this mean?’ ” she says. “I don’t spend that time questioning or wondering anymore. The whole thing to remember about pronouns and identities is that they’re not meant for other people. They’re meant for you to help better understand yourself.”

But subtlety isn’t always the easiest sell. “I don’t do press anymore. I did, like, two interviews for my last album, which was 16 months ago,” she says. “I just don’t translate very well in print. Even saying this is going to get me in trouble.

I already know that it is.” And then, true to who she is, she says it anyway: “I think sometimes [with] women who are articulate, people read it as pretentious.”

Halsey refers to a review of Fiona Apple in which the writer said Apple sounded like “ ‘she was fingering her thesaurus.’ Oh, my God! What a terrible thing to say about a girl who was an absolute savant, a prodigy, a prodigious writer, wise beyond her years, and commercially successful

to, or because the waitress thinks I’m the babysitter when I go out with my family, none of that would compare to the tears that I would shed for presenting phenotypically Black and the disadvantages and the violence that I would face because of that.”

Has she ever pretended to be white? “Oh, yeah,” she says, “for sure. My family has a lot of guilt about [that], but I think this is really common for mixed families. You want your kids to have an advantage in life. That unfortunately puts them in a position of denying their heritage. Then you get older, you get woke, and you go to a liberal arts college and you go, ‘Oh, my God,’ and you start having flashbacks of all the microaggressions you faced through your life.”

When you ask someone for an example of a microaggression, you don’t necessarily expect a very specific, very personal one. But Halsey comes back with: “My little brother’s name is Sevian. He’s brown, not phenotypically Black; he just looks like a light-skin, mixed guy. He and I were having a conversation about microaggressions, and he was like, ‘In high school they used to call me Slavian.’ It puts people in a position of comfort because he’s not Black enough that they recognize the wrong, but he’s also not white, so the joke exists, right?”

Now Halsey is a conduit as one generation unfolds into the next, and her job as a mother will be helping her child understand their own identity. “I’m biracial, Alev is Middle Eastern, and our child is going to have a Black grandfather and a Turkish grandfather—there’s Christmas and there’s Ramadan,” she says. “They’re going to grow up in this kind of multicultural home and I have new challenges because of that.”

It’s hard enough for any of us to figure out who the hell we are. But when who you are is many things, with many ethnicities, when your gender is fluid and your sexuality isn’t one thing, and you’re stepping through all those worlds while also being in the public eye, the word “challenges” seems like an absurd understatement.

“You never stop coming out,” she says, when asked what advice she would offer a young person struggling with their sexual orientation. “It’s not like you tell your mom and dad and then everything’s all good. You need to prepare yourself for that.”

But there’s also a flip side, one that says you don’t have to have it all figured out. Who the hell does? “You don’t

“THE WHOLE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT PRONOUNS AND IDENTITIES IS THAT THEY’RE NOT MEANT FOR OTHER PEOPLE. THEY’RE FOR YOU.” in pioneering a genre on her own at 18,” Halsey says, clearly pissed off on Apple’s behalf—on behalf of all women.

In 2020, Halsey released Manic, an autobiographical album, which featured other artists. “It was supposed to be a diary of an album and I couldn’t go so far as to just speak for myself.”

Identity is an easy thing if it coalesces with what the world says it should be. But when it doesn’t—when we’re a little of this and some of that, or none of this but a lot of that—things get murky. And something as simple as a diary becomes anything but simple.

Halsey, who has a white mother and a Black father, calls herself “white passing.” “A lot of people try to write off a lot of my experiences because I present white,” she says. “No matter how many tears I’ve shed because I’m not connecting with my family or my culture in a way that I would like

have to decide at 13 years old ‘I’m a lesbian and that’s it’ or ‘I’m scared to come out. What if I change my mind?’” she says. “It’s not for other people to validate you or determine if your queerness is real enough.” To emphasize this, she assumes the persona of, presumably, the lesbian police.

Wearing a stern expression, she points her finger: “Have you been loyal to your label? Have you done all the right lesbian things?”

It’s a funny moment, but it’s also sort of melancholy.

Here’s this young mother-to-be telling people who struggle, telling every one of us, telling herself and her unborn child, that this is all an unfolding process. And we get to choose it. We are the only ones who define us. It’s an existential idea, but I sense it’s hardly the only one she thinks about.

“This wasn’t an interview,” she says, laughing. “This was a therapy session.”

69

OFF

YOUR

LAUGH

H eA d

IF LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE, THEN COMEDIANS ARE YOUR FRIENDLY, LOCAL PHARMACISTS. FIVE OF OUR FAVORITE FUNNY PEOPLE SUBMITTED TO THE ALLURE VERSION OF A PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE, PLUS A HAIR SCULPTURE BY WIGMASTER CHARLIE LE MINDU, ALL TO MAKE YOU SMILE. DID IT WORK? PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANIELLE LEVITT

MeGAn STaLteR

THE TOWER

The sculpture you’re seeing here is actually about 15 wigs affixed to buckram, crinoline, and wire. “Because I do ballet costumes,” says Le Mindu, “I like to restrain people’s movement. I love the way Megan moves, but I wanted to [anchor] her. So I put a lot of hair on her head. And it worked.”

Mara Hoffman bodysuit.

Ana Khouri earrings.

To create a similar look: Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Lavish Lilac, Cheek Pop in Peach Pop, and Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Mighty Mimosa by Clinique. These pages: Stylist, Kat Typaldos.

Hair: Charlie Le Mindu.

Makeup: Ester Foster.

Stalter’s character work—often explored through videos posted to Twitter or TikTok, and most recently on HBO Max’s Hacks— never fails to go viral. What’s your biggest beauty regret? “I feel like I tried to make straight-across bangs happen for me for a long time. And every single time I would ask for them, I had this picture in my head of what they would look like. And it’s so hard to style bangs and it took forever for them to grow out.

There hasn’t been a time I’ve gotten bangs and haven’t regretted it. But I love the look of bangs on other people. They’re so cute.” If you were to die and come back as a product that is currently available at Sephora, what would it be? “I would come back as a blow-dryer because you don’t ever throw away your blow-dryer. It’s always around, it’s kind of glamorous, and you use it on special occasions.”

—MARCI ROBIN

THE KAIA The chief reference for this wig—which is actually three wigs— was Kaia Gerber’s ads for Versace.

Raf Simons shirt.

To create a similar look: Strobe Cream in Goldlite, Bronzing Powder in Refined Golden, and Love Me Liquid Lip Colour in Adore Me by MAC.

bENiTo SkINnEr Vogue called Benito Skinner—also known as @bennydrama7 on Instagram, where he has well over a million followers— “the only funny thing to happen to 2020.” What is your one favorite beauty product? “I think if I had to whittle it down, I’d say Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. I’ve used that forever. I’ll give that to people on the street. I run into a friend, I pull three out of my backpack.” What is your latest beauty acquisition? “The wig [worn above]. He told me to take it! I was like, ‘This is my new daughter.’ ” How do you feel about aging? “I’m like, cute, but not for me. You know what I mean?

I love it for other people. It looks so fun. [Laughs] No, I’m so fine [with it]. I like people who look like they’re aging, if that makes sense. I like faces that show what you’ve been through, that have some trauma [on them].” —DIANNA MAZZONE 72

SasHeER ZaMAta After graduating from the Saturday Night Live stage in 2017, Zamata moved on to the next phase of her career: comedy superstardom.

What is your favorite physical characteristic?

“I mean, they’re all great!

[Laughs] I think I’ve got some good thighs. The thighs and the hips, that’s

where a lot of power is. I have a thigh tattoo I proudly show off when it’s warm outside. It’s Japanese water waves. I was born on an Air Force base in Okinawa, Japan, and I used to have a lot of dreams about water— like it was raining, or there was a flood, or there was a pond or something—so I had a lot of strong feelings around water. I wanted to get that represented on my body somehow.” If you were to die and come back as a beauty product, what do you think it would be?

“Maybe water. Water is life.”

—ELIZABETH SIEGEL

THE THRILLER What makes Le Mindu smile?

“Roller coasters,” he says. “All of the time,” which inspired his braided wig on Zamata: a ride for the eyes.

Prada dress. Ana Khouri earrings. Mateo and Fernando Jorge rings. Ben Amun hair clip. To create a similar look: Exhibitionist Liquid Glitter Eye Shadow in Twinkle Town, Clean Fresh Cooling Glow Highlighter Stick in So Gilty, and Melting Pout Vinyl Vow Liquid Lipstick in Toasted by CoverGirl.

JeSSiE EnNiS The incandescent and endlessly charming Ennis currently stars in (and writes for) Mythic Quest on Apple TV+. Who is your favorite beauty icon of fiction?

“Truly from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There’s a moment when she transforms into a doll in a music box and she’s got these very circular blush stamps. And I remember thinking that was, like, the look.” Who are your beauty icons in real life? “I’ve learned a lot about beauty from the drag queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

My number one of all time is Katya. She’s got it all for me.”

What beauty rule do you never break? “I drink a ton of water.

I love water. I have this soccermom Yeti cup and all these silicone straws. I drink way more if there’s a straw. I do have a favorite water: It’s Mountain Valley Spring Water. Elvis was obsessed with it.” —D.M.

THE TRUFFULA A Seussian effect is achieved by burning the hair, arranging the wispy strands into a sunburst, and applying color. Le Mindu likes pure pigments, such as food coloring, mixed with water and sprayed on for maximum saturation.

Michael Kors dress.

To create a similar look: Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in I Pink You’re Cute and Summer Belle Shimmering Blush in Blushin’ in Riviera

by L’Oréal Paris.

THE COWLICK

Le Mindu styled this lace wig atop Booster’s head, using hair gel and sugar spray to slick it just so.

Rick Owens top.

Serendipitous Project earring. To create a similar look: Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer in 2 and Neo Nude Ecstasy Balm in 3 by Giorgio Armani.

JoEL KiM bOoSTeR If you’ve laughed at a television show recently (Netflix’s Big Mouth? Comedy Central’s The Other Two?), it’s likely Joel Kim Booster has either appeared in or written for it. Who is the ugliest person you know, living or dead? “I have to say Donald Trump. He looks like his own melting Madame Tussauds statue, period.” Who is the most beautiful? “Zendaya.” What do you value most in a skin-care product? “Effectiveness. Does it work?” What do you value most in a makeup product?

“Noncomedogenic.” What do you consider the most overrated beauty product, trend, or style? “Hyaluronic acid. And the most overrated haircut is definitely the K-pop middle part that everyone has, that every Asian person has to get now.

I refuse to conform. I will not get it, even though I would look amazing.” —BRENNAN KILBANE 75

We unroll yoga mats,

switch off phones,

and put pen to gratitude journal in the pursuit of“ wellness.”

But when you receive a diagnosis—of depression, of HIV, of endometriosis—it can force you to reevaluate

what it means to beSo,well.

17 people

(you may have heard of them) carved out 17 unique— and fraught and inspiring— paths to wellness.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH OLIN

76

GETTY IMAGES

in the park. There are a lot of things that are out of your control. As on top of it as you may be, I’ve learned just to take a deep breath and know that there are going to be tough days. You do the best you can, and from there you’ve got to just sometimes sit back and know it’s going to work itself out. It’s going to be alright.”

NICK JONAS

JONATHAN VAN NESS C O H OST O F QU E E R EY E A N D H OST O F T H E

S I N G E R, SO N GW R I T E R, A N D D E XC O M WA R R I O R

P O D CAST G E T T I N G C U R I OU S

On finding peace, relinquishing control, and managing diabetes

On the world’s best bath, yoga, and living with HIV

“Wellness has taken a different shape this past year, for obvious reasons. I’ve found a lot of peace, for the first time in my life, in having a daily routine—getting up, having a cup of coffee, maybe two, trying to spend time doing something outside of looking at my phone. I usually read a book or write. Wellness in its simplest form is, for me, just prioritizing that time away from being sucked into the Netflix or TikTok hole. [My wife, Priyanka, and I] have also gotten really into taking good, long walks, which is good for the body, but also the mind. I try to stay as creative as possible. I do a lot of screenwriting; I have a project. That helps me stay in a good place mentally. That and just time with our dogs and each other. We’ve built a little family here with our pups.

“As a Type 1 diabetic, I am constantly on the hunt for my healthiest life. I was diagnosed at 13 years old. I have now had it for longer than I haven’t. [Wellness and diabetes are] definitely in constant conversation. The symptoms and side effects of having high or low blood sugar are potentially fatal, if not treated, so that is in direct contrast with wellness. Then there’s the day-to-day grind of living with this disease. That really does have an effect on you emotionally, physically, and mentally. I try to be very diligent and stay on top

“Wellness is a continued relationship with ourselves. It could be our spiritual practice; it could be a physical practice. It could be saying, ‘I need to take a bath before I respond to that email.’

“When I don’t get to consistently move my body, my mental health suffers. I feel more anxious. I do yoga, which is my moving meditation.

When I first got turned onto it [at 19], I had just finished hair school. I had been a cheerleader in high school, and I really didn’t know who I was not being a cheerleader. Then I found yoga. The first six years of my yoga practice were really rigid. I had to do it every day. I have a much different relationship with my practice now. It doesn’t throw me off of my ability to function in the world if I can’t go to class. In those first years, something that would be classically considered wellness became this crutch. I really didn’t have peace. I did not have stillness if I didn’t go to yoga. I was also getting sober at the time from a lot of really destructive behavior, so it was a multilayered thing.

“Obviously, everyone who has HIV has a different way that they came to living with HIV. For me, it was a lot of repetitively self-destructive behavior.

And [being diagnosed], that was pretty clear evidence of, like, ‘You better stop, honey. It’s getting real.’ It did reprioritize my whole life. Talking to my

“I really wish that I could just put wellness and self-care into a box, put a bow on it, wrap it up, and I’m like, ‘Mastered it! ’ It’s just not like that.”

—J O N AT H A N VA N N E S S

of my [blood sugar] numbers, but nothing solves that problem like when technology takes that part of the thinking out of the equation, by giving you accurate readings every several minutes [with Dexcom]. Once Priyanka came into my life, [Type 1 diabetes] was something that she had to do a deep dive on. Dexcom made her feel some comfort, knowing that she could be thousands of miles away and still get pinged with where my numbers are in real time.

“Type 1 is an autoimmune disease and, like any autoimmune disease, it’s never going to be a walk

78

therapist once a week is a huge part of my wellness. That’s nonnegotiable.

“Growing up, going to the mall was huge, and there was Bath & Body Works. I can create a little world in my bathroom that is for me, and no one knows it! I loved the science behind skin care. I started getting back into it in my earlier 20s. Then the wheels fell off—HIV, addiction, compulsivity, oh, my God. Then, as I started to come through that, as I started to stabilize and actually had money in my checking account, I was like, ‘Oh, I can go and impulse-buy a little bit of skin care at Nordstrom.’

it’s easier, but our life isn’t stagnant; everything changes. All that stuff is always going to be there—who you are and how you react to different stressors and pressures. Self-care, in the words of my therapist, is trying to create more pause than a reaction—more stillness, more of a chance for you to be like, ‘Do I feel good about this? Are these the relationships I want to have?’”

WHOOPI GOLDBERG ACTO R, M O D E R ATO R O F T H E V I E W, A N D N U RT EC O DT PAT I E N T A N D S P O K E S P E RSO N

On laughter, fear, and migraines

I started doing affirmations while doing skin care: ‘I am worthy of love.’ Or, ‘I accept myself completely.’ Or, ‘I am capable.’ Even if you don’t mean it yet, just saying it over and over, it starts to positively charge your brain. Skin care is also self-care because it gives me so much joy. Coconut Milk Bath Soak by Herbivore—holy shit! I do that and three pumps of Squalane Oil by Biossance mixed together for the best bath of my life. [Van Ness is a celebrity ambassador for Biossance.]

“Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your mind around this esoteric idea of wellness. I really wish that I could just put wellness and self-care into a box, put a bow on it, wrap it up, and I’m like, ‘Mastered it!’ It’s just not like that. There are times when

“I try to laugh a lot. I try to find some funny in the day, be it a dopey cat video, a really bad kid joke, or a dad joke—something silly to make your day skip along. It doesn’t always stay that way, but you can find something to laugh about at least once a day. No matter where you’re at, you’ve got to find one thing.

“There are things in the life of women that we always have to think about. From the age of 10 to 60, you have to think, Can I wear white pants? The answer is no—you just have to stop wearing them.

And if you get migraines, your question is, Can I get through the day without having a migraine?

“I have migraines. For years, you try to find ways to make the pain stop. If you are a working person—particularly a working mother, a working woman—you don’t have time to be sick. Migraines don’t care what you have to do. They just come on and can really wreak havoc in your life. If you take something to stop the pain, and it just makes you so tired, you can’t do your job. You’re always trying to figure out, What do I do? You’re always on a kind of wooden plank that is very movable.

“Wellness means that I am not panicking about not feeling well. I learned two years ago that you have to pay attention to how you feel. I got very, very sick and almost died, and ended up in the hospital for a month. I had general pneumonia with sepsis. That was the biggest kind of, like, Okay, here’s what happens when you don’t pay attention. It was kind of crazy. That’s kept me from fooling around [with my health]. So I just find that the key to wellness is paying attention to what’s happening in your system. Though I still am not a big fan of the dentist, I do have to go. “[After being in the hospital], I decided I was going to ask people what works for them. Khloé Kardashian came onto the show that I do, talking about Nurtec ODT [for migraines]. And I was like, ‘Okay, just tell me, does it really work?’ And I tell you that the ODT works, at least within an hour [for me]. I’m a huge fan of it. The most common side effect is that you get nauseous, but if you’re a person who gets migraines, you’re used to being nauseous. When something comes along that can make the day better, I get excited. I can’t say that it’s going to work for everybody and, of course, everybody has to get some insight with their doctor. I am not afraid now because I can keep it in my bag and therefore it makes my time better. I don’t have to hide in closets trying to find darkness or trying to keep stuff out. This really kind of shored me up. Anything that makes me not afraid to go out and face the day is wellness.”

“If I’m going to a television studio anywhere ‘Is there a room with a door that I just to catch my breath , recharge

ALANIS MORISSETTE S I N G E R, SO N GW R I T E R, SU C H P R E T T Y FO R KS I N T H E ROA D

On wholeness, depression, and anxiety.

Morissette is currently on tour celebrating 25 years of Jagged Little Pill.

“Wellness, to me, doesn’t mean perfection or living by a standard that is unrealistic. Wellness has a lot to do with the word ‘wholeness.’ It’s sort of staying connected to self, God, and other. I’m a big fan of Internal Family Systems by Richard Schwartz. That model [of psychotherapy] very much helps me to connect with different parts of myself, some that are deemed by society as negative, challenging, dark parts, like addressing depression or anxiety. I had a panic attack yesterday. I just went, boom, right into my tool kit. Okay, what do I do here? I quickly ran a bath—epsom salts, magnesium, lavender. Call in all the special ops! [Laughs] “Personally, because I feel like sharing might be helpful in some way, I have a little life pie that I reference visually. Pretty much every journal I have, if you open the front page, it’s the pie. I just take a glance at them and immediately my eye will be pulled toward that which I have been neglecting.

“My life pie includes—I’m just going to draw it while I’m talking—family and friends. Body: somatic experiencing, trauma recovery. Spirit: It’s really silence. With three children under 11, I’ve been known to go into my closet a lot. I’ve written songs in my closet on the ground in the dark. If I’m going to a television studio anywhere in the world, my first question is usually, ‘Is there a room with a door that I can close? Where I can go for a few minutes just to catch my breath, recharge my batteries.’

“Then there’s being expressed. So much of my depression comes from my not expressing sadness, grief, and anger. Usually, a grief or a loneliness, or some false thought that got into my mind really, really young and I just kept believing it, even though it was never true. Feeling that I’ve processed enough is important, and that can include venting with friends, feeling expressed artistically, designing something.

“Marriage is a big one. It’s tough with three kids, but my husband, Souleye, and I try to sneak away as much as possible.

“Being on top of my business and finances: I feel like [the] patriarchy just pats women on the head— especially artists. I have been shamed for looking after my money and shamed for not looking after my money. You can’t win! So I just keep showing up.

“Brain rest: binge-watching TV. Floating, wandering time. Mind wandering. As an artist and someone who loves to philosophize, I can’t get those ‘messages,’ for lack of a better term, if everything is jampacked, including my mind and environment. So just time to sit. Easier said than done last year with three kids schooling at home—my eyes are crossed!

“Another one is to make sure that I am in the public eye being of service. I also have each child in one of the life pies.

“Grooming: That’s a big one for me. And God bless, having a newborn and breastfeeding, taking a shower once in a while is a massive luxury.

“I’m a bit of an essential oil apothecary alchemist. Breath work is really powerful for me too, because shallow breath just keeps sending a message to my brain that I’m in a constant fightor-flight state of emergency. I line up five bottles of delicious essential oils and then do deep breaths with each one. Sometimes I feel like passing out, but that breath work is life-giving.

Penny Frances Apothecary makes truly beautiful products, [like] the Rose Geranium and Hibiscus Botanical Mist. Living Libations by Nadine Artemis: She rules. And balms! I’m a balm queen.

One I love is by Monastery—the Attar Floral Repair Concentrate.

“Next, movement, of any kind. What feels really organic for me is Pilates and stretching.

Environment. Taking care of home. It could just be puttering. I think puttering is next to Godliness. Education. Bouncing between student and teacher. I’m learning everything about cryptocurrency [right now]. And about the body, because I’m kind of obsessed with anatomy. Where is that stomach? And where does that colon go? You can’t swing a dirty sock without hitting piles of books everywhere.

“And I do blood work. Every three months or so, I’ll see where my vitamin levels are—vitamin D, vitamin everything. I watch it like a hawk. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety throughout most of my life, and [with] all three kids I have had postpartum depression. It’s the worst, but that light on the other end of the tunnel is super gleaming. I’m constantly keeping an eye on my progesterone and hormone levels.

“When I think about wellness, I think, What is the opposite? For me, it’s disconnection from the parts within me and from my relationships. I’ve never not had a therapist, and I credit therapists for my still being alive. Cultivating that muscle of going inside [myself] has been life-giving, because I’m terrified. I don’t want to go inside.

There is a lot of grief in there. There is a lot of pain. I’m pacing myself, certainly.”

PADMA LAKSHMI H O ST O F T O P C H E F A N D TAST E T H E N AT I O N , AU T H O R O F T O M AT O E S F O R N E E L A , A N D U N D P G O O DW I L L A N D AC LU A RT I ST A M B AS SA D O R

On the power of food, frustration, and endometriosis “When I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis in my 30s, it was such a moment of clarity, but it also made me angry that I wasn’t able to get treat-

in the world, my first question is usually, can close? Where I can go in for a few minutes my batteries.’”

—ALANIS MORISSETTE

81

ment sooner. The labyrinth-like process inspired me to create the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) with Dr. Tamer Seckin, to help fund research and be a resource for women struggling with the chronic pain of endo.

“Eating a mostly plant-based diet helps me feel balanced and healthy. [But] wellness can mean putting away devices and leaning into moments of pleasure, whether that be spending time with my daughter, cooking something for myself, or exercising. I’ve loved cooking with Krishna since she was a toddler. Over the years I’ve taught her how to make everything from dal to dosas, how to flip them just right. I wanted to write [Tomatoes for Neela] to teach kids about where their food comes from. A child who has a hand in making their own healthy dishes is more likely to eat healthily for all of their lives.”

KANG DANIEL K- P O P STA R

On support systems and depression “After going through what I’ve gone through, I think the people around you [are] really important. Because when you come to a point when you don’t trust yourself, it’s really dangerous. If you close up your heart, it’s just so hard to overcome [depression] by yourself.

“I’m working out a lot more. I’m hanging out with my friends more. In the past, I was a lot more pessimistic. I’ve changed. I’m a very simple guy.

Good things are good things. For me, that’s what wellness is about.”

HUDA KATTAN FO U N D E R O F H U DA B E AU T Y A N D G LOW I S H

On pressure and polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] “I’ve been super fortunate that my business has grown so quickly, but it has meant a lot of sleepless nights and ups and downs. I have always loved pressure, stress, and moving fast. But a lot of times it causes you to ignore what it’s doing to your body. You’re running on adrenaline every day and that’s not healthy. When I realized this a few years ago after seeking external help, it made me question the way I was working and it forced me to start taking it easier on myself. I never used to say no to anything. I say no to a majority of things now.

I need to prioritize doing what’s right for me and my family long-term.

“PCOS was not necessarily the first trigger for my need for more self-care, but my ongoing wellness practices—meditating, taking long salt baths, boxing or burning energy on the treadmill—definitely evolved when I found out I had PCOS. It was

82

hard figuring out how to cope with it. There is such little information and awareness about it. It wasn’t until I went public with the diagnosis that I really felt liberated. I no longer felt like I was hiding or embarrassed of an uncontrollable condition. Then the coping process gets easier. I really encourage discussing your conditions. When you feel like you’re alone in something, it makes it that much harder to accept and cope with it.”

EMMA CHAMBERLAIN C R E AT I V E D I R ECTO R A N D G LO BA L B R A N D A M BASSA D O R FO R BA D H A B I T S K I N CA R E

On social media breaks and anxiety “I try to do my full skin-care routine twice per day.

I’ve also been reading books, which is new for me, but extremely calming and enjoyable. I make it a priority to go on walks and exercise. The feeling of cooking a meal is so satisfying and therapeutic— you don’t get that from ordering from a restaurant.

“For as long as I remember, I’ve been trying to find ways to cope with my anxiety and depression.

I’ve learned to figure out what areas it feels right to push in—like forcing myself to do a simple chore [or] to go get some fresh air—and what areas it doesn’t. I try to stay off my phone. Social media can be really fun and creative, but spending too much time looking at it will amplify my mental health struggles. I have to stay connected to reality or else I feel out of control. Instead of spending my alone time on my phone, I spend it listening to music, taking myself on dates, taking care of my brain. Once I started doing all of that, my life almost immediately improved.

“I used to believe wellness was tied to productivity—if you aren’t being productive you aren’t taking care of yourself. This is rarely true. Mental health struggles are far from linear. Sometimes you will feel almost unaffected, other times you will be stuck in bed for days. In the moments when you can’t get out of bed, it’s easy to feel like a lazy failure, but you may subconsciously be taking care of yourself.

The first step to true wellness for me was accepting that. Wellness is a combination of resting when you need it and using your energy wisely when you have it. Once you find that balance, life feels a lot more manageable.”

JACKSON WANG S I N G E R, W H OS E S EC O N D SO LO A L B U M L AU N C H E S T H I S FA L L

On home cooking and attention deficit “Wellness is checking in with yourself and making sure you’re good: getting enough sleep, drinking water, exercising, eating your veggies. Eating everything your mom makes and puts in front of you, because that’s happiness.

“I start my day with a routine: vitamins, a morning face pack, quiet time. If I’m off that day, I usually hit the gym. I grew up in an Olympian household and I was a trained fencer from an early age, so I’m very used to a regimen.

“When I was young, my teachers thought I had an attention deficit because I was active and restless. I’ve never actually been diagnosed, but my parents thought about my wellness and transferred

“Wellness is a combination of resting when you need it and using your energy wisely when you have it.

Once you find that balance, life feels a lot more manageable.”

—EMMA CHAMBERLAIN

me to an international school that was a better fit for me learning-wise. Reflecting back, my parents’ decision shows that our well-being all looks different. We don’t fit into one mold.

“It’s easy not to take care of yourself. Like any other area, you have to carve out time. Every day I try to be present for myself.”

JULIANNE HOUGH DA N C E R, C H O R EO G R A P H E R, C EO A N D FO U N D E R O F K I N RGY

On morning runs, human connection, and trauma recovery “Sometimes we only think in terms of ‘good health’ or ‘bad health.’ When I say I am ‘well,’ I’ve reframed it to mean balanced and neutral.

I’ve spent most of my life trying to be in the best health, but sometimes it’s not sustainable to always be in peak performance. Our bodies need to recover and rest.

“I set rituals and routines that help me stay balanced and motivated. I drink a glass of lemon water (that I’ve prepped the night before) first thing in the morning, followed by self-connection time through a meditation, breath work, morning pages, gratitude diary, or visualization. It just depends what I’m feeling. I then get my body moving with a KINRGY class or maybe a run

around my neighborhood so I can also get some human connection. My 70+-year-old neighbor always greets me from her house while I’m on my run. Now it’s time to look at my phone. Yup, that’s right, I try to do all of that without checking my phone. It helps me stay connected without getting distracted first thing in the morning.

“Once I’m done with work, I try to reach out to at least one friend or family member. Whether for me or to let them know they are supported. Dinner is usually an experience with candles. It lets my mind and body know that I’m done working and it’s time to unwind and enjoy. Bedtime is all about rituals too—reading, meditating, praying, journaling. I give myself a good half an hour in bed before I shut my eyes to wind down with no electronics.

“My transformational journey really began in 2013. That’s when I learned about belief systems, social structures, and traumarelated behavior. I was able to reframe a lot of what I thought brought me happiness—it was really creating more anxiety and loneliness. It was time to move through past traumas and wounds.

[Hough has been open about physical and emotional abuse she endured as a child dancer living and training in London.] I found the best way for me to move through this process was through the body. Movement, breath, and visualization helped me not only work through buried emotions, but also made me feel safe and helped me to better trust myself.

“Life really is about finding a balance in all. I always try to find ‘well’ in all that I do.”

VENUS WILLIAMS T E N N I S C H A M P I O N A N D FO U N D E R O F E L E V E N

BY V E N U S

On me time and Sjogren’s syndrome “Physical and mental health are both equally important to me. After my [Sjogren’s syndrome] diagnosis, I had to really start paying attention to how my body was feeling and what I was putting into it. If I’m feeling more tired than usual one day, I will listen to my body and rest. I’ve also followed a plant-based diet ever since my diagnosis to help with alleviating symptoms. [Sjogren’s syndrome most commonly causes dry eyes and mouth.] It’s really been trial and error for me. I’ve come to realize how important it is to make time for myself if I want to perform my best on and off the court.”

CAMILA COEHLO FO U N D E R O F E L A LUZ

On finding joy and living with epilepsy “There are days I’m so overwhelmed, I have so much in my mind—I’m running two brands—so I need to just breathe. I’ll go outside and call my mom. I love going to the beach. Riding my horses is one of my biggest joys. When I’m with them, I feel like I don’t need anything else in the world.

“I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age nine, and, you know, at age nine, you don’t really understand. What is it that I’m going through?

Fortunately, my type of epilepsy is very controlled, meaning if I take medicine, I won’t have a

84

seizure. But at an early age, I learned that resting and taking care of my mind and mental health was number one.

“There was a moment in my life when I thought, professionally, I had everything I wanted. But in my heart, I knew I wasn’t fully happy. I was having a lot of anxiety. I needed to prioritize doing things that I love, small moments of being with family. I know that these wellness and mental health moments are so important to my health, and also my well-being and happiness in general.”

SHAY MITCHELL ACTO R, FO U N D E R O F B É I S, C O FO U N D E R O F O N DA

On kindness and prenatal depression “The better you take care of yourself, the better you will be for other people in your life.

“Coming out of [prenatal depression, I] realized how important it was to take time to connect.

That’s really what helped—speaking to friends and family and people who dealt with this on a professional level. Just to really feel like I wasn’t alone. Other people have gone through this, even though I thought I was the only one.

“There was a recent survey from Motherly that showed 93 percent of mothers reported feeling

burned out, which I’m like, ‘Yep, sounds about right.’ Pampers’ Million Acts of Love [campaign] is really just to help uplift and support parents when they need it, not only during this past year, but anytime. [Mitchell was a spokesperson for the campaign.] It can honestly be the simplest thing, like making a cup of coffee, going for a walk, or if you don’t live next to a mother figure, calling them.

I’m definitely going to be calling my grandma. We do this thing where we FaceTime and do chair exercises. I may extend her exercises.”

JULIA MICHAELS S I N G E R A N D SO N GW R I T E R, N OT I N C H RO N O LO G I CA L O R D E R

On days off, long drives, and managing anxiety “If I feel really overwhelmed or anxious, taking a step back [helps], because I am pretty introverted and I get overstimulated easily. If I get writer’s block, I tend to want to do things that I love to get me out of it. I love going to the movies. I love to read. I love to put my feet in something—grass, sand, or water. I had someone tell me once, ‘Hey, you’re not a robot. You’re not expected to write something amazing every single day.’ If you need to take a day for yourself, you should. “‘Me time’ is essential. Those moments for me look like taking a bath or a long shower. I think the noise of the water running is the thing that helps me relax. I love taking drives by myself. The best.

“I went through a period of having panic attacks a lot and it took me going to therapy, which I think is self-care, to talk about my feelings and learn techniques to manage my anxiety, [like] taking time for myself. I also learned to rationalize with myself when I’m feeling fearful. If I didn’t have those outlets, I would probably still be in a session, in the fetal position, having a panic attack.

I also don’t think I would have been able to do my own world tour. Stage fright is something that still really plagues me.”

“Sometimes we only think in terms of ‘good health’ or ‘bad health.’ When I say I am ‘well,’ I’ve reframed it to mean balanced and neutral.”

—J U L I A N N E H O U G H

FOLAKE OLOWOFOYEKU ACTO R, B O B H E A RT S A B I S H O L A

On pain, endometriosis, and dunking “I’ve been dealing with endometriosis since I was 13, [but] it wasn’t diagnosed in Nigeria, [where I’m from]. It was just horrible, horrible periods from the very first one. I threw up in an exam hall. I moved to America for college, [where] a lot of doctors didn’t believe me. They thought I wanted drugs or something. It was torturous, chronic pain every month. I’ve been in and out of hospitals. Hopefully, one day I’ll find some relief. I’m going to look into Transcendental Meditation. [My concept of] wellness came about as a result of trying to find ways to cure the pain. I think mind, body, and spirit create a person; vitality is also part of it. I was told I’d never be able to dunk a basketball, so I’ve decided to take that challenge on. Even if I’m 90 years old, I’ll still be trying.”

TERRI BRYANT M A K E U P A RT I ST A N D FO U N D E R O F G U I D E B E AU T Y

On gratitude and Parkinson’s disease “When I was a kid, wellness meant balanced nutrition and physical exercise. While that is important, it’s not the whole story. I set goals for each day centered on what feeds my mind, body, and spirit. I bookend my days by verbalizing what I am thankful for. I plan time when I can immerse myself in creative environments: listening to music, thumbing through interior design magazines, and most days, playing with makeup.

One constant is spending time moving with my loved ones. Walking our dog or doing yoga and kickboxing with my husband. Each day ends the way it started, with being thankful. This practice has helped me manage the inevitable ups and downs in life.

“Having Parkinson’s has pushed me to practice what I intellectually knew: Balance and your approach to life are key to your outcome. This perspective has not only shaped my wellness, it has allowed me to redefine my diagnosis not as a disability, but as the lens through which I am gifted to design for better. [Bryant’s Guide Wand steadies the user’s hand to help anyone with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s apply eyeliner.] I know that if I’m mindful of feeding my spirit, mind, and body that I will live my best life. That doesn’t mean that I am insulated from day-to-day stressors. I’ve just learned to listen to my body better, so I know how to refill my cup.”

GENEVIEVE PADALECKI ACTO R A N D FO U N D E R O F TOW W N

On nature, depression, and anxiety “[Nature] takes me out of the cacophony in my head and into the simplicity of nature. Even if I am unable to be in a green space, I love listening to the sounds of nature (rain, trees in the wind) and I instantly feel calmer.”

M ORE RE ASO N S TO S MI LE “GOOD TEETH” ARE A THING. ACTUALLY, THEY ARE THREE THINGS: VERY STRAIGHT, VERY WHITE, VERY EVENLY SPACED. BUT IN A COUNTRY WHERE EVEN BASIC DENTAL INSURANCE ELUDES ONE-THIRD OF AMERICANS, THAT STANDARD IS NOT AN OPTION FOR MOST. THE TRUTH IS THAT OUR SMILES—LIKE OUR EYES, OUR HAIR, OUR BODIES, AND OUR VOICES—ARE ALL DIFFERENT, ALL MAGNIFICENT, ALL GOOD. BEAUTY IS NEVER JUST ONE THING.

BY SARAH KINONEN PHOTOGRAPHED BY OLIVIA MALONE

86

Bottega Veneta earring. To create a similar look: City Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Hi-Rise Sunset and SuperStay Ink Crayon in Settle For More by Maybelline New York.

Expressie Nail Polish in Crop Top & Roll

by Essie. These pages, Stylist: Amy Mach. Hair: Tsuki.

Makeup: Allie Smith.

Manicure: Honey.

Production: Noted.

Models: Faith Vaughn and Symone Lu.

was a sad kid with a sad smile. When I was growing up, I rarely broke into a grin or erupted into a giggle. I did have things to laugh about, but I was laser-focused on hiding what was inside my mouth.

Uninhibited displays of joy took a back seat because my teeth were so crowded that by the time I was in fifth grade they had begun growing on top of one another, in every which way. Lateral incisors were hidden underneath fast-moving canines, which were simultaneously being pushed out due to emerging wisdom teeth. And that was just the top row. I was also dealing with teeth that grew in sideways, slanting so far to the right that they were crushing back into my gums. In a nutshell: My teeth were crooked, with cavities riddled in between.

But I was a child living in a single-parent household of five that relied on welfare and numerous government programs to keep the lights on and food on the table. Orthodontics, let alone basic dental care, was not a priority—or a possibility. We qualified for Medicaid—a health-care program that, along with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, had enrolled more than 37 million children by the end of 2020—but coverage was inconsistent. And it wasn’t until 2016, long after I was living on my own in New York City, that my home state of Florida passed legislation to allow most Medicaid recipients to enroll in dental plans.

Without a way to fund a new smile, I spent a lot of time and so much emotional energy covering up the one I had.

Looking back at my tight-lipped school pictures or snapshots of me as a teenager with my hand hovering over my mouth, it’s clear that I was embarrassed by my smile.

I was ashamed of those chaotic teeth that betrayed my lower-class status as soon as I parted my lips. I yearned for the shiny metal rows of braces my classmates wore. Social interactions found me crippled with anxiety, afraid to open my mouth for fear of judgment of my lack of dental care.

That fear followed me wherever I went and I played the shy card in school, up until I landed my first real job.

When I was 23, thanks to a full-time position with dental benefits, I was able to begin the process of getting the straight teeth I’d been made to believe were required to be considered beautiful and sophisticated. But my entry-level, $35,000-a-year job as an editorial assistant didn’t cover most of the $6,000-plus Invisalign expenses. (In the U.S., the average cost of straightening treatments for adults can range from $5,200 to $7,500, according to the American Dental Association.) Even with dental insurance, I still couldn’t really afford to buy the straight, white smile I was

Faith Faith Vaughn was 11 when she was diagnosed with hypodontia, a term used to describe a case in which some permanent teeth never grow in. For Faith, it was her two permanent canine teeth.

Determined not to let middle school bullying get the best of her, after a long stint with

88

braces she had a retainer made with the teeth she didn’t have.

But that wasn’t her. “I don’t feel like myself when I have those two fake teeth in my mouth,” says the now-19-yearold model. “When I don’t wear [my retainer], I’m more outgoing. I’m more confident in myself.” This is why,

99 percent of the time, you’ll see Vaughn smiling big and bold, gaps on display, and encouraging others to do the same. “I just like to smile really big and make sure people see my teeth,” she says. “This is unique. And I can help people feel inspired and confident in themselves.”

Christian Dior top.

Chanel tank.

L’Enchanteur earring.

To create a similar look: Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights, Epic Ink Liner in Black, and This Is Milky Gloss in Fo Moo

by NYX Professional Makeup.

GUTTER CREDIT

≥

being sold in magazines and on TV—but I took on credit card debt to do it.

Correcting my crowding felt like the only choice I had in order to move up in the world, particularly in the beauty industry where I was working. In my mind, straightening my teeth meant that I’d finally have a smile that wouldn’t make colleagues question how I landed a job in a field built on aesthetics. I went through three and a half years of orthodontist appointments, more than 40 sets of plastic retainers (switched out every two weeks) and at least 50 tubes of travel-size toothpaste for on-the-go cleanings between meals—all in an effort to feel accepted. Whether that acceptance came from myself or my peers is still up for debate. What’s not, though, is how I feel about myself—and my smile—now. My Instagram archives are a photographic timeline of my confidence growth: As my thumb flicks down, close-mouthed grins gradually turn into boisterous, wide smiles. And while I’m happy with my teeth now, I wish I could have been happy with the teeth I had. It just didn’t feel like an option.

In the same way we talk about someone having what society has deemed “great skin” or “good hair,” having a “nice smile” is often unattainable unless you have money.

Gleamingly perfect, straight, white teeth are a sign of luxury and status (just ask any celebrity after their first “big break”), leaving those without them to feel less than. But that status-symbol standard isn’t necessarily connected to healthy teeth, teeth that prevent gum problems, cavities, and even heart disease. “Healthy teeth far outweigh the benefit of beautiful teeth. Always,” says Marc Lowenberg, a New York City-based cosmetic dentist. And a smile’s health cannot generally be measured by its whiteness and straightness. So at the same time that we question the pearly white veneer of “perfect teeth,” we need to fight for the basic right of affordable health care and dental coverage. The average American might not be able to afford cosmetic dentistry or orthodontia, but no one should be denied the care necessary to have a healthy smile, whether it’s gap-toothed, overcrowded, or has an underbite.

We have moved away from so many constricting, alienating beauty standards in recent years, slowly but surely shifting the definitions of what a “good” body or hair texture or skin tone looks like. Now let’s say goodbye to “good teeth” and pave the way for healthy smiles of all kinds to shine—starting with the two glorious grins you see on these pages.

Symone A few years ago, Symone Lu lost her left front tooth in an accident. It was then that her dentist discovered a hairline fracture in her jaw. In order to let the bone fully heal, surgery (and a replacement tooth) were put on pause. “I remember being extremely insecure,” she says. “I didn’t smile for a couple [of] years. I was so upset.” But then, after moving to New York City for college, something shifted. “I found people that understood where I was coming from and I started smiling all the time,” says Lu, now 22.

“I decided to say, screw what everybody else thinks.” Since then, Lu has been booked in shows in New York and London Fashion Weeks and appeared in ad campaigns for MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay.

But her work is just getting started: “My image resonates with a lot of people, and I’m thankful I’ve inspired others to truly be happy [with themselves] no matter what they’ve gone through or are going through,” she says.

“The whole point of me doing what I’m doing is to remind people that we are all one and the same.”

On our 2021 back page, we’re celebrating Allure’s 30th birthday by commemorating the beauty innovations we’ve loved over the years and still use and cherish today.

The Right to Shower bar soap in (from top) Strength (juicy red ginger), Dignity (bracing sea salt and clay), and Joy (bright citrus and honeysuckle). $5.99 each.

A L L U R E

R E C O M M E N D S

!

Who gets to wash? Throughout human history, access to clean water, the disposable income to spend on oils and brushes, and the facilities required for bathing have not been universally guaranteed. According to a 2019 report by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, more than two billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. LavaMaeX (loosely derived from the Spanish lávame, or wash me) is a nonprofit founded on the notion that hygiene should be accessible to all, and provides free handwashing stations and mobile showers to those experiencing homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. LavaMaeX’s liquid body washes and bar soaps are furnished by The Right to Shower, a Unilever body-care label. Since 2020, the brand has routed 30 percent of its profits back to funding LavaMaeX’s operations (when Right to Shower launched in 2019, it donated 100 percent of profits). One Rothkoesque bar of soap is roughly the cost of a latte, but those sales help the organization provide showers for 35 to 40 people a day. It’s good, clean work.

90 ALLURE AUGUST 2021

photographed by heami lee

PROP STYLIST: XAVIER AMES

raising the bar

We make bundling simple.

Home + Auto = easy Bundling your home and car insurance is super easy with GEICO. Not only could it save you money with a special discount, but you’ll also save time by having all your coverages in the same place.

scan the code to learn more! geico.com | 1-800-947-AUTO | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Homeowners, renters, and condo coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko® image © 1999–2021. © 2021 GEICO 21_580819020

MEET THE #1 RETINOL BRAND USED MOST BY DERMS PURE RETINOL

DERM-PROVEN RETINOL. IN THE LAB. AND IN REAL LIFE.

1 WEEK

Smooths the look of fine lines.

LUXURIOUS TEXTURE

4 WEEKS

Reduces the look of deep wrinkles.

#1 dermatologist recommended brand

© J&JCI 2021