Our New York Editor’s Lipstick Secret

Dior Rouge Dior in Grège No.169, $34, available at Dior;
Dior Contour Lipliner in Grège No.169, $30, available at Dior;
Dior Vernis in Nuit 1947 No.970, $24, available at Dior;
Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in Royal Kaki No.454, $60, available at Dior.

Makeup by Zann Parker; Hair by Bethany Brill; Video by Owen Levelle; Video edited by Christopher Michael Beer.
Photographed at Gemma, 335 Bowery (between 2nd and Bond streets); 212-505-9100.

We know this one, but we have to ask: How did you get your start in the biz, and how did you find your way to Refinery29?
"Going to Barnard (the women’s college at Columbia University) gave me the unique opportunity to intern in NYC throughout school. I worked for a designer, an advertising agency, Vogue, and The Chicago Tribune, where I wrote my first print pieces.

We work in the same office, but we feel like we barely see you! You're obviously super-busy, do you have a style ritual to keep things streamlined?
“I’m a major snoozer. I set a minimum of three alarms each morning and take the time in between each buzz to imagine what I want to wear that day, what I’m doing, where I’m going, what’s the weather, and what’s in store. Then I try to match the mood of my outfit to the mood of the day. For me, getting dressed really is an optimistic approximation of what else is going on at that moment in time. The makeup and hair are what tie a ‘look’ together, in the end.”

Speaking of hair and makeup, the tousled tresses and dark lips really work well here. Tell us why you love this super-dark shade.
"I love the dimension the lipsticks take in different lights. The one we used here looked totally different inside than it did outside. It’s nice to know that someone’s thought of how the lipstick will travel throughout the day, how it might take form from day to night, instead of just a pretty color (though that's there, too, of course!).”

Touché. Now, let's talk about this major street-style look.
“I used to live in the East Village, so Bond Street is really near and dear to my heart. So is this look. It’s a play on an everyday business suit with gray pinstripes. I don’t think I own anything else that is either gray or pinstripes, but this works because of the unique cut. I love the idea of the new two-piece that plays in the same realm and colors of something super-traditional. That’s how I think of Bond Street. It’s got this decidedly old-New-York vibe, but with new restaurants and shops always pushing its boundaries.”

Dior Rouge Dior in Prune Daisy No.976, $34, available at Dior;
Dior Contour Lipliner in Thrilling Plum No.943, $30, available at Dior;
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara in Over Black No.090, $28.50, available at Dior;
Dior Diorshow Brow Styler, $29, available at Dior.

Photographed on the streets of Noho.

Acme is such a great local resto, what do you love most about it?
“Acme is the kind of place you can go for a drink and stay for five hours. The food is great, and the vibe and bar are so comfortable and beautiful, like it's been there forever. I love Great Jones Spa & Juice Bar on Great Jones as well as the framing shop next door where I prep art for my apartment. Plus, Screaming Mimi’s is just up the block!"

How does your outfit here play off Acme's vibe?
"This outfit is a bit dramatic, but it works because of the sleek hair and bold lip. I might be going downstairs at Acme in this look afterward! Or maybe to dinner and an event. I’m really into winter white, and I like how stark it looks against the muted hues of the restaurant.”

How does lipstick complete an outfit?
“Lipstick is an outfit game-changer. I don’t always put it on first thing in the morning, but I usually apply it at some point throughout the day and certainly at night. I think there's probably a lipstick in every single purse I own. That way, if I'm going from work to an event, I know I’m covered. Generally, I stick to the same four shades — bright red (the right red is hard to nail down, but Dior has done it a few times over), sugary pink, deep purple, and flesh tone — so I know that any one of those will work for the situation I’m in."

How so?
“Well, the same lipstick can transition seamlessly from work to play if the rest of your beauty look matches the mood more precisely. If you’re wearing a red lip, for example, I’d say take the hair from one extreme to the other — maybe up for the office, and down and tousled for night. I really like a lipstick that makes a statement. Rouge Dior's range of colors and tones are super-impressive. I tend to go for really pigmented shades or totally neutral tones if I want to punch up my eye makeup. A pretty case doesn’t hurt, either.”

What's the biggest lipstick tip you've got up your sleeves?
“I’m just coming around to the idea of lip liner. When makeup artists have used it on me, I have always seen the difference it makes. The trick is finding a shade that’s the exact color of the lipstick; otherwise, it’ll be a throwback in all the wrong ways. For Rouge Dior in Trafalgar 844, Dior Contour Lip Liner in Automne 844 is incredible. It holds the shape of the lip (no smears!) and ensures a longer-lasting pout.”