For Suzy Exposito, beauty was present from a very young age, and it was always natural. Exposito, who’s worked as a music reporter and columnist at the Los Angeles Times and as Latin music editor at Rolling Stone, wasn’t allowed to wear much makeup as a teenager, which let her embrace her natural beauty.
“I learned early on that, for me, beauty had to be about working with what you’ve got, and just emphasizing the good traits that you do have. It was never about camouflage,” Exposito tells Remezcla. “It was never about pretending I was a different person. It was very much about, OK, what is flattering on the face that I have, or the hair that I have, or the skin that I have?
Exposito’s work as a music reporter is integral to how the art form is sensed. Journalists like her don’t just report on music, they offer fans color with context – leading them to appreciate soundscapes even more so. That’s what makes her such a significant part of the community-building process that brings audiences to artists and vice versa. In the interconnected world we live in, that’s often as crucial to the music industry as the product itself. That’s why Exposito is part of this year’s Major Mujeres list of Latinas changing the music industry.
For Exposito, working in the industry is both a joy and a challenge, particularly when it comes to beauty. “The fact of the matter is, I’m a journalist. I talk to the people who are more public-facing,” she says. “But as time goes on, and as the media industry has changed, I’ve had to be more on camera.”
“I recently interviewed Kali Uchis in front of an audience. I interviewed Rosalía in front of an audience, and it was tough,” she shares. “The thing is, a lot of women in the entertainment industry have makeup artists, hair stylists, and fashion stylists. They have a whole glam team with them. I don’t have a glam team. I have a bottle of hairspray and a wish.”
However, Exposito didn’t let this discourage her. Instead, she learned from it and embraced it. “This made me all the more determined to show up as my honest self. I had to learn how to do my makeup a little better,” she says.
What helped Exposito explore makeup even more was art! Exposito, who attended Parsons School of Design, had an art education that “was very influential to me and taught me more about working with what I have.” And “learning color theory,” for example, made her “more comfortable with doing makeup.”
Sephora is her go-to destination for products she relies on for that comfort. First, is the PAT McGRATH LABS LUST: Lip Gloss, which “looks good on any skin tone, which is so hard to find.” That’s a must-have that works for every day. As is the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, which she uses to give herself “a little bit of life.” The HUDA BEAUTY Empowered Eyeshadow Palette is perfect, because “it’s got a nice balance of cool and warm tones.”
But, Exposito’s beauty routine isn’t just makeup-centered. A big part of her routine is hair care. When she moved to Los Angeles, she picked up Ceremonia’s Aceite de Moska – and she hasn’t put it down since. “After living on the East Coast for most of my life, moving to Los Angeles was a huge transition – not just on an emotional and social level, but for my beauty process. Never before did my hair have a problem with dryness. And now it’s the opposite. Aceite de Moska is like the Holy Grail.”
And, no beauty routine is complete without a mask, like Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. For Exposito, this is a part of her routine that comes naturally. “What’s funny is that [with] being a music journalist, I post photos from a lot of concerts or award shows. People see that stuff a lot. What they don’t see is that during the day, more often than not, I’m writing. I’m just at my computer,” she shares. “It’s not that glamorous; I’m in my pajamas with a giant hoodie on and that’s the best opportunity for me to get my skincare on. I’ll put on a face mask, while I’m writing an article.”
If she has to glam up for a concert or she interviews an artist backstage, Exposito has her go-to products perfect for the scene. When “it’s all about glamorizing,” she first reaches for Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez’s Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist. Then comes the lips: first, the HUDA BEAUTY Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Matte Lip Pencil in red, and then the SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in electric red – a red that is “good on any complexion.” After that, just a little cat eye with the SEPHORA COLLECTION Waterproof 12HR Retractable Eyeliner Pencil, eyeshadow and that’s it. Glam complete!
Whether at home, crafting a piece or standing next to one of music’s biggest stars, Exposito feels comfortable in her own skin. That comes through, not just in the writing, but in who Exposito is and how she presents herself.
For more on Suzy Exposito, check out her Major Mujeres profile here.
