In addition to adding “mom” to her list of titles, Richie is also the face of hair care brand Nexxus’s new Styling Collection, designed to help you replicate her iconic hairstyle or create your own signature style. If following every TikTok tutorial of her signature slicked-back bun hairstyle hasn’t yielded the results you desire, it turns out the effortless look demands the right technique and products. This line is your savior; the 11-piece set is powered by the brand’s innovative StyleProtect Technology technology to fortify the strands against any threats to your style (humidity, heat damage, we’re looking at you). It includes a bevy of formulas to take you from Sofia’s famous bun to beachy waves, including a blow dry frizz cream, three hair sprays, dry shampoo, hair oil, heat protectant, and more.

The crown jewel of the collection? The Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax, a nod to Sofia’s iconic bun and undoubtedly the star of her beauty arsenal. As she navigates impending motherhood and her bustling career, Richie understands the importance of an effortless, low-maintenance routine—all made possible by her trusted Nexxus essentials.

Ahead, everyone’s favorite “it girl” dishes on pregnancy’s effects on her hair journey, healthy hair tips, and the genesis of her recognizable slicked-back bun hairstyle.

What was your relationship with your hair when you were younger versus your relationship with it right now?

My mom is Greek, so she has very, very long hair and has always been very anti hair dye—she’s all about conditioning treatments and masks. Growing up, I used to go with my mom to her hairdresser once a month and we used to do deep conditioning treatments. So, my entire childhood, I was very pro-health for your hair and all about having long hair. I used to cry when I would get haircuts.

Then, when I hit my teen years, I was so deprived of doing anything to my hair. I had girlfriends getting highlights and haircuts. I really went for it in a wild way, with probably not a great understanding of how harmful certain ingredients could be for your hair. So I definitely learned a lot in my teen years, experimented and played around, which has brought me to where I am now. I’ve been on such a serious health journey with my hair for the past five to six years, definitely leaning back on my mom’s [tips] and everything I learned as a child.

Now that you’re months into your pregnancy, is there anything interesting you’ve noticed about your hair—for better or worse—during this time?

Yeah, it’s interesting. When I first found out I was pregnant, my hair actually started shedding, and I was like, Oh, God, because everyone tells me that my hair grows so much. Here, I am having the reverse effect. Then, into my second trimester, that’s when I really started noticing new hair growth, thickness, and a bit of a shine, and I’m still experiencing that now. I’m definitely aware of postpartum hair loss and the journey that most women go down. I’m ready emotionally and all the things because it’s a part of being a woman, a part of pregnancy. I’m going to go down with a fight, using all of my treatments and oils and nurturing my hair back if I experience postpartum hair loss.

Speaking of, if you were to create a new mom basket using some of these Nexxus products, what would your new mom recommendations be?

I would say it’s super personal, because, for me, I can throw my hair into a bun in two minutes. When I think about my new mommy beauty routine, especially in the first six months of my child’s life, I’m probably thinking of what is my easiest, quickest go-to, something that I can throw up in two seconds. If I were to make a basket for myself, it would definitely be the Slick Stick, the anti-humidity spray, and an oil. I always use oil when I even do my buns. It would be what’s easy, what’s quick—that’s what I think of with early mom life.

During Hotel Nexxus, your stylist, Kathleen, demonstrated how to achieve your bun. What tips and tricks have you learned from her in all of the years that you guys have been working together?

I have to be honest with you. Before Kathleen, I didn’t even know how to do anything to my hair other than put it into a messy ponytail. She is my fairy godmother of hair. Not only that, but she’s also one of my very, very good friends. So, she’s taught me pretty much everything when it comes to styling my hair. When I first met Kathleen, I would say it was when my hair was at its worst. It was completely fried. I had a bob, I had hair extensions in that bob. It was a nightmare, and she guided me down the road of, “Let’s turn this journey around for you. I’ll come and do your hair twice a week, and you don’t touch it.”

She really helped me find a routine. Then, when I took the hair extensions out, that’s when the slick bun really started for me. There were so many uneven parts to my fried hair. Kathleen taught me everything I know, especially down to styling and heat protection, like if I’m going to blow dry, I have to use some sort of spray or cream that’s going to protect my hair from heat and humidity. She’s taught me, I would say, everything I know. All credit to Kathleen.

How do you just maintain the integrity of your hairline and restore your hair back to its health after doing the slicked-back bun so many times?

I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t notice the corner edges of my hairline thinning. I went to Kathleen, and said, “I am concerned about this hairstyle. It’s helping the overall health of my hair because of the products that I’m putting into it, but how can I keep the integrity of my hairline?” That’s when I leaned towards deep conditioning treatments, but mostly rosemary oils, coconut oils, and natural oils, and not making the bun as tight as you normally would. My buns aren’t actually as tight and slick to my head as most people probably think. So I’m mindful; I don’t tug, I don’t pull, and I definitely use a lot of deep conditioning treatments, especially across my hairline, to make sure that I’m keeping the integrity.

Nexxus Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax

Nexxus Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax

Of all the products in this collection, which ones would be in your starting lineup? What do you feel like is the sleeper hit?

The current place that I am in my life right now, my bun is the hairstyle that I feel my absolute most confident in. That being said, I have been doing my slick bun pretty much, if not every day, every other day. I would say the Slick Stick is my number one. I would say that for the days that I wear my hair down and let it air dry, I will use the anti-humidity spray. Those are the two that I bounce off of the most.

I feel like the anti-humidity spray is vital, especially for me. I have very textured hair, so I can’t just air dry my hair and walk out the door. I definitely need something to help control. For me, that’s the product that maybe people may be looking past, but again, it’s really personal to your hair texture and what you have going on.

What do you make of the term “it girl” and the responsibility it holds?

I’m very flattered that people think I’m an IT girl. It’s a concept that I still wrap my head around, to be completely honest with you. But for me, knowing that people look to me for tips [makes me] really just want to work with brands that I genuinely use their products. I had a team meeting at the beginning of the year, and I was like, “I’m not really interested in partnering with brands that I wouldn’t go and tell my followers about in an authentic TikTok. It feels unauthentic to me and unauthentic to my brand.”

It’s about finding a balance where my followers feel like I’m still being real with them and being honest ’cause I think that’s how I connect with people on social media. They feel like I’m being honest with them. I’ve done a few partnerships this year, Nexxus being one of them, and I really am a fan of their products and have been for many years. It felt really true and authentic to my brand and to me, and it was something I was comfortable with sharing with my audience.

Trends are pretty much assigned to celebs, but if there was one trend that you could make yourself the poster child of, what would it be?

Whoa. Let me think. I can only really think of what I want to represent, and I think it’s embracing your beauty—the less is more approach. I feel like people connect with that right now. I don’t even think I’ve started it personally, but I’m happy to be on the bandwagon of clean, simple beauty.

The post Sofia Richie Grainge on Being an ‘It’ Girl, Pregnancy Hair Loss, and Nexxus Partnership appeared first on Mind Body Look.

But thanks to gravity and exposure to the elements and well, life, this ephemeral morning glow vanishes by the afternoon, when my usual skin concerns—fine lines, dullness, and dryness—reveal themselves once more. I’ve long been on the hunt for a product that could help me retain that “just woke up from an amazing night of sleep” look all day, and—breaking news!—I’ve finally found it in the Laneige Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask.

Laneige Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask

Laneige Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask

Laneige’s overnight masks, both of the facial and lip variety, have been known to go viral, and there’s reason for the obsession. The formulas are buttery and affordable, look good on a vanity, and, most importantly, deliver results. The Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask, the newest addition to the lineup, is designed to plump, hydrate, and improve radiance.

Its star ingredients are a Peony & Collagen Complex and peptides, which work to firm and promote natural collagen for skin that looks and stays visibly plump. The product’s Hydro-Melt Glow Capsules—an intriguing proprietary concoction—mimic the skin’s lipids to protect skin while you sleep, and hyaluronic acid and green tea probiotic lysate support the skin’s moisture barrier and give it a hydrated glow. Studies conducted by the brand showed that the mask improves skin texture and moisture levels after one use, and results in firmer, more radiant, plump, and bouncy skin, plus a visible reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, after four weeks.

The Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask can be used as frequently as every evening as the last step of your PM skincare routine. For this review, I’ve been applying it every night after using micellar water, the Laneige Cream Skin Toner (another home run of a new launch that hydrates, soothes, and firms), and a brightening serum.

As with the other Laneige sleeping masks I’ve tried, the application experience is truly dreamy. The formula is just as pink as the jar’s exterior, and thanks to that Peony & Collagen Complex, it smells like a fresh-cut bouquet. The satisfying, sorbet-like texture melts into skin, leaving behind a velvety feeling. I love to perform this last step when I’m in bed with my lights dimmed and my sound machine on. I find the sensory elements supremely soothing—a spa-like moment before I drift off to sleep.

When I wake up, my skin feels just as soft as it did the night before, and there’s an extra bounce to my cheeks. My complexion looks healthy, bright, plump, and more youthful—but the best part is that these benefits don’t disappear. Even after my 50-minute commute to work, a stressful meeting, or a lunch break outside, I’ll catch a glance of myself in the bathroom mirror—under unforgiving fluorescent lighting no less—and that morning glow is miraculously still with me.

If you, like me, have ever lamented your skin only looking its best when no one is around, or just want to add collagen-boosting and dullness-fighting powers to your routine, consider the Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask your new bedside fixture.

The post ELLE Loves: The Overnight Mask That Extends My Morning Glow Till Night appeared first on Mind Body Look.

The Fascia Facial

When the Paris-based Sophie Carbonari looks at skin, she gleefully sees bubble wrap waiting to be popped. You can expect to hear cracks from the fascia (our body’s connective tissue) releasing tension in what she calls “deep tissue mobilization.” After a facial with Carbonari, she aims to leave you (and your fascia) feeling relaxed. Her distinct, and surprisingly pain-free, technique has garnered many loyal clients, the likes of which include Naomi Campbell and Lenny Kravitz. Of course, there’s also her incomparable studio, which sits atop Théorème Éditions, a contemporary art furniture gallery nestled in the Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris. Carbonari’s treatment room is kind of like a rotating gallery itself—Studio KO, an online furniture gallery, filters in new couches and art pieces to complement the airy, window-filled space, which was formerly the Joyce Gallery.

Learn more about Carbonari’s services here.

Sophie Carbonari The S Serum

Sophie Carbonari The S Serum

The “Beauty Sandwich”

For Iván Pol, a bit of age, just like patina, can only serve to highlight beauty. “It’s okay to age a little bit. It’s okay to have some wrinkles. I’m more about the architecture,” the former makeup artist says. Over the years, he’s developed a multifaceted approach to radio frequency (the “beauty sandwich”), which includes a “V-shape” for the face. Interior designer Katherine Waronker and Kamp Studios designed the mid-century French feel to his L.A salon and clients like Ashley Olsen informally advised Pol on the artfully aged pieces— like Pierre Chapo’s T21 table. Pol himself also gives new life to vintage pieces—for example, a piece of siding from Jean Prouvé’s Maison Tropicale house is now a clever shelf.

Learn more about Pol’s services here.

Chanel Sublimage L’Extrait de Nuit

Chanel Sublimage L’Extrait de Nuit

The Allover Facial

London-based Fatma Shaheen treats every inch of skin on the chest, neck, and face, even the lips. Her “Glow Pen” treatment combines microneedling with microcurrent to rejuvenate skin. She also uses radio frequency to stimulate collagen, ultra high frequency to tighten, cupping to increase circulation, and cryotherapy to de-puff. First-timers are often surprised by the intensity of the facial, in which Shaheen digs deep to get into every aspect of the muscles, but once they get used to it, they “fall asleep,” she reassures. Shaheen, whose work uniform tends to be silk slip dresses paired with a power blazer from Prada, likens the power of her machine combo to “a Ferrari.”

Learn more about Shaheen’s services here.

Skin Design London Face Tight Serum

Skin Design London Face Tight Serum

The Bespoke Facial

There’s a long waiting list to see Cynthia Rivas, who adapts her protocol to each client rather than following a set treatment menu. Some love her massage, some love her result-driven approach to hyperpigmentation, and for others, it’s the delicacy and meticulousness in which she treats acne-prone skin. Her newest project: a members-only “skin care club,” whose privileges include monthly treatments like Rivas-approved facials, scalp treatments, IVs and more, debuting this spring at WSA, a new downtown New York cultural hub with a curated beauty floor from Palm Heights founder Gabriella Khalil.

Learn more about Rivas’ services here.

iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus

iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus

The High Tech Facial

The walls of Shani Darden’s Beverly Hills studio hold a secret: They’re laden with crystals. While building the space, Darden had a crystal healer come in to place different crystals like amethyst and rose quartz directly into the walls. After seeing Darden’s minimal, palatial studio, even crystal cynics would agree on the studio’s serenity. Darden worked with Jake Arnold, a British interior designer based in Los Angeles and responsible for many A-list homes. Darden says that the minimal, chic, and calming qualities of the studio represent her, and anyone who’s gotten a facial at her hands might agree. Her less is more approach and love of extractions and tech makes her second-to-none for good skin in LA. A client-favorite treatment involves silver-laced microcurrent gloves, which allow Darden to hand-sculpt cheekbones before big events.

Learn more about Darden’s services here.

Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform Treatment Serum

Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform Treatment Serum

The Red Carpet Facial

New York editors love Edyta Jarosz, the Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue’s star facialist. Her passion for facial massage (which she refers to as the “artful application of pressure and precision”) comes through in her gifted hands. Her specialty is the Red Carpet Facial, blending massage, machines, and cryotherapy for the most “snatched” result. These facials incorporate manual massage to sculpt, an Oxylight machine that can do everything from microdermabrasion to high pressure oxygen infusion, a Diamond Glow machine to exfoliate and infuse serums, and occasionally cryotherapy to sculpt the skin even more. She always finishes with LED to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen production.

Learn more about Jarosz’s services here.

SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum

SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum

The Pain Relief Facial

Joseph Carrillo knows you’re hunching over your phone. That’s why he begins every facial massage by asking clients to look deeply to the left, to the right, and finally, having them attempt to kiss the sky, so that he can see the range of motion of the platysma (the sizable muscle that connects the lower half of your face to your neck). He’s well-versed in buccal massage—he snaps on black gloves and sticks his hands inside the mouth to soothe soreness and provide TMJ relief. He started honing in on his method, which he calls a “non-invasive face lift,” during his time working exclusively as a makeup artist. Now, dressed all in black (a carryover from his MAC makeup artist days), Carrillo is the go-to facial masseuse for celebrities and VIPs, including longtime clients Paris and Nicky Hilton. Carrillo is invite-only and works in a private space.

Learn more about Carrillo’s services here.

Tata Harper Tata x Lure Facial Cupping Set

Tata Harper Tata x Lure Facial Cupping Set

The Goldilocks Facial

Skincare fanatics may know Danuta Mieloch as being one of the main reasons that Biologique Recherche P50 gained popularity stateside. Rescue Spa, the award-winning New York City spa that Mieloch founded, has been selling the cult-favorite product on shelves and incorporating it into facials for years. Mieloch has been doing facials for 30 years, and in her eyes, repetition is key. Through practice, Mieloch has been able to create the Goldilocks of facials—it’s “just right.” Her massage is firm without being painful, and her extractions and microdermabrasion techniques are efficient without leaving skin inflamed. “That’s my language,” Mieloch says. “Your language would be with words, my language is with my hands.”

Learn more about Mieloch’s services here.

Danucera Cerabalm

Danucera Cerabalm

The Fashion Facial

Raquel Medina-Cleghorn’s eponymous studio in Tribeca, New York City, is reminiscent of the cool-kid gallery spaces nearby. It’s airy, minimalist, and infused with tons of personality. “The inspiration was really seventies Italian postmodern design,” says Medina-Cleghorn. Rather than the usual nondescript piano played during a facial, Medina-Cleghorn opts for alternative rock—picture Superstar by Sonic Youth playing while she gives you a relaxing facial massage. During one of her facials, you can expect microcurrent, LED, and maybe even lymphatic drainage using the Vodder method. Medina-Cleghorn was a stylist before becoming a facialist, and it shows—her daily uniform ranges from the occasional “frilly, frothy Simone Rocha and Molly Goddard dresses” to band sweaters from Hades knitwear. She’s also often wearing Tabi ballet flats—the mark of a true fashion person.

Learn more about Medina-Cleghorn’s services here.

Environ Youth EssentiA C-Quence Serum 1

Environ Youth EssentiA C-Quence Serum 1

The Relaxer

On a quiet stretch of Centre Street at the intersection of Soho and Chinatown in New York City, Taylor Worden’s tech-forward facial studio offers an oasis for the in-the-know downtown set. After finding a mentor in famed facialist Georgia Louise (and working on skin in Louise’s basement), Worden set out to find a studio of her own. Worden likes to say that every service at her studio is “Taylormade.” By design, no two facials at Taylor Worden Skin are the same—Worden will make sure she does only what your skin needs. For the full experience, the Taylormade LTMD (Lift, Tone, Massage, Dermaplane) facial is as effective as it is relaxing. Even as Worden deploys her favorite machines, like her bio-rhythmic drainer to help de-puff or her Vibroacoustic machine to curb inflammation, it’s still easy to feel lulled to sleep.

Learn more about Worden’s services here.

Supernal Cosmic Glow Oil

Supernal Cosmic Glow Oil

A version of this story appears in the April 2024 issue of ELLE.

The post First Class Facials appeared first on Mind Body Look.

A foolproof skin care routine for kids

In the morning, tweens and teens should wash their faces with a gentle cleanser, apply a moisturizer, and then sunscreen. In the evening, they should wash the day away with the same gentle cleanser and lock in hydration with their moisturizer. “After they shower, either in the morning or evening, apply a body moisturizer! Pat, don’t rub the skin and lock in the ambient shower humidity by putting on the moisturizer within minutes of coming out,” says Dr. Gohara.

What do you do if you have a tween with acne?

Look for a cleanser that has salicylic acid wash for their evening facial cleanser. Follow with a retinol/retinoid and close the routine with the barrier repair cream. “The salicylic acid cuts through extra sebum (oil), cleaning out the pore. Retinol/retinoids increase skin cell turnover and help to regulate shedding into the follicle. They prevent and decrease whiteheads and blackheads and can help with residual marks, particularly on brown skin,” says Gohara.

What makeup additives should tweens stay away from?

“Oil-based foundations are a breakout waiting to happen,” warns Dr. Gohara. Look for water-based foundations and skin tints or foundations with anti-inflammatory ingredients, like arnica, to help prevent breakouts. And while tweens and teens love glitter, shimmer, and sparkle, you may want to stay away from it. “Sparkles and shimmers can create irritation on the skin as well,” says Dr. Gohara.

With the Sephora sale underway, it’s a great time to use your newfound knowledge and secure the best skin care products for your tween and teen. The sale goes from April 5^th to April 15^th. There are thousands of products to scroll through on the site, but you don’t have to: our expert, Dr. Gohara, and ELLE editors picked the best skin care products for your kids at Sephora.

11 Things You Can Buy Your Tween from the Sephora Sale

Open Gallery

The post 11 Beauty Products You Can Buy Your Tween from the Sephora Sale appeared first on Mind Body Look.

It’s fitting, considering it’s the actress’s second year as the face of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk franchise, which showcases the brand’s signature nude pink. She’s not only the brand’s first transgender muse, but also the first American one—and she’s killing it, as usual. Her newest campaign, which launches today, features the latest member to join the Pillow Talk crew: Plumpgasm.

How to Get Michaela Jaé Rodriguez’s Glossy Lip Combo

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Foxy Brown

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk Medium

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Big Lip Plumpgasm in Medium to Deep

Part gloss, part plumper, the lip product comes in two shades: Pillow Talk Fair-Medium and Pillow Talk Medium-Deep. “It has all the things that you want,” Rodriguez gushes as she flashes her million-watt smile. “It gives you a plump and makes your lips look cute. And it’s glossy. It looks like candy on your lips. Candy that you can’t touch, but candy for your lips. And I think this is one of the best products that any girl could use. I use it every single day—it’s in my purse right now.”

The campaign itself conceives of Pillow Talk as a glamorous 80s dance studio, complete with leotards and Rodriguez at the center of it all. The 80s reference feels apropos too—after all, many of us first fell in love with the star on Pose, which depicts the ballroom scene of 1980s New York City. In case you missed it, she went on to become the first transgender actress to win a Golden Globe for that role as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista.

The multi-hyphenate has been up to a lot since then; she’s been releasing original songs, starring in Apple TV’s comedy series Loot, and is part of the main cast of the 12th season of American Horror Story: Delicate—the new seasons of both shows premiered just yesterday. “It’s kind of an action-packed [week],” she chuckles.

Plumpgasm is now available on CharlotteTilbury.com. Below, Rodriguez discusses her relationship with Charlotte Tilbury herself, what it’s like to work alongside Maya Rudolph, and Rodriguez’s secret anime obsession.

How did you first get connected to Charlotte Tilbury?

I remember it was around 2021. It was for an Oscar event. I remember having a whole conversation with her after the event and just falling into this kismet kind of amazing relationship. And I saw that she saw me. After that, I remember saying I love the work that she does—I’ve always been aligned with Charlotte Tilbury’s various products ever since I was—I can’t even remember. But I want to align myself with her because I think we might have the same kind of approach on how we want to influence people around the world. She’s been doing it for so long. And I was like, I want to join this. I want to join this party. And not to mention she’s fantastic. Long story short, I was blessed enough [by] the team and her to be tagged along as a muse and to be one of her faces. When that happened, it was kind of profound for me, because not only did I know that I had made history by being the first trans woman on a campaign like that, but also I knew that I wasn’t going to be the last.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Charlotte Tilbury at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party.

The trans and queer community has had such an influence on beauty trends, and yet makeup is generally still gendered and excluding. What are some ways in which you think the beauty industry could support and represent the queer community?

You know, I think more than anything, and this is in alignment, excuse me for bringing it back to Charlotte, but I think they might have to take a book a page out of her book and look at how diverse and how inclusive she is with the many groups of people that she has a part of her campaign. That’s how you show representation.

Totally. And what excites you most about this new campaign?

The product, honey!

What are some other Charlotte Tilbury products that are essentials in your makeup bag?

I do her Foxy Brown liner all the time before I put any of her glosses on. It’s my favorite because it’s not too chocolate, and it’s not too light. It’s just the right kind of chocolate, and it goes with any kind of lip.

Pose takes place in the 80s, and the new campaign takes place in an 80s dance studio. What’s your favorite 80s dance song?

Is Paula Abdul 80s? She’s definitely 80s. And if “straight up now, tell me do you really want to love me forever” [is] in the 80s, I will definitely put that up there.

What’s your earliest beauty memory?

My earliest beauty memory was when I went to school and I wore brown mascara. I was in an art school, so all of us were creative and artistic. But there was this one girl named Chanel who noticed and kind of like, and I love you, Chanel, but we were younger. And we’re still cool to this day. But I remember her looking and going, “Do you have mascara on?” And I said, “I do.” And she was like, “It looks good.” And [that was] the best introduction to that because, even though it was kind of backhanded, she still solidified [that] I can continue on with beauty. It’s not just a standard for just one specific person. This is inclusion for everyone. Anyone can look their best in makeup.

And how old were you? Do you remember?

I was like, oh my God, like, 14.

What kind of makeup look do you feel most confident in?

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

A glam look. Of course. Look, it’s crucial. It’s a complete finish. And I like to use her Flawless Filter collection. It looks right out of a photoshoot. It literally looks like you’re Photoshopped, but you’re not Photoshopped at all.

What’s your favorite memory from being on the set of American Horror Story?

I want to tell you everything, but I don’t want to give it away. I will say, out one of my favorite memories is when all of us gather together and we do some very sinister things as the characters, and it takes a lot to be able to play off of people in an acting space, to improv together, but we did so well. It was like we had already done it for years. So that was one of my favorite moments.

And what’s it like to work with Maya on Loot?

It was a dream. I mean, Maya is the guru of comedy, she is mother, and she is a great inspiration to look at. I like to think about all of the women that encompass my life, and she is one of those women along with Charlotte, I say, along with Viola Davis—there’s a group of women that I really consider strong pillars, and Maya and Charlotte are [some] of those women. And Maya just had a strong sense of self when she was on the set. She knows about comedy, she’s lived in comedy for so long, and she made me feel so safe.

And speaking of women, you went from being an actress to pursuing a singing career. Is there anyone who followed this path who inspires you now?

Whitney Houston, for sure. So she was born and raised in the same area I am. I feel like our trajectories in life have been kind of similar. Ryan Murphy, he kind of scooped me up like how Clive Davis scooped her up and put me on a trajectory that I never thought would happen. So I think she has been kind of my inspiration. And I always look up to her. I mean, we have the Beyoncés, and we have the Chloe and Halles. I look up to them all the time. But Whitney is just so close to [my] heart because we were born and raised in the same area.

On your Instagram, you recently spoke about experiencing social anxiety at the Academy Museum Gala last year. Do you have any words of wisdom to share with those of us who deal with the same thing?

The most important thing is to know that you are worthy, to know that you are enough, even in those moments. Even when you feel the most alone, there is always someone out there that sees you and is going to come over to you and make sure you’re alright. You know, I feel like with every single group of people that I’ve been surrounded with, especially when it’s with Charlotte, I felt safe when someone checked in on me or I felt safe when someone saw me. And in all of these instances, someone saw me, and that’s what helped me through.

You met Lenny Kravitz that night. Can you tell us all about it?

I did. I do want to talk about it. He actually came up to me and I was like, “You’re coming up to me? Oh, my God, you’re Lenny Kravitz.” He’s a gem. And we all know this. He’s an icon. But he gave me words of wisdom, too. And then he told me that Zoë watches me, and I didn’t even know that. Wow. But yeah, meeting Lenny was like icing on top of the cake for sure.

What are you looking forward to most in 2024?

Listen, I’m looking for elevation. But in general, I feel like legacy is an important thing. I’ve learned this from all the women that I’ve been around. A good group of men that I’ve been around as well. And I say to myself that I don’t want to be my own legacy. I want the new generation to be my legacy. I want them to carry on the words so that my words aren’t forgotten. I don’t want it just to be me creating my own legacy for myself—a lot of people do that. And I’m not doing that. When I’m gone, I want the words that were said from my mouth to trickle and to be told to everyone.

What’s your wind down routine after a long day on set?

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez’s Nighttime Skincare Routine

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir

Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Superfusion Facial Oil

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Cream

I definitely have a wind down skincare routine. I have to clean myself because makeup is on all day. And I don’t usually like to leave makeup on and from on set. I always like a clean finish so that when I wake up in the morning, I can also have just another layer of cleanness. So I use a whole bunch of products. This is one of the night creams—after a day’s work on Loot, or if it’s on American Horror Story, I go home and I make sure I wash my face and I put this on. But it doesn’t stop there. I’ll put my oils on just so that it can saturate and correlate that with the serum. These are essential. Then, after that, I’ll go over with the Magic Cream—just solidifies so that when I go to sleep, I know my skin is hydrated at night because sometimes your skin is not hydrated at night. It’s dry. And that’s when problems happen.

Are there any other shows right now that are on your dream wish list to be on?

Avatar The Last Airbender.

Are you a big Avatar fan?

Huge Avatar fan. I watched all three seasons of the anime. And I watched all of the first season of this one.

Are you a big anime person in general?

I’m a huge anime person.

What are your favorites?

That was a little secret, you know? But Little Witch Academia for sure. I mean, I love girl power. It’s clear. Girl power to the max. So yeah, I love watching anime that always [has] a female protagonist, always a female hero, heroine, no matter if she’s evil, or she’s good. I just want to watch her because it’s always a great arc in every story.

Do you have any words of wisdom or encouragement for young trans kids who are looking up to you?

I would tell them to be boisterous, be loud, be outspoken, and just don’t stop having tenacity. Be seen. Even when you feel the most fear. As you asked me, when I was in a space where I felt alone, I still challenged myself, and I challenge every trans youth, every queer youth—shoot, every hetero youth, because there are some young kids who are struggling too who are hetero. All youth. Never let anyone tell you who you are. You know who you are the moment you come into this world, so be you. Be you no matter who you are, trans, if you’re gay, if you’re lesbian, if you’re hetero, if you encompass LGBTQIA, all, anyone, if you’re queer, anything, be yourself. And one thing we can say that is a testament to that is looking at where I and many other trans women have got. I’ve never thought in a million years I would be one of the first trans women on a campaign like this with Charlotte. But look at what we’ve accomplished.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The post Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Talks Trans Representation in Beauty and the Product She Can’t Keep Off Her Lips appeared first on Mind Body Look.

There’s a $65 candle inspired by a unique feeling (and it’s not love). Scented with bamboo and thyme blossom, it’s meant to capture the euphoric sensation of arriving home after a long day and flinging off your bra—move over, Baies, it’s all about Braless. That elusive feeling is difficult enough to evoke in a candle, but a surgery? Yet that’s what the “internal bra,” a procedure that’s become more popular in recent years, might bring to mind—perhaps along with the lyrics to Wicked’s “Defying Gravity.” In actuality, doctors offer more nuance on the subject.

The “internal bra” refers to the process of surgically inserting a material into your body for breast support—sometimes called “mesh” as shorthand, although that’s not a scientific term, explains Rady Rahban, MD, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. A more accurate term might be “scaffolding.” Surgeons can find the approach helpful in a variety of breast surgeries, ranging from breast lifts (mastopexies) to reductions, reconstructions, or augmentations, in helping to preserve results for a longer period of time.

“Listen, this is serious, Kathleen,” plastic surgeon Bruce Van Natta, MD, tells me over the phone from his office in Indianapolis. “I’ve got patients in their seventies that we’ve done breast lifts on, and they don’t need to wear a bra.” William P. Adams Jr., MD, a Dallas plastic surgeon, adds that while effects are not permanent, adding a so-called internal bra to a breast surgery “probably doubles the length of time that something lasts.” Both doctors were part of the initial U.S. pilot program for a substance called GalaFLEX.

A biologically-derived absorbable polymer—the same material as some types of sutures—GalaFLEX can be shaped to appear almost like a mesh demi-bra. According to GalaFLEX, over a period of between 18 and 24 months, the scaffold encourages new healthy tissue to be produced. That tissue can be two to four times stronger, meaning “we’ve got much more robust support,” Van Natta says. (GalaFLEX is FDA-cleared for abdominal hernia repair; in the breasts, its use is considered off-label, and GalaFLEX notes that it has not been cleared or approved for usage in breast surgery. The FDA has not determined the safety and effectiveness of surgical mesh in breast surgery. It is not to be confused with transvaginal mesh, which the agency banned in 2019.)

Another material surgeons use is acellular dermal matrix (ADM), which is taken from living tissue, generally from a cadaver or a pig, and then chemically treated, or “washed,” of its cells. New York City plastic surgeon David Hidalgo, MD, says ADM is “felt-like” in feel and acts like a trellis does for flowers. “The scaffolding serves as a matrix, which tissue adheres to,” Hidalgo says. ADM has been used in soft tissue repair for decades, and there have been a number of studies documenting its risks and results. However, the FDA has not cleared or approved ADM for breast reconstructive surgeries, and advises that patients may have a higher chance for complications.

Unlike the choice between lace or silk, both types of “matrices” must be assessed differently. ADM has a potential ick factor (as Los Angeles plastic surgeon Steven Teitelbaum, MD, says, “There’s just [about] nobody who says, ‘Oh fine, put pig skin in me’ ”) and can be more expensive than GalaFLEX. Surgeons can also use ADM to help fix capsular contracture, a potentially painful and disfiguring buildup of scar tissue that happens in about 5 percent of implant surgeries.

One of the downsides of both materials is that some thinner patients can sometimes feel it under the skin. But Teitelbaum finds GalaFLEX of particular benefit when doing transgender breast augmentations, as it helps to lock in the bottom of the implant, and has been using the substance in some other types of cases. “I didn’t think you needed it,” he says of being an initial skeptic. “I thought my patients were so happy, why would I want to put that in? But then I saw [Van Natta’s] presentation [showing his results with and without it], and I said, ‘His long-term results are better than mine. I’ve got to do better.’” GalaFLEX LITE is a new iteration that is even more pliable and drapable, and Van Natta believes it could one day be an “absolute perfect product” for the neck area.

Even if they aren’t personal fans, some surgeons see the benefit in ADM and GalaFLEX. Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Garth Fisher, MD, says, “It can be ideal for some patients and surgeons, but not for me. I believe in my practice, and my techniques. The material [can] add some benefit, but [also comes] with some significant downsides that dissuade me from using it.” And calling anything an “internal bra” may be a stretch. Hidalgo considers the term to be a bit of a marketing strategy. “The notion of a structural internal bra is—well, fantasy is too strong a word, because it may prove to have some value,” he says. He does use ADM in his practice, but considers the material too flimsy to produce bra-like results.

All the surgeons agree that an “internal bra” procedure is not a lifestyle choice, something for those who are hoping to simply toss out all their underwires. The approach could be viewed as a potential bonus for a patient who is already considering certain types of breast surgery. Van Natta says, “If somebody doesn’t need a lift, then they wouldn’t need GalaFLEX.” Melinda Farina, founder of the plastic surgery consultancy Beauty Brokers Inc., says, “I have a lot of young girls who come in and they’re like, ‘I want the internal bra. I never want to wear a bra again.’ And I say, ‘No, no, that’s not what it’s really for.’”

A version of this story appears in the April 2024 issue of ELLE.

The post Breast Surgery, Augmented appeared first on Mind Body Look.

A recent Instagram post from Florence by Mills, the Enola Holmes star’s makeup and skincare brand, reveals a makeup-free selfie of Brown where blemishes dot her hairline, chin, and cheekbones. In the caption, she said, “My journey with acne is something very personal to me. We all deserve to feel confident and comfortable in our own skin, and I hope by sharing my experience, you feel inspired to embrace your skin and love it no matter what stage it’s in!”

Fans responded in the comments, expressing gratitude for her transparency. Instagram user @millie.lov.e said, “thanks to millie [sic] I feel comfortable in my skin,” while @carlaluvsmilliebb1.5 gushed, “Thank you for showing this as I have had very bad acne growing up and just seeing this photo makes me so inspired.”

Brown also interacted with followers on Instagram stories and answered a series of beauty-related questions. When one fan asked, “How do you stay confident in your own skin when you’re having a breakout?” she wrote back, “Knowing that breakouts are temporary moments in life and that this shall eventually pass! Loving and accepting your skin at any stage is one of the most freeing feelings.”

florence by mills Pore Power To You Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

florence by mills Pore Power To You Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

Additionally, she revealed her secret to blackhead-free skin: the Florence by Mills Pore Power To You Deep Cleansing Pore Strips. “Lately, my go-to trick is using our Pore Power to You Deep Cleansing Pore Strips,” she said. “I like that each set includes strips for both the chin and nose and they are super gentle when helping to remove any blackheads.”

It’s always refreshing to see someone embrace imperfection on social media, and we welcome any sign that the acne positivity movement is still alive and well.

The post Millie Bobby Brown Highlights Her Acne in a Rare Makeup-Free Selfie appeared first on Mind Body Look.

15 Makeup Subscription Boxes You Need at Your Doorstep Right Now

Open Gallery

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Buckle up—I’ll explain. In September 2003, the CIA released 20-year-old documents relating to the Gateway Process, a training technique that used sound frequencies to stimulate the brain to achieve higher levels of consciousness. The files, written by Lieutenant Colonel Wayne McDonnell, read like a master class in the esoteric: the universe as a holographic projection, alternate dimensions, traveling across space and time.

The Gateway Process that the CIA aimed to investigate and employ was the brainchild of former radio executive Bob Monroe, who, in the 1950s, discovered that varying sound frequencies could alter human consciousness. (You may have experienced a version of this phenomenon if you’ve ever been lulled to sleep by the acoustic vibrations in a car or plane.) Monroe’s self-experimentation led to several out-of-body experiences, and in 1971, he founded the Monroe Institute to further study how these frequencies could induce profound states of being. In the late stages of the Cold War, convinced that the Soviets were researching psychic abilities for espionage, the CIA tapped the Monroe Institute to explore these methods for themselves.

The Institute’s programs were always intended for applications purer than warfare. In another declassified file, they describe the goal of the program in their own words, explaining that their process aims to instruct individuals in “the art of becoming more conscious of one’s particular inner resources, inner abilities, and, most of all, one’s inner guidance.” The documents also outline the different levels of consciousness that their audio tapes induce, beginning with what they refer to as Focus 10: a meditative state conducive to healing, psychic abilities, and remote viewing (the ability to “see” objects in real time from a distance). In the deeper Focus 12 state, participants report meeting their higher selves; in Focus 15, they can manipulate time and channel a “strong and guiding” God-like figure.

But what are the mechanics behind meeting God? The foundation of Monroe’s process involves synchronizing the brain’s left and right hemispheres, referred to as the “hemi-sync” state. When specific varying tones—also referred to as binaural beats—are listened to through headphones, both brain hemispheres begin to equalize their level of frequency. A deep state of calm follows, and that’s when the portal opens, so to speak. In this state, the report tells us it’s possible to escape the restrictions of time and space, and tap into the intuitive knowledge of the universe.

The documents had been declassified for decades—but a new, younger audience was introduced to the Gateway when TikTok caught on in 2021. That same year, Vice dissected the CIA’s report, leading to new curiosity about the process and the Monroe Institute.

I first heard about the program and the related documents while taking a manifestation course with Kathrin Zenkina in 2021. “Even the government knows how to manifest,” she said during a class. At that point in my spiritual journey, I was still seeking proof that the law of attraction and the power of thought wasn’t completely delusional. I read the files, somewhat stunned. Though manifestation, or the physical actualizing of our thoughts, is proven in concepts like the placebo effect, it’s still often ridiculed as magical thinking.

On page 22 of the CIA’s Gateway Analysis, there’s an advanced technique described as “Patterning,” explains that in the Focus 12 state, we can project our thoughts “into the universe with the intention that the desired objective is already a matter of established achievement which is destined to be realized.” Here, McDonnell is saying that imagining ourselves living our desired outcomes guarantees their actualization. Good news for vision-board makers: These claims are supported by science. Quantum physics tells us that subatomic particles behave differently depending on how they’re observed. Our perception (thoughts) has the power to influence particles (matter). The report continues: “Since our consciousness is the source of all reality, our thoughts have the power to influence the development of reality in time-space…if those thoughts can be projected with adequate intensity.” A lesson on manifestation, straight from the military.

I was surprised to discover that the Monroe Institute still exists, and that the organization continues to teach the Gateway Program. Curious to experience the methods myself, I spoke with Jenny Whedbee, the organization’s marketing director, who works at the Virginia campus. She tells me that the current goal of the Institute, a non-profit, is to inspire a “global awakening of human consciousness” within the next 10 years.

Before Whedbee joined the Institute eight years ago, she was a marketing professional seeking a job while grieving the recent suicide of her sister. She agreed to take the week-long Gateway Voyage program as part of her onboarding. When we spoke, she described the overwhelming experience of connecting to her deceased sister during the first session, which brought her an immense sense of peace. Throughout the program, Whedbee reported post-mortem visits from her dog, meeting her spirit guides, and having an out-of-body experience.

Gateway student Malorie Mackey, 35, found the Monroe Institute in 2019 while researching for her travel show, Weird World Adventures, and loved their scientific approach to meditation. She now uses the techniques almost daily. Referring to the focus states, she said, “There’s no universal definition of the word ‘consciousness.’ It’s very subjective. So the fact that, decades ago, Bob Monroe was trying to define–or at least put guideposts to help people explore–was revolutionary in the field of meditation. I discover so much about myself in each exercise. I’ve done, at this point, many programs and exercises, and it never turns out the way I expect it to.”

​​The Gateway Program is one of many courses that the Monroe Institute offers. Also on their menu: Exploring Past Lives, Introduction to Lucid Dreaming, and Mental Mediumship. Whedbee suggested a starter course for me: Introduction to Beyond Meditation. The four-session digital class costs $79. You can also access some of the introductory Gateway tapes on Spotify. (On the highest end of their offerings, a five-day, six-night Remote Viewing residential program is offered at $2,495.) One residential program, Starlines II, promises access to Focus Level 49—the Institute’s highest tier of consciousness. The course description reads: “Strengthen the energetic pathway between earth core and the galactic core; explore various forms of dimensional shifting.” The program requires a prerequisite course.

I was anxious to get started. What would I find out? Where would I go? Who–or what–might I encounter? To begin the program, I watched a series of videos led by an instructor who gave me a heads-up on what to prepare for. There were many reminders to use the restroom before entering the focus states. “When you relax completely, everything relaxes completely,” my teacher, Luigi, warned. I was also encouraged to take notes immediately upon returning to my regular consciousness.

Bob Monroe still leads the meditations from beyond the grave (he died in 1995). Listening on my headphones, I was comforted by his old-timey, granddad voice. The preparatory processes for entering the focus states are still the same as outlined in the CIA documents. After listening to calming surf sounds, Bob’s voice instructed me to envision an “energy conversion box.” In it, I’m to place anything that’s worrying or distracting me, lock it shut, and then turn, and walk away.

The Monroe Institute.

Next, I’m introduced to low, slightly disconcerting sounds similar to Gregorian chants, which I’ve been directed to vocalize along to. The purpose of this step is to begin to resonate sound throughout my body. Then, I repeat an affirmation that starts with, “I am more than my physical body.” In the first session, Bob counted me down from one to 10 as I became progressively more relaxed. When we reached 10, I was in Focus Level 10, or F-10, described as “mind awake, body asleep.” All I had to do next was enjoy and explore Focus 10, calmed by the low, varying tones that continued until Bob’s voice returned to bring me back to normal consciousness. I felt deeply relaxed, floating through a dreamy, cloud-like state for what seemed like hours, though the actual time in F-10 was less than 30 minutes.

In a following session, I was introduced to Focus 12, a state of expanded awareness beyond the five senses. After the preparatory exercise, my body dissolved to a sleepy state, but I began to get restless before the session was over. I reassured myself that it was safe to explore my expanded consciousness, but part of me was nervous about the unfamiliarity of what I might find. The document from the Monroe Institute warned of participants encountering a “fear barrier”–a sort of self-protection that kicks in to keep our consciousness where it’s familiar. I felt myself knocking up against it, and nothing revelatory seemed to occur. The final meditation also took place in Focus 12, and I didn’t feel ready to come back to consciousness when the session ended—time had seemed to speed up.

Accessing a deeper reality, whether it’s through psychedelics, meditation, or the hemi-sync method, requires setting aside the normal flow of thought, Roger Cavnaugh, a California-based licensed psychologist who specializes in the study of consciousness and works with trauma patients, tells me. “All of these methods are about quieting the mind and allowing our true nature to come forward,” he says.

Of the profound experiences reported by Gateway participants, he posits: “That’s the big question: Is this something people hope for, or is it the actual quality of existence?” You might be wondering too—how real is this? Our human brains might never be able to comprehend the full truth. As Cavnaugh puts it, “The mind is only a small fragment of what reality is.”

Whether I traveled far or stayed behind my eyelids, I’m not exactly sure. In the meditations, I achieved a deep state of relaxation quickly—unusual for me—and the process did seem to reveal a part of my mind that I hadn’t explored before. During the sessions, time bent and stretched and ceased to exist, just like the documents said would happen. It felt as if I walked to the edge of my consciousness and poked it, a bit timid to discover what lies beyond. But I’m intrigued enough to keep going.

I’m not alone in my curiosity. There’s a growing interest in and adoption of alternative therapies like ketamine and psilocybin for healing and expanding consciousness. The Gateway methods require only sound, no substances, and offers those who are wary of or don’t have access to those therapies another option on their path to awakening.

If you’ve ever dabbled in the mystical, you’ve likely encountered doubt and cynicism— from yourself and others. So maybe, like me, you feel validated knowing that our government has been exploring realms beyond the 3D for decades. The declassified files bring attention to the vast intelligence that (you might already intuitively know) is available beyond our present awareness. The report also echoes and affirms ancient wisdom: McDonnell, the author, acknowledges that the science and concepts he uses to explain the nature of consciousness and the universe are also reflected in religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Hebrew mystical philosophy.

Our world can be a dense, intense place to exist. These files remind us that we each have limitless potential, and the pursuit of enlightenment is a worthy one. And who knows what future documents might be revealed in our lifetimes? As Mackey said, “I feel like everything that’s considered magic now is just some kind of science we’ve yet to define.”

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Naturopathica’s Calendula & Mint Nourishing Hand & Body Cleanser is the perfect body wash for summer days when you get more sun than expected and need something to help soothe your sensitive skin. If you’re also in the winter months or find yourself washing your hands profusely (hello, Covid-19), you want something that will clean your skin without leaving it dry and ashy. Personally, I love using the body wash on my face the day after a microneedling treatment, when I need a gentle cleanser. Naturopathica is one of my favorite clean beauty brands, as it focuses on natural remedies and a holistic approach to skincare.

Naturopathica Calendula & Mint Nourishing Hand & Body Cleanser

Naturopathica Calendula & Mint Nourishing Hand & Body Cleanser

To keep it simple, the star ingredients are listed in the name of the product: calendula and mint. Calendula flower in skincare is an ancient herbal remedy that serves as an anti-inflammatory. It is a skin soothing ingredient that calms redness and overall skin discomforts. If you deal with eczema, this may be helpful to incorporate into a steroid-free eczema skincare routine. The peppermint leaf extract gives skin an instant boost, and the formula is rich in vitamins containing antioxidants and skin-brightening properties. Other ingredients include niacinamide and lavender to leave your skin relaxed and improve your natural glow.

I’ve been using this as a body wash for the past couple of months within my shower rotation. Imagine my delight when I got a slight sunburn from surfing, I was able to pop into the Naturopathica pop-up spa at The Colony Hotel and get a new bottle to help settle my skin. (Fun fact: The pop-up spa is now going to be a permanent staple at The Colony.) The soap doesn’t have an overpowering smell and lathers in the shower with just one pump. It leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. It’s an anytime body wash that leaves you clean and your skin primed for your favorite body lotion and fragrance. This skin soother is a must have for anyone with sensitive skin or simply looking for a great gentle cleanser.

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