Skincare Is a Lifestyle, Not a Trend with Maya Allen

MA: i wrote this story — i was an assistant editor at byrdie — and the headline was like, “i’m a beauty editor, but i have bad skin.”

MA: at that point, makeup was my skin’s armor. it was like this shield of defense, and i was really good at covering up all the marks and the pigmentation.

DR: everyone has a skin story — the breakouts, the products, the trends we believed in. but how do you separate what actually works from what just sounds good online?

DR: today, i’m so fortunate to have maya allen — beauty editor, expert, speaker, and brand consultant. she’s held leadership roles at the cut, instyle, marie claire, cosmo, and so many other top publications.

MA: beauty and skincare is a full expression of ourselves. so i really treat my routine like it is a non-negotiable.

DR: i’m going to basically say some statements, and you’re going to tell me if it’s myth or media.
DR: people with melanin-rich skin don’t need sunscreen.

MA: we all need sunscreen. melanin needs protection.

DR: you can shrink your pores.

MA: you can’t technically shrink.

MA: as a black woman, i was so scared of using a laser because there’s so many horror stories about going into professional dermatologist offices, but perhaps they aren’t trained on working on a large spectrum of skin tones.
MA: and i’ve reported on horror stories — be sure you’re not just signing up for a skin deal that looks really alluring to get some type of laser or some type of treatment that’s incredibly invasive on your skin and then you leave with third degree burns that you can’t reverse. i mean, it’s a serious thing. it’s nothing to play with.

DR: i’m so happy to have you on. thank you so much.

MA: thank you. i’m so excited to be on.

DR: yeah, i know. i’ve seen you online and i just love all the content you’ve been putting out there. so i have to dive right into it. what’s your skin routine look like now, and how has it evolved since you’ve been starting the report on beauty?

MA: yeah. oh my goodness. i love this question, and i’m so excited to have this conversation with you. i think just being an editor for the past decade, i’ve really learned that beauty and skincare is a full expression of ourselves.
MA: so i really treat my routine like it is a non-negotiable. like, if my job were to clock in to the mirror every single morning or every single night and do my routine, i would be a beauty billionaire at this point. that is how i treat my routine.
MA: i really view skincare as discipline. i’m very militant — but not with a negative connotation. i really see it as this devotion and self-honoring practice to myself.
MA: so i’m very, very diligent about doing my routine every single morning, every single evening, going to the dermatologist every four to six weeks to get a checkup, making sure that all of my family and friends are stocked up with all the best products and know all the newest, latest ingredients, making sure readers and my followers and my audiences are well informed. i am just spreading the skincare gospel.

DR: yeah, i mean, honestly, you’re glowing right now, so i hope the camera’s picking that up. and for anyone who’s just listening, you need to look. but seriously, i love that.

MA: my mother taught me from the very, very beginning, true beauty is how you feel on the inside — and that will reflect how you look and feel on the outside. so it’s sort of this wellbeing approach that i have to beauty and skincare.
MA: i truly believe the way you treat yourself with kindness, with love, with rituals, and with daily practices is how you will express to the world. and that’s really how i view skincare.
MA: but it is a very clinical, education-backed field that i think is really important that we all kind of know so we can serve our skin and everyone else in the best way possible.

DR: yeah. and you had a story in 2017 — your “bad skin” story. what changed your relationship with your skin after that? tell us about that.

MA: you know, i came up in the magazine glory days. it was giving devil wears prada. it was giving just running around to my boss’s plastic surgeon’s office to make her appointments, and then going to the leather spa to drop off her bags and shoes for her event that night.
MA: so kind of coming up in the magazine industry, i had such a head down, happy-to-be-here approach. and this was back when gatekeeping was alive, thriving — and working in fashion in new york city was such a competitive industry. it was like an olympic sport.

DR: 100%.

MA: and i think moving to new york and working so hard and being an assistant, working my way up to an editor after 10 years — that was so much stress on my skin. also being from portland, oregon, and then…

DR: right.

MA: i feel like doing that created a lot of acne, breakouts, pigmentation. and then when i worked my way up in the industry from an assistant to an editor, i started getting mailings. and i started getting on the invite list to all of these really cool events.
MA: so i was so excited to be on the receiving end of all of these products — and i was trying everything, too much — without having the education of a dermatologist or knowing exactly what to put on my skin and what ingredients are compatible with my complexion.
MA: and i think that was such a learning moment for me because i learned more is not always more or always better. and i also learned that you really have to approach your skincare in a very personalized, customized way.
MA: and that comes with seeking out a lot of education, interviewing amazing, incredible dermatologists like yourself, and really educating readers in my community on skincare.
MA: and so when i wrote this story, i was an assistant editor at byrdie at the time. and the headline was like, “i’m a beauty editor, but i have bad skin.”
MA: and it went viral because i showed all of these really vulnerable, raw images of my skin without makeup. at that point, makeup was like my skin’s armor. it was like this shield of defense. and i was really good at covering up all the marks and the pigmentation.
MA: but i was very honest about trying all of these really luxury, cool, trendy products, but not understanding what ingredients didn’t work for my skin tone, my skin type.
MA: and that essentially is what triggered me to rewrite the story and learn my skin from the inside out.

DR: oh, i mean, you must have helped so many people. to show that vulnerability and then to tell everyone it’s not just the trends you should follow — you need to find your personalized way.

MA: yeah. there’s so many photos of me on the internet, trying all the different types of treatments and products and tools and showing my skin. and there was that point where — have you ever just not wanted to walk outside of your house with your skin in the state that it’s in? it’s a really insecure feeling. it’s really raw.
MA: and i was at that point where i had to do that. and now, thankfully, at 33, it’s like — i love a full face. i love glam. and i also love a bare face. and i love having the confidence of being able to do both.

DR: that’s amazing.

MA: i feel confident now.

DR: i love this. so, yeah — you hit the nail on the head with diet and skin, too. and i think that doesn’t always connect with people. some of my patients don’t even realize that. but how were you able to find what mattered to your skin? like, skin is a lifestyle.

MA: it really is. i definitely have this holistic approach to my routine. i am of the belief that what we put inside of our body is going to reflect outwardly. skin is energy. skin is how you show up as yourself. it’s how you feel your best self.
MA: i know when i’m not getting my eight hours of sleep, i’m not taking all of my vitamins every single day, when i’m having maybe a bit too much champagne or sushi and sodium and i’m very puffy — that shows up on my skin.
MA: when i’m stressed, it shows up. when i’m burnt out, it shows up. when i’m eating bad food or in a bad relationship — it shows up on my skin. we could take a deep dive on all of those.
MA: so i think that’s so important. and i love to eat whole, non-processed foods — lots of clean, high-protein foods. i’m really big on probiotics and just making sure that my skin feels juicy and collageny and supple.

DR: i always try to tell people — high glycemic foods or refined sugars, over time, they’re just doing a number on your skin. i know the science — they glycosylate your skin cells. but people don’t really want to hear that. they just want to hear “it causes breakouts,” which it does. but it’s also doing some damage on the cellular level.

MA: don’t you feel like when you’re euro-tripping in the summer and you’re in paris for work and you’re eating all of this non-processed, delicious food — i’m eating all the pastas and all the wines — but it just doesn’t affect my skin how it does when i am in america?
MA: i’m such a foodie and i love to indulge, but it’s everything in moderation. i try not to label foods as good or bad. and i try to have a lot of confidence in my body and in my skin.
MA: but i totally am that girl where it’s like — it’s 3 a.m., i’ve had a few glasses of champagne, i’m still in front of the mirror taking off my skincare and going through my steps slowly but surely because i am devoted.

DR: i want to go on holiday with you.

MA: that’s awesome.

DR: we’ve spoken about diet and the western diet. and the mediterranean diet has been proven over and over time to be more beneficial for our health and our skin.

MA: yes. i love salmon — all the omega threes — a lot of steamed vegetables and quinoa. i try to cook at home and i try to cook a lot.
MA: i love working out, too. i’m really into fitness. so it’s like when i step out of the sauna and i see my skin is really flush and really plump — i love that feeling. or even after i’ve lifted weights and i’m feeling fatigued, but i just have this glow from a good session. i love how i feel and how my skin looks. so it all shows up.

DR: so this has evolved since you started in the industry.

MA: 100%. because i was so head down — hustle culture and grinding was our day to day. i’m glad it served its purpose, but now i’m of the thought that we wake up in the morning and pour into you first. that is your first job.
MA: i clock in and out of that bathroom — i’m serious about my skincare.

DR: yeah. it definitely shows. and you’re friends with michelle henry, right? my dermatologist — she’s amazing. we were in the same residency years together. she’s an amazing new york city dermatologist.
DR: and you being able to interact with dermatologists and report to everyone — you do have a gift in how you tell people about skin and skincare science without losing them.

MA: there’s such an art to engaging the reader and your audience to skincare. and i’ve been so fortunate to be a patient of dr. henry. i’ll never forget coming to her a few years ago for my big 30th birthday and feeling like my skin wasn’t in the best place.
MA: she introduced me to so many incredible lasers. she taught me about different tools and devices. she really made me think of skincare as medicine.
MA: interviewing dermatologists has informed so much of my skincare education. that’s why i think we have to trust the experts. tiktok university is not enough. go to a dermatologist.

DR: sometimes i’m scrolling on tiktok and i’m like, oh my gosh — there’s so much pseudoscience out there. and we’re always trying to educate about spf and the importance of it, and then there’s this whole culture that doesn’t believe in spf.
DR: i love when you talk about skincare as medicine. for me, i developed my skincare line and it’s targeted — there’s a peptide that targets a receptor in the skin — and i wanted it to be as medical-grade as possible, because i do think of it as a medicine.

MA: yes. your line is so lovely. i got a chance to try it. and i’m not of the thought of gimmicky, trendy skincare products. perhaps it’s the editor in me and my editorial integrity — i believe so deeply in clinical studies and true experts who’ve dedicated years of education and schooling to learning about skin. it’s our largest organ. we have to treat it with a medicinal approach.
MA: so when i went to dr. henry for the first time, she taught me about using retinol. she taught me about tools and lasers and devices that i should use.
MA: and even as a black woman, i was so scared of using a laser because there are so many horror stories about going into professional dermatologist offices, but perhaps they aren’t trained on working on a large spectrum of skin tones.
MA: and i’ve reported on many horror stories of people who go to different places — no shade on med spas, but do your research. don’t just sign up for a skin deal that looks really alluring, get some type of laser or treatment that’s invasive, and then you leave with third degree burns you can’t reverse. it’s serious. it’s nothing to play with.
MA: that’s why i love that i understand my skin more and more — and i’ve taken the time to learn from professionals like yourself, to report, to read studies, and to really know.

DR: i’m so glad you brought that up — especially about lasers for melanin-rich skin. i use a whole bunch of lasers in melanin-rich skin, and you can, but you have to be safe about it. you have to understand the mechanisms not to cause more hyperpigmentation. you want to treat the hyperpigmentation.
DR: wouldn’t you say that’s one of the more invasive treatments where you need to make sure your dermatologist is skilled?

MA: yeah, for sure. and it’s okay to ask your derm — do you have the right wavelengths of lasers, or do you have the right chemical peels you can use safely in melanin-rich skin?

DR: and just having that frank dialogue — when a patient tells me that they hyperpigment, i believe them. you can have a lighter-skinned person from india who hyperpigments a lot. it’s not just where in the world they are — it’s how reactive their skin is.
DR: some people tan easily, some don’t. some burn easily. we have to have that dialogue. i always tell my patients: tell me what you feel, what you know about your skin, and then we can work from there.

MA: thank you for me discerning dermatologists — who listen. i’ve sat in chairs where, being in this industry, i have access to so much. botox parties, injectable parties — we’ve seen people go way too overboard.
MA: there’s no shame in anyone’s game. i love beauty as expression. but it’s important that you sit with someone who listens to your skin.
MA: i’ve had dermatologists tell me they haven’t trained on that many diverse patients because of where they trained in the world.

DR: yeah, for sure. there are so many nuances we have to approach it with. and i’m lucky to be in new york city — a melting pot — and know that my patients’ skin is in the right hands.
DR: one of my mentors was andrew alexis — he helped start the skin of color center at st. luke’s-roosevelt, which is now mount sinai. he was doing fraxel trials for acne scars, treating everyone. it helped shape how i look at procedures now. so shout out to dr. alexis.

MA: i love it. i love all the innovation we’re seeing. i’m someone who will try the coolest new high-tech laser or microcurrent device. i’ve traveled from tokyo to saudi arabia and oman and learned about skin labs and r&d offices and seen how products are made. it’s opened my eyes. i’m happy there’s so much more education and accessibility in the space.

DR: brands approach you all the time. how do you educate them to show up for all skin types equally?

MA: it’s a responsibility that i totally show up for. we’re not a monolith. diversity is not an exception — it should be the standard. we’ve come so far, but there’s still more progress to be made.
MA: i’m all about education. so if a brand comes out with a foundation and only a few shades are darker — are you sure our undertones were accounted for? just because the shade is dark in r&d doesn’t mean undertones were. there are orange, red, yellow — so many nuances within the shade spectrum that have to be accounted for — not just in marketing, but in r&d development.
MA: i believe beauty should be diverse on the front and back end.

DR: that’s huge. i don’t think people think about the back end — when you’re actually making the products. you need to know from the jump where you’re going. it starts in r&d. you need diversity in the decision makers and clinical studies.

MA: i’ve seen progress. the fitzpatrick scale is showing more meaningful ranges of skin tones. products and ingredients are being vetted across a spectrum of complexions. that’s progress.
MA: i’m not one to drag, but i am one to educate — to call out — and to be sure we’re all being held accountable.
MA: growing up, reading magazines and loving fashion — what fueled me was my frustration of not feeling seen, heard, or represented. and then going into those fancy doors and breaking down those barriers myself.
MA: approaching beauty from a cultural context has been my avenue of activism. i’ve sat at conference tables and pitched ideas — let’s interview incredible experts of different backgrounds — and it wasn’t received well. i had to fight and push. now it’s more mainstream, which i’m grateful for, but it hasn’t always been like that.

DR: i can’t wait for you to come out with a line. i’m manifesting it.

MA: i’m in this stage, dr. rossi, where i’m betting on beauty and betting on myself in bigger, bolder ways. i’ve evolved so much as an editor — in addition to reporting and editing, it’s this era of maya: the magazine.
MA: i’ve been leaning into consulting with new brands and founders — from first-time founders to the most famous founders in the world who are celebrities and start skincare lines. i’ve interviewed and interrogated them all, wrote cover stories, and done amazing opportunities along the way.
MA: and i don’t believe we should be treating skincare as a trend.

DR: yeah, for sure. on the other train of thought — you’re experimental, you love innovation and tools and science — but you’re not into trends like slugging with all these different products. what do you think about that?

MA: oh my god. i’ve seen so much acne with people slugging. hyper-moisturizing is great, especially in cold winter months, but slugging — i’ve seen people break out in comedonal acne, then we have to extract and exfoliate.
MA: i’m with you: less is more. but you need to know your skin. not everyone can handle slugging.

DR: and you can’t just buy a product because you saw it trending on tiktok. how do you know it’s compatible with your complexion?

MA: i love being influenced. i love the algorithm. i scroll. but i’m also incredibly discerning. that’s why we have to listen to our skin. it’s an energy exchange. what does it need? what is it telling you? talk to your skin.

DR: sometimes i’m scrolling and i’m like, am i on hinge? because my algorithm is all over the place.

MA: same. maybe it knows me better than i know me.

DR: i was like, i’m here for it. you’ve written a lot. one that i thought was crazy was the vagina facial — i don’t even know what that is, but now i need to know.

MA: i’ll paint the picture as pg as possible, don’t worry. for a galentine’s day a few years back, a few editor friends and i went and got vagina facials.
MA: the headline — this was when i was at marie claire — was like, “i got a vagina facial for the first time. here’s what happened.” it was trending on the site for a few days.
MA: i remember feeling detoxified and relaxed, but it wasn’t very invasive. it was a lot of steam and detox moments.

DR: pv editors are just up for anything. i love it.

MA: we do. we try everything. there’s so many fun things i’ve done over the years — so many cool facials. it’s been fun.

DR: what’s your go-to? if you had a procedure to pick out of all the ones you’ve tried.

MA: when it comes to facials, i have a two-part answer. i love anything microcurrent.
MA: to me, a sculpted, snatched jawline is my ideal skincare aesthetic — cheekbones high to the sky, carved jawline.
MA: in-office facials with microcurrent have been incredible. i notice weeks later my cheekbones are still lifted. the power of microcurrent is real.
MA: and at home, i’m obsessed with nuface and ziip. i’ll do that a few times a week on top of gua sha or cryotherapy tools — really sculpting my skin. i like to play.

DR: the result may not be long-lasting, but you feel lifted. it’s a workout — your muscles are stimulated. right before an event, it’s great.

MA: 100%. microcurrent is the pre-wedding prep, pre-event prep — if your aesthetic is looking snatched. for me, in my mid-30s, that’s my vibe.
MA: anything to boost my collagen and pour into my skin from the inside out. and then laser is my go-to treatment i love doing with dr. michelle henry.
MA: we’ve done aerolase. we’ve done pico. we’ve done… we might have to cut this part — that other laser that’s like a healthy alternative to accutane — avi… avi clear.

DR: aviclear, yeah.

MA: yes, we also did aviclear. i’ve done so many different lasers.

DR: i love that you’re bringing up these lasers because they’re newer and we can use them across a range of skin tones and melanin-rich skin because the fluence is lower and the wavelength is good for different skin types.
DR: it’s amazing that you try those because we still get the question: is this safe for my skin?

MA: 100%. hyperpigmentation was my number one concern. i had so many dark spots from post-acne scarring over the years and from trying to play dermatologist at home — do not.

DR: yeah, yeah.

MA: and laser has completely reversed my dark spots. it’s an investment, right? i truly believe in skincare as an investment. and if you have the means and resources — like we say for designer bags or a safe for a home — save for your skin.

DR: for sure. your skin is worth it. get that hsa.

MA: i want my skin to feel expensive. look expensive. i am that girl. and i do believe it’s a skin-vestment.
MA: i’m all for innovation and tools. i love how innovation is changing the game in beauty right now. we’re doing more than just bottling ingredients — we have innovation in office treatments, devices, tools. we see how ai is changing the game. i nerd out on all of that.

DR: it’s a big flex now to have dewy, glowing skin. it looks supernatural, but obviously you put thought into it.

MA: 100%. it’s hard work. it is worth it. i want that dewy dolphin glow and i’m going to work for it.

DR: all right, we’re going to play a little quickfire game — you into it?

MA: let’s do it.

DR: i’m going to say some statements and you’ll tell me if it’s myth or media. is it hype or a myth, or if you truly believe in it.

MA: perfect.

DR: first one — people with melanin-rich skin don’t need sunscreen.

MA: hard myth. we all need sunscreen. melanin needs protection — protect it like precious cargo. indoor, outdoors, all day.

DR: beautiful. i couldn’t say it better myself. you can shrink your pores.

MA: i believe you can alter the appearance of pores, but i’ve learned through dermatologists you can’t technically shrink pores. am i correct?

DR: you’re totally right. pores don’t really grow or expand open and closed, but we can alter the appearance. if we exfoliate, if we unclog them, they minimize. it’s that pore-blurring effect.

MA: i want it. i want invisible baby-soft-looking skin.

DR: another — people with oily skin don’t need to moisturize.

MA: myth. we all need to stay moisturized — and mind our business. just kidding, but no — moisturize your skin.
MA: i have an oily t-zone. i love to moisturize. sometimes i’ll double up, but you can use gel-based textures or lightweight layers if you don’t want to clog your pores.
MA: but your skin, when it’s dry, can produce more oils. so it’s the adverse effect — you still want to moisturize. no dry skin. not cute.

DR: no, not cute. and if you have barrier dysfunction, it’s a never-ending cycle — barrier dysfunction leads to inflammation, inflammation leads to breakouts. you want to support that barrier.

MA: completely. and if you have a super oily t-zone, moisturize everywhere else.

DR: i even tell guys — for their beards. some are flaking in the beards. i’m like, that’s not cute. moisturize that beard.

MA: every single man in my life — i’ve converted them into full-on skincare obsession.

DR: amazing.

MA: skincare should not be gendered. it’s universal. whether you call it a beauty routine or not, you have a routine — whether that’s using soap on your face or not. a lot of men do — stop doing that. please use a cleanser. you have a routine.

DR: for sure. it’s self-care, self-love, self-appreciation.

MA: 100%.

DR: retinol thinning your skin — i know that’s a myth.

MA: retinol gives you the strongest barrier ever. you go through an initial stage where your skin might feel dry or flake — it’s adjusting.
MA: i use a really low dose — like 0.2% — every other night, and i love it. it gives my skin this supple, smooth, collageny glow.
MA: even if i feel like a breakout is coming on, retinol has been my saving grace. i cannot preach the power of retinol enough. i was really hesitant to use retinol at first.

DR: you want to make sure the foundation of your skin is set first. and once you decide to do it, make sure you have a trained expert who understands the symmetry of your face — especially if you’re doing injectables, because shopping around can lead to unnatural results.

MA: completely. my friends who have it have the glowiest, plumpest, beautiful skin. and it’s subtle for some, more volume for others.
MA: but understand it’s maintenance. once you commit, stay consistent with the same trained expert, stay educated, and have a friend who will pull you back if you’ve gone too far.

DR: people can lose the horizon. there’s perception drift — where you started versus where you are now. we always try to keep a refined eye. more is not always more.

MA: there’s sexiness in subtlety.

DR: maya, you’ve had such an amazing career, but you’re doing more now. what’s been going on? catch me up.

MA: i’m always an editor through and through in my heart. but i’m in this era of expansion — betting on beauty and betting on myself in bigger and bolder ways.
MA: i have a beauty venture firm where i work with emerging founders — i advise, consult, and invest in brands i believe in. it’s been amazing to take my experiences interviewing experts like you and founders — and bring that editorial expertise into brand building.

DR: what’s it called?

MA: it’s called silk ventures.

DR: silk ventures — a lot of people say your skin feels like silk.

MA: thank you. we’re working on it.

DR: all right — this show is called give good face. what does it mean for you to give good face?

MA: for me, giving good face is showing up as my full, authentic, self-assured self — having inner confidence and pure energy. and to me, that reflects in my face, in my beauty, in my approach to life.
MA: giving good face is showing up as your full self and knowing that you deserve to take up space.

DR: and if our audience wants to get in touch, what are your handles?

MA: i’d love for them to email me or dm me on instagram. i’m @mayaalina. my email and everything is in my bio.

DR: that’s awesome. you’re so accessible.

MA: i’m here.

DR: you’re that girl.

MA: thank you.

DR: awesome. i hope to keep the conversation going. let’s do it again.

MA: all right. thank you.