MARCH 2023, £4.99
THE FUN
ISSUE
LIVING LIFE
HAILEY BIEBER
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E L LE
CONTENTS
March 2023
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Page Page THE COVER HAILEY BIEBER
Swimsuit, Versace Photography: Mario Sorrenti Styling: Alex White Hair: Nikki Nelms Makeup: Nina Park Nails: Betina Goldstein at The Wall Group Set design: Danielle von Braun Producer: Zach Crawford at Crawford & Co.
EVERY MONTH
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EDITOR’s LETTER Acting Editor-in-Chief Caty Penza reflects on how we’re often forced to do things that we don’t really have fun doing - and how to change that by taking life a little less seriously. BEAUTY LIST Our beauty editor shares this month’s beauty picks. From gleam-giving highlighter balm to hydrating serums and softening lip balm, this month’s beauty haul promises to keep you looking fresh and glowy.
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FASHION BAROQUE vs. ROCOCO Rococo by day, Baroque by night, right? Fashion fiends know all about these two trends: Seen for the first time in both the 17th and 18th century in architecture, Baroque and Rococo have been characterised by their elaborate ornaments for years - but in two slightly different ways.
STORIES THE WHIMSICAL DOLLS It’s time to play around with your spring wardrobe - or don’t. SPRING WOBBLE Bright pops of colour, fun shapes and sizes, and everything you need for bouncy skin.
READS HER: SUSTAINABLE SELF-DISCOVERY From using deadstock fabrics, to challenging fast-fashion giants, London & New York City-based up-and-coming fashion designer Marlee Weill shares her journey on finding herself through fashion and sustainability.
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CONTENTS
March 2023
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TRAVEL THREE DAYS IN: SEOUL From delicious Korean eateries, to gorgeous scenic paths, discover a vibrant metropolis teeming with new ideas, creative energy, and individuals who cherish beauty in the slightest of details.
LOVE I’M IN A LDR… WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? How do we move forward?
STYLE EDITOR’s BAG Find out what a Fashion Editor carries in her day-to-day bag.
BEAUTY THE HYDRATION STATION Find out what this latest beauty trend is all about... Things might get slimy and messy.
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E L LE Acting Editor-in-Chief, ELLE and ELLE.com/uk CATY PENZA Creative Directors SOPHIE MAY WANG, TAYLOR BICCUM Art Director BRITTA WICHARY Executive Editor (Digital) NATASHA BIRD Editorial Business Director CONNIE OSBORNE Workflow Director CARLY LEVY FASHION
Group Luxury Fashion Director AVRIL MAIR Bookings Director CHLOE RIDLEY Acting Bookings Director HENNY MANLEY Fashion Editors ROSIE ARKELL-PALMER, GEORGIA MEDLEY, TILLY WHEATING Fashion Writer DAISY MURRAY Acting Fashion Writer CLEMENTINA JACKSON Senior Fashion Assistant HOLLY GORST Fashion Assistants GRACE CLARKE, CRYSTALLE COX Fashion Cupboard Managers GAL KLEIN, GEORGIA RODI FEATURES
Associate Editor/Culture Editor LENA DE CASPARIS Features Director HANNAH NATHANSON Deputy Digital Editor KATIE O’MALLEY Digital News Editor SAKAYNAH HUNTER Talent Director LOTTIE LUMSEN Talent Editor OLIVIA BLAIR Group Social Media Manager AMY BREWSTER BEAUTY
Group Luxury Beauty Director KATIE YOUNG Acting Beauty Directors JENNIGER GEORGE, GEORGE DRIVER Beauty Assistant HANNAH THOMPSON EDITORIAL PRODUCTION
Group Luxury Chief Sub-Editor/Production Editor DOM PRICE Deputy Chief Sub-Editors JOSH BOLTON, OLIVIA MCCREA-HEDLEY Sub-Editors CAITLIN BUTLER, DINA NAGAPETYANTS, CYNTHIA PENG ART AND PICTURES
Art Editor LEANNE ROBSON Acting Art Editor LAUREN JONES Acting Senior Designer AMY BLACKER Designers EMILY LORD, SONIA RUPRAH Acting Photography Director SIAN PARRY Picture Editor LIZ PEARN Deputy Picture Editor GEMMA ROBERTS Picture Assistant MILLIE ATTLE CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITORS
VIBHA MEHTA, AURIELLA DONALDSON, BETH FENTON, SOLANGE FRANKLIN, JENNY KENNEDY, JOANNA SCHLENZKA, SASA THOMANN For all advertising enquiries, call 020 3728 7713 For all PR enquiries, email MEDIA@HEARST.CO.UK For all event enquiries, call 020 7312 4105 For all general enquiries, call 02 07439 5000
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Elle EDITOR'S LETTER
FOR THE fun of IT
Since the very start of my career in editorial, I’ve always considered myself a do-er. Whatever it took, from countless hours rewording press releases that I wasn’t too concerned for, to sharing the news on yet another celebrity-stamped ordeal, I didn’t really care if I was having fun or not. Looking back, this has been quite a recurrence in my life - I’d do whatever to get the job done, but I don’t always have fun doing it. And yes, I could be an adult and “deal with it”, but I’m choosing to take the kid’s route (AKA cry about it until I’m given candy and all’s good again). Pointedly, I decided to treat this issue the way I would candy. Get really excited about it and try anything and everything. I wanted to give myself and the team the freedom to create something that would act as an outlet for us to share exactly what we felt like sharing with our readers, even if it meant creating a bundle of randomness, from head-to-toe (think Haribo Starmix). So, this month we aimed to curate an edit filled with all that is whimsical, eccentric and nonsensical; pages of fashion, beauty, interviews, and advice that report on the good, the bad, the happy, and the sad, without caring too much for if it meshed together. From chatting to inspiring new fashion talent about the meaning of self-discovery through sustainability (p.23), to some positive affirmations for a reader’s journey through long-distance relationships (p.30), and expert advice on why hydrated skin really even matters (p.38), this issue is indeed unconventional and slightly strange. We also share some tips and tricks on how to style the colour of the year (p.20), shine a light on a few of our beauty favourites (p.17), introduce you to the spots we recommend you visit in Seoul (p.62), and last but not least, we sit down in conversation with our incredible cover star, Hailey Bieber (p.41). It’s a given that this month’s issue may be my favourite ever. And while I’ve definitely said that before (and adore all the issues I’ve had the pleasure to work on), I’m sure this time, no other will compare. Why? Because I’ve had so much fun.
“I could be an adult and “deal with it” but I’m choosing to take the kid’s route”
Bag, £750, L’ALINGI
Jeans, £300, BITE STUDIOS
Earrings, £280, SWAROVSKI
ICKS P Y M
Moisturizer, £40, OLE HENRIKSEN
Mirror, £300, SELETTI X TOILETPAPER
Candle, £60, GOOP X POOSH
Sunglasses, £280, VALENTINO E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
CATY PENZA Editor-in-Chief
Shoes, £1,100, VERSACE
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BEST FACIAL SPRAY
Hydrate and replenish your skin with this essential water spray, infused with botanical extracts that promise to help tone and improve your skin’s clarity. MARIO BADESCU FACIAL SPRAY WITH ALOE, SAGE AND ORANGE BLOSSOM, £7
beauty
THE LIST
Compiled by CATY PENZA
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BEST LIP BALM
Enriched with hydrating monoi complex, this sheer, soft lip balm will leave your lips feeling plumped and nourished.
Elle BEAUTY
NARS AFTERGLOW LIP BALM (SHADE: ORGASM), £24
BEST BRONZER
Get ready to look sunkissed! This airy illuminating bronzer will leave your skill looking naturally radiant, just in time for the warmer months.
BEST FRAGRANCE
HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING BRONZER (SHADE: LUMINOUS BRONZE LIGHT), £50
Paying homage to the Greek goddess of pleasure and delight, this eau de parfum will leave you smelling cottony and soft, with its blend of pinkpeppercorns, iris and a hint of musk. DIPTYQUE FLEUR DE PEAU EAU DE PARFUM, £130
BEST CLEANSER
Melt away all impurities with this grapefruit scented sorbet-soft oil cleanser. With a blend of grape seed, olive and seaberry oils, your skin is bound to be left soft and clean. THEN I MET YOU LIVING CLEANSING BALM, £37
SPRINGTIME Fun
THIS MONTH’S BEAUTY HAUL PROMISES TO KEEP YOU LOOKING FRESH AND GLOWY, JUST IN TIME FOR THE FLOWERY NEW SEASON
BEST MASCARA
A mascara that promises to deliver plumper, longer and thicker looking lashes, leaving you with all the va-vavoom you need! CHANEL LE VOLUME DE CHANEL (SHADE: NOIR), £31
BEST SERUM
With high concentrations of two of the most effective blemish-battling ingredients, this serum promises to heal any dark spots you may have. THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1% SERUM, £6
BEST HIGHLIGHTER
This gleam-giving balm promises to give you all the hydration and shine you need with its hyaluronic acid and marshmallow root properties.
BEST SUNSCREEN
A two-in-one miracle! This serumsunscreen hybrid helps visibly brighten skin while preventing the appearance of dark spots, leaving you with healthy, glowing skin. SUPERGOOP! DAILY DOSE VITAMIN C + SPF 40 SERUM, £40
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BEST HAIR OIL
A year-round must-have, this hair oil enriched with ethically sourced honey is bound to restore and repair your hair, leaving a silky soft shine. GISOU HONEY INFUSED HAIR OIL, £35
SAIE DEW BALM (SHADE: SAIE LILAC), £16
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Elle FASHION Coat, £390, SANDRO
Bag, £300, SANDRO
Jumpsuit, £515, NATASHA ZINKO
Skirt, £455, DRIES VAN NOTEN
Candle Holder, £75, VAISELLE
Cardigan, £320, HAYLEY MENZIES
Top, £300, GAUGE81
Bag, £480, JACQUEMUS
The DIGITAL Lavender ERA
Every fashion lover keeps up with the Pantone colour of the year, and this year it’s a good one: Digital Lavender (also known as Coloro). Already having somewhat of an online presence, this colour has started taking over social media for its serene hues. Symbolising stability and digital escapism, digital lavender speaks to protecting and improving mental health in challenging times. Find here some examples of where we’ve seen this incredible shade.
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WORDS: CATY PENZA, COMPILED BY: SOPHIE MAY WANG
BALMAIN
Scarf, £140, LILY AND LIONEL
Dress, £105, HOUSE OF SUNNY CHET LO
Cap, £120, ISABEL MARANT
JIL SANDER
Shirt, £250, ACNE STUDIOS
Elle FASHION Skirt, £400, OSÉREE
Pants, £210, SANDRO
Robe, £740, ETRO
Top, £95, MIAOU
Shoes, £975, DOLCE&GABBANA
VERSACE
Candle, £275, GINORI 1735
Scarf, £360, VERSACE
MIAOU
Blazer, £1,315, ETRO
FENDACE
Earrings, £255, ANNI LU
BAROQUE vs. ROCOCO
Rococo by day, Baroque by night, right? Fashion fiends know all about these two trends: Seen for the first time in both the 17th and 18th century in architecture, Baroque and Rococo have been characterised by their elaborate ornaments for years - but in two slightly different ways. Graceful and light, Rococo sees softer hues of pastels and whites, while Baroque features stronger, deeper tones with luxurious gold finishings. In fashion, these trends have been popularised by major designers like Versace, ETRO, and more. See some pieces here.
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Finding HERSELF...
through sustainable SELFDISCOVERY From using deadstock fabrics, to challenging fastfashion giants, London & New York City-based up-and-coming fashion designer Marlee Weill shares her journey on finding herself through fashion and sustainability. Words by CATY PENZA Photography SAM GLASS E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
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It’s a cold and rainy night
in London and I’m cozied up in my writing chair when Marlee joins our scheduled Zoom call. ‘I just got home from the studio… I was working on a bunch of new pieces.’ she says humorously, after having just had a restless day of crafting clothes for her next collection (which she has yet to reveal). Still looking as cool as ever while sitting on her couch, she’s sporting uber thin-framed round glasses and an oversized sweatshirt. ‘So, what do you want to know?’ As an up-and-coming fashion designer, Marlee Weill’s vision is one of optimism for the future of fashion. Her first womenswear collection, Her, crafted during her time at Cornell University in New York City, acts as her personal enlightenment journey into the meaning of femininity. ‘Initially, I didn’t design Her with the intention of it being a self-reflection - it was only after it was completely made that I realised it indeed was.’ Marlee shares. Having just stepped into her twenties when she began her journey as a fashion designer, she (like many others
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her age) began looking for some clarity on who she was. Not just as a designer, but as a person all-together - although both go hand-in-hand. ‘When you study fashion design, you’re simultaneously learning a lot about yourself, and at that age, it’s a crucial time of figuring out who you are. So this self-reflection really spilled over into my design process even before I started working on sketches.’ Right before starting this design process, Marlee was living in Paris doing a semester abroad. Little did she know, this short stay would quickly act as a catalyst for her collection. ‘Christine de Pizan’s The Book of the City of Ladies ended up being a key part of the research behind my collection’ she says, pointing out that she had read the novel during her stay in Paris. ‘In the book, she realises that everything she’s learned to hate about herself has been taught to her from others. That really resonated with me and left me wondering who Her was. Was it me? Or something
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Elle READS
“Naturally, a more sustainable product will be more expensive, and if it isn’t, I think it should be. ”
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outside of me?’. Having always been a rather introspective person, this sort of philosophical pondering wasn’t necessarily new to her. But what was, was this all-encompassing feeling of uncertainty when it came to who she defines herself as - or rather, who others defined her as. ‘My time in Paris was cut short though because of the pandemic. I went from being in one of the most amazing cities in the world to all of a sudden being back in New York and trapped at home.’ she says. Like many others, Marlee found herself having to follow the stay-at-home orders. A major difference though? She took that time at home to design a whole collection that was completely sustainably made. ‘I made this collection at a really interesting point because it was right in the middle of the pandemic and going to fabric stores was pretty difficult.’ Marlee explains. ‘I found this UK-based online textile shop that would deliver to New York, which was perfect because I couldn’t go on regular fabric runs. And it only sold either deadstock or second hand fabrics, with most being high-end because they were all coming from big fashion houses. So while at first I thought “oh how am I going to work with scraps”, I later found that, actually, being limited to scraps was a blessing in disguise because it taught me to operate in a way where my creative process was being aided rather than limited.’ she adds. It was quickly clear to me that ethical manufacturing was incredibly important to Marlee, which is fitting of the industry’s current direction. Moving away from unsustainable production practices, Marlee and many designers alike place a heavy notion on drifting away from major fast-fashion polluting practices. Rather, they look to create lasting pieces which tell a story. ‘I could talk about this forever,’ she says laughing. ‘I think fastfashion can often take the character away from clothing. I see clothing as a piece of art, so, most of the process is thinking about the garment itself, the hands it’s going to be crafted by, and so on. Mass produced just doesn’t have this artistic story.’ she adds. ‘Plus, there is absolutely someone, if not multiple someones, getting exploited to keep those low price tags.’ Indeed, it’s no secret that there’s major pay gaps in the fastfashion world - the lucrative industry employs approximately 75 million factory workers worldwide, with less than two percent of them making a living wage. Most fast-fashion labourers live below the poverty line, with many working up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week. What’s worse? Much of the textile industry that provides cheap fabrics to fast-fashion giants also exploit children into unpaid, illegal work. ‘Their [fast-fashion brands] clothes can cost so little, but someone along the supply chain is being underpaid,’ says Marlee. ‘The number of hands it takes to make one piece of clothing is crazy, and I think sometimes consumers forget that. Naturally, a more sustainable product will be more expensive, and if it isn’t, I think it should be. We have to rightfully compensate the people crafting it.’ she adds.
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HER COLLECTION BY MARLEE WEILL, CUSTOM PIECES
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Looking into the future,
Elle READS
Marlee’s hopeful for what’s to come in fashion, especially in terms of sustainability. ‘I think the word sustainable is constantly changing for me. I can already look back on Her and be critical of how I could’ve crafted the clothes in more environmentally friendly ways’ she says. From learning zero-waste pattern cutting methods to using non-toxic dyes and getting rid of plastic packaging, Marlee explains that the more time she spends in the industry, the more ethical practices she learns - ‘the more mistakes I make, the more I will understand. And we’re in such incredible times for this kind of stuff - we’re all here trying to figure it out’. Staying true to her optimism, when asked what piece of advice she would give to other up-and-coming designers, Marlee nodded to continuing to move away from current production practices. ‘Look in your scraps,’ she says. ‘Especially with fabric and textiles. The other day I made a patchwork dress with just less than a yard or patent leather, and I would’ve had no intention of making it if I didn’t have the limitations of the fabric to work with.’ she adds.‘You’ll be surprised by how much more creative you can be because of the limitations you have to work around.’ ▫
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E L LE
Editor’s BAG
Sunglasses, £280, VALENTINO
La Crème Main, £46, CHANEL BEAUTY Earrings, £10, BERSHKA
Hair Clip, £7, ZARA
Watch, £2,800, CARTIER
Card Holder, £80, SWAROVSKI
Wallet, £310, SAINT LAURENT
THE Day-to-Day Perfume, £20, ALEXANDRE J
Editor-in-Chief CATY PENZA Styling & Direction TAYLOR BICCUM Photography MARK MATTOCK
Phone Case, £22, BURGA
Lip Gloss, £36, DOLCE&GABBANA
Bag, £1,950, PRADA
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Elle LOVE DESIGN BY LEAH ROMERO + GETTY IMAGES
I’m in a LDR... Where do I go from here?
HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?
Words by CATY PENZA
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Q: I’m 25 and I got into a relationship with a guy that just moved to another country. We’ve been friends for years but have both moved around for work - yet, for the last six months we just so happened to be in the same place for long enough time to rekindle our friendship, and also fall for each other. I’ve always told myself I would never get into a long-distance relationship because I wasn’t the ‘type’ to, but I guess I was wrong. Where do I go from here? What do I need to know to make it work? Dear reader, you’ve come to the right place. Grab a pen and paper (or your preferred digital device) and take notes. Long-distance relationships are not for the faint of heart. They’re complicated and difficult to keep up with - some of us barely manage to keep ourselves together, so imagine having to also think about someone else who’s possibly not even in the same time zone. But there’s a [major] silver lining - if a LDR works out until you have the chance E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
to finally join lives in the same city, it’s likely you’re set for life. You see, there’s three main areas of the relationship that now need some extra love and care; Communication, intimacy, and romance. You’d have to nurture these in an in-person relationship too, but they play an even more important role in LDRs. Communication is about quality over quantity It would seem obvious that to keep a LDR going you’d have to be constantly talking, right? How else is your partner going to know what you’re doing at all times of the day? The issue is that LDRs often lead to partners over-sharing and over-communicating every single little detail of their lives with each other, which can actually be detrimental in the long-run. Think quality over quantity now. Texting all day long will not bring you closer; What will is a long call at the end of the day. Take the time apart during the day to focus on your individual lives and reconvene at night by spending some quality time together on the phone, telling each other everything (the same way you would if you were living together). This way, both you and your partner make sure to still keep each other updated, but do so at a time that is dedicated just for you two to enjoy each other’s company. Stay mindful when resolving a conflict virtually Another crucial aspect of communication is conflict. While often healthy to have a little spar with your significant other (as long as boundaries are not crossed), it can be harder to achieve conflict resolution when you’re not physically together. For this, my best piece of advice is to never end the conversation until it’s resolved. You know how many vouch to never go to sleep angry? The same philosophy applies here. It’s important that you don’t ignore each other, but rather take time to talk about it calmly over the phone. And I stress over the phone because lots of miscommunication can happen over text, when tone or facial expressions aren’t conveyed.
“LOTS of miscomunication can happen over text, when tone or facial expressions aren’t conveyed ”
Elle LOVE
Make it a point to get sexy with each other In any relationship situation it’s important to keep passion and intimacy alive, but even more so during LDRs. For many, being long-distance with a partner can very often put sexy-time on the backburner because they’re not with their partners physically. However, thanks to things like Zoom calls, you can totally engage in some naughtiness, virtually. And if you don’t feel comfortable with a full video call, then sending each other sexy pictures to keep for whenever you do feel a little frisky is also a great option. The point is, you have to make sure that you keep that part of the relationship alive through the distance, in order to stay [sexually] intimate and satisfied. Romance has no boundaries In an in-person relationship it’s easier to express love for one another because you can resort to physical affection. Unfortunately, people in LDRs don’t have much of that luxury. Finding ways around the physical is so important to keep the romance alive - try virtual dates, or sending each other love letters, or flowers. What I found works best, is to schedule one day a week where you and your partner have a date night. Meaning, phones are switched off and there’s no other commitments besides you two having dinner and watching a movie together over video call. Follow these tips and you’ll see sparks flying, no matter how long your distance lasts for. ▫
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Spring WOBBLE Bright pops of colour, fun shapes and sizes, and everything you need for bouncy skin.
Editor-in-Chief CATY PENZA Styling & Direction TAYLOR BICCUM Photography MARK MATTOCK E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
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Elle BEAUTY
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Elle BEAUTY
THIS PAGE Lippe Balm, £16, F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial, £ 42, A-Passioni Retinol Cream £ 60, B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum, £15, C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, £ 50, DRUNK ELEPHANT. OPPOSITE Hydrating Face Mist, DR. BARBARA STURM, £75, Niacinamide + Zinc E L10% L E.CO M2%, /U K MA RCH 20 2 3 THE ORDINARY, £6.
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Elle BEAUTY
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Elle BEAUTY
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THIS PAGE Vitamin C Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, LANBENA, £9, Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum, OLE HENRIKSEN, £55. OPPOSITE Cicapair Tiger Grass Repair Cream, DR. JART+, £35. SHOOT ASSISTANTS: Emily Weaver.
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Elle BEAUTY GETTY IMAGES
The HYDRATION station It’s slimy and messy, but SO worth it.
Words NERISHA PENROSE
We can all shamelessly admit that we’ve succumbed to a viral TikTok beauty hack or product during our daily doom-scroll through the app. Perhaps it was adding liquid chlorophyll to your water when TikTok said the ingredient would help manage your acne. We’ve since learned that there’s not much scientific evidence to support this claim. Or maybe you plunged your face into a bowl of ice to reduce puffiness. These trendy treatments are plentiful, but thankfully there are also a plethora of science buffs on the app who debunk many of these myths and often offer alternative skincare treatment solutions. There is one trend that most skin experts can agree is worth the hype: slugging.
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Elle BEAUTY What Is Slugging? You likely haven’t used petroleum jelly on your face since your childhood, but Dr. Alexis Parcells, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of SUNNIE, explains that slugging is a simple technique “of slathering on a heavy-duty occlusive like petroleum jelly as the last step of a nighttime routine.” It gets messy, but slugging locks in moisture, as well as the other products you’ve used in your nighttime routine. “The slimy film resembles a slug. Hence the name “slugging,” she adds. Carla Nelson and Wendy Jules of Brooklyn’s Fleur De Lis Beauty say the treatment is not only a great way to moisturize your skin overnight but “it offers great hydration and water retention leaving skin fresh in the morning. The goal is to maintain young bouncy skin and slugging definitely aids in that.” How Often Should You Do Slugging? Rule number one of skincare is to always be aware of your skin’s health and needs. “As far as frequency goes, it’s best to listen to your skin,” Nelson adds. If you have skin that tends to be dry, you may benefit from slugging daily. Those that have oily skin, however, should consider slugging less or not at all, Dr. Parcells says, as slugging might make any active breakouts or oil-prone skin even worse. What type of products should you avoid when slugging? Dr. Parcells advises against using active ingredients, such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), or retinoids when slugging at night. “When trapped, these [actives] can increase their strength beyond what was concentrated by a chemist, leading to unpredictable results on your skin,” she explains. Slugging is best paired with hydrating ingredients that contain humectants like honey or aloe vera. “Slugging itself isn’t hydrating—it doesn’t infuse the skin with moisture. Rather, it just keeps the moisturizing products you’ve applied from seeping out,” Dr. Parcells says. How do you properly slug your face? First, you want to make sure you’re starting with a clean face before applying products to the skin. “Slugging itself is not comedogenic (acne-causing), but if you have clogged pores or retained makeup, you could create an infection or outbreak by trapping these particles under the occlusive. Make sure your skin is SUPER clean before sealing it. Exfoliate.,” Dr. Parcells says. Next, you want to make sure the products you’re applying are formulated to provide moisture. Dr. Parcells adds that you should look for “glycerin, hyaluronic, or aloe-based products” to apply to your damp skin. The steps are simple: Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize with humectant-based products, and apply the occlusive. These steps should be done about 30 minutes before bed to allow the products to seep into the skin. Place down a towel or cover over your pillowcase as things can get messy. ▫
“it gets messy, but SLUGGING locks in moisture ”
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Hailey Hailey Bieber - top model and influencer - has finally taken things into her own hands, and now, she’s ready to share. Words MIKE SAGER Photography MARIO SORRENTI Styled ALEX WHITE E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
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Elle COVER
Somewhere in Los Angeles, Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) is sheltered deep in a white chair before a fire... Her little buddy Oscar, a blonde Yorkie, a Christmas present from her husband, is himself sheltered in place in her lap, which is arranged in a kind of modified lotus pose, one knee akimbo. It’s chilly for Southern California. For our interview over Zoom, Hailey, 24, is dressed all in black—her oversize sweater and sweatpants are from Baserange. Because she’s sitting a few feet back from the camera that connects us, I cannot tell if she’s wearing any makeup. Likewise, it doesn’t appear that her straight, clavicle-length hair—about six inches of brown leading to a longer run of blonde—has been done for our afternoon meeting; a pair of earmuff-style headphones completes the look. Like the rest of us, she is hunkered down. Unlike many of us, she doesn’t seem to mind wearing a mask in public.“Obviously, sometimes it can be a little frustrating, having to breathe my same air and wear this everywhere,” she says. “But one thing I do like is that the paparazzi can’t see your face. I’m a young woman, and it’s very weird having all these grown men following you around all the time. I’m still not used to it, and I don’t think I ever should be used to it, because it’s weird and not normal. Honestly, I may never stop wearing the mask in public, let’s just put it that way.” With over 32 million Instagram followers and a modeling career that includes lucrative campaigns with Calvin Klein, Levi’s, bareMinerals, and most recently Versace (she is the face of the brand’s new Dylan Turquoise fragrance and appears in its spring 2021 campaign), Hailey is used to being dogged by the paparazzi. In addition to her modeling work, she spent three seasons cohosting the TV show Drop the Mic with rapper Method Man. The show, which featured snarky celebrity rap battles, was co– executive produced by The Late Late Show’s James Corden. More recently, she has used her celebrity platform to promote voter education and voting rights Of course, what Hailey is most widely known for (and also, in certain nooks of the social media universe, most bullied for) is being the wife of Justin Bieber. Justin’s triumphs and foibles, equally grand, have been well documented as he’s grown up in the public eye. Today, the Biebs is 27. The couple married privately in a New York courthouse in September 2018. Justin was “at a stage of his life where he could make decisions like, ‘I’m
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done with girls, and I’m done with fooling around, and I’m done with partying,’ ” Hailey says. “We were friends first for a really long time before there was anything romantic. But we always knew that we were aligned on what we wanted in our future. We had talked about wanting to be married young and having a family young and building a life. Even before we knew we wanted to be with each other.” With Hailey’s help, Justin was coming to terms with the psychic fallout of his fast and crazy life—including a well-publicized bout of Lyme disease—so an official wedding ceremony was not held until one year later. Hailey didn’t mind waiting. “I mean, I was married when I was 21, two months before I turned 22, which is insanely young. And sounds almost ridiculous when you say it out loud. Although I do think for somebody like me and somebody like Justin, [it’s different]. We’ve seen a lot for our age. We have both lived enough life to know that’s what we wanted.” As the wife of Justin Bieber, it didn’t take long for Hailey to find herself in the frying pan. “In the beginning of our marriage, I just wanted to hide. I was like, ‘I don’t want people so in my business. I feel like everybody’s up my ass.’ I was like, ‘Can there be no anonymity? Can I have any of it back?’ ” At one point, about a year ago, the trolling become so acute that she decided to indefinitely turn off public comments on her Instagram. Today, only people she follows can comment on her photos. “I remember someone telling me that [turning off the public comments] really lowers your engagement. And I was like, ‘I could give a fuck about engagement! People are terrorizing me. Engagement, enschagement. I don’t care!’ ” In March, she launched Hailey Rhode Bieber’s YouTube Channel, a modest effort to take back control of her own story. In it, she will cover topics “close to my heart,” from mental health, marriage, faith, and politics to fashion, skin care, and makeup. Along the way, she hopes she’ll also have some fun, offering fans an intimate look at her personal life, like the recent girls’ night she hosted for her close buddies, the Jenner sisters. Hailey made mac and cheese; Kylie made green bean casserole and fried chicken; and Kendall made sweet potato soufflé. “We hang out, we giggle, we talk like any other girlfriends,” she says. “It’s very casual. For now, Hailey and Justin are living in a rental while they renovate their 11,145-square-foot, $25.8 million French Tudor house in a gated community in Beverly Park.
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Elle COVER Before she married Justin, she had only rented. Since they bought the house last summer, she’s had “multiple meetings to pick out light fixtures, furniture, and fabrics.” When the project is finished, it will reflect “a sleek, rustic vibe.” While Oscar the Yorkie made the move to the rental with the Biebers, the terms of the lease prohibited the couple from bringing their two spotted Savannah cats. Reportedly purchased as cubs at $35,000 for the pair, Sushi and Tuna are a cross between a domesticated cat and a medium-size, large-eared, wild African serval. “The cats are amazing, but they are psycho,” Hailey says. “At one point, we had them in this room with a big sliding glass door. We’re sitting in the kitchen and we hear this giant thud, and we turn around and one of the cats has jumped off the ground and is sprawled out like this.” She holds her arms and legs out, spread-eagle style. The half-wild cat had secured itself to the glass “like Spider-Man,” she says. He hung there for at least 30 seconds before he finally succumbed to gravity. “They’re really vocal. They legit talk to you,” Hailey says. “But they act half wild.” For the time being, they’re staying with Hailey’s cousin. Over Hailey’s left shoulder, an arrangement of white roses sits on a small round dining table. Draped casually over a pair of dining room–style chairs hang two jackets, one leather and one down—a cozy tableau of everyday domesticity. In the background, a bank of large windows is framed with preppy, blue-and-white swag valances atop coordinating striped shades—clearly not the aesthetic choice of a woman who has “20-something” small and finely etched tattoos placed in various discreet locations on her body, including the J on her ring finger, rendered in fancy script beside a sparkling North Star. Not long after she got the J at a New York shop—a bold move in any circle— the darn thing wore off. “And then everybody thought I was lying that I got the tattoo,” Hailey says. Turns out the skin on that part of the finger is very thin. Once Hailey was back in L.A., her regular artist, Dr. Woo, reapplied the ink. She holds her hand before the camera, removes her 7-carat oval diamond wedding ring, and displays the tat in question. Just one finger north on the same hand, the middle finger, offers indelible evidence of a youthful mistake—a tiny tattoo of a hand-gun. “I think at 18, I was like, ‘Yeah! That looks cool.’ But now, as a 24-year-old, I would never do that. I think guns are violent.” As if on cue, Hailey is distracted by someone off-camera. For a few brief moments, this Zoom call, this interview, this reporter...all of it disappears, and she is visibly transported to another place, a very happy place from the looks of it—she appears rapt, delighted, lit from within. They say a model’s ability to convey her beauty has to do with the thoughts she’s able to project. It makes me wonder, looking through her photos on the internet, if it’s Justin she’s thinking about when the camera clicks. Can’t a woman have a muse? In the way of married couples working at home these days, Hailey mouths something on the order of “I’ll be rid of this bozo soon,” and turns back to our call. I tell her it occurs to me she is uniquely suited to play the
not-undemanding role of Mrs. Bieber. She does not disagree. Her dad, after all, is Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the four Baldwin brothers of acting fame. Her mother hails from a celebrity family, too: Kennya Deodato Baldwin was born in Brazil, the daughter of the Grammy-winning pianist, composer, arranger, and record producer Eumir Deodato. Deodato, who is still active in the music scene, was huge in his time, producing for musicians as varied as Kool & the Gang and k.d. lang. He also wrote the scores for several films, including the classic The Onion Field. Google him. As much as anyone, he provided the funky, electric soundtrack of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Hailey’s parents met on a bus in New York City. The way her mom tells the story, she rode all the way to his stop and then got out, uncertain of where she was. The actor from Born on the Fourth of July and The Usual Suspects was, at the time, a 19-year-old pizza delivery boy crashing on his older brother’s couch. Kennya, 19, was a student at Parsons School of Design. Four years later, they were married and remain together today. “I know sometimes they drive each other crazy, but they love each other,” Hailey says. “When I was young and I would hear the story of how they met, it sounded like the most romantic thing in the world. You fantasize about having the same thing. I do think it influenced me to want to be married young.” Hailey was even younger when she first met Justin. It was a “meet cute” story as well, but incredibly—or perhaps not—the fateful moment, in the Today show lobby, was recorded. He is 14; she is 12, accompanying her father, who first (and rather excitedly) introduces himself to Bieber, and then introduces his daughter. You can tell Bieber has no clue who Baldwin is. But as he looks at Hailey—she is standing in a pose of mortification, with her arms crossed—he performs an involuntary hair flip in her direction. She uncrosses her arms, shakes his hand, crosses them again. Her face is a mask, unimpressed. Looking back now, from her cozy chair by the fire in the house she is renting with grown-up Biebs, it’s hard for her to remember a time when the only thing he made her feel was in-difference. “I learn new things about him and about myself and about our relationship all the time. Do we have little fights and stuff that we have to work through sometimes? Yeah, of course, but it really doesn’t ever feel like work, because I love him so much. I see forever with him.”I don’t want to rain on her parade, but isn’t she saying what young, beautiful, and blessed couples in Hollywood always say? “You mean,” she says, “if you look at celebrity relation-ships, most fail? Yeah, for sure. I think any relationship can fail,Hollywood or not. Is it harder in the public eye? Absolutely. But I think the two of us are grounded by our faith. I’m not saying it’s this easy-peasy thing that doesn’t take work. We talk to a therapist. We do what we have to do. And I’m positive that—” Here again she gets distracted by someone off-camera. Her face lights up. She is transported to her happy place.
“I learn new things about him and about myself and about our relationship all the time.”
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The Whimsical DOLLS
It’s time to play around with your spring wardrobe - or don’t. Editor-in-Chief CATY PENZA Styling & Direction SOPHIE MAY WANG Photography SEPEHR MALEKS E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3
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THIS PAGE Dress, IN.NO, £210 Bag, JACQUEMUS, £380, Shoes, AMINA MUADDI, £705. OPPOSITE (On the left) Dress, VERSACE, £1,750 Bag, PRADA, £1,460, (On the right) Shirt, VIVETTA, £180 Skirt, VERSACE, £785 Bag, GUCCI, £1,070, E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3 Shoes, GUCCI, £670.
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THIS PAGE PJ Set, INTIMISSIMI, £100 Bags, JACQUEMUS, £390, JACQUEMUS, £475. OPPOSITE Micro Shirt, ROBERTO CAVALLI, £480 Shirt, GUCCI, £620 Skirt, MIU MIU, £710 Bag, DIOR, £2,950, Shoes, ROBERTO CAVALLI, E L L E.CO M / U K M A R C H 2 0 2 3 £920.
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THIS PAGE PJ Set, INTIMISSIMI, £100 Bags, JACQUEMUS, £390, JACQUEMUS, £475, Shoes, SAINT LAURENT, £1,000. OPPOSITE Bra, LA PERLA, £105, Micro Shirt, ROBERTO CAVALLI, £480 E L L E.CO M / U K M A RSkirt, C H 2MIU 0 2 3MIU, £710 Bag, DIOR, £2,950.
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THIS PAGE Bra, LA PERLA, £105, Blazer, LANVIN, £2,010, Skirt, MAISON MARGIELA, £1,050, Socks, UGG, £45 Shoes, SAINT LAURENT, £1,000. OPPOSITE (On the left) Dress, IN.NO, £210. (On the right) Dress, AJE, £250 Bag, JACQUEMUS, £390. MODELS: Nellie at W Models & Elodie at Wilhemina. HAIR & MAKE-UP: Marlee Weill FASHION E L L E.CO M / U KASSISTANTS: M A R C H 2 0Taylor 2 3 Biccum, Sara Zivkovic.
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GYEONGBOKGUNG PALACE THE MAIN ROYAL PALACE OF THE JOSEON DYNASTY
THREE DAYS IN...
Seoul
Discover a vibrant metropolis teeming with new ideas, creative energy, and beauty. Words VIBHA MEHTAS
DAY 1 Start the day right with a delicious Korean breakfast at the popular Tosokchon Samgyetang, a local restaurant situated close to Gyeongbokgung Palace, most known for its delicious samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and kimchi. Later, head north of Gwanghwamun Square to see the splendour of Gyeongbokgung Palace – one of the most distinguishable sights in all of South Korea. Visit the Namsan Seoul Tower in the late afternoon to observe the city lights at a birds’ eye view, and end your day by going to the Myeongdong market to try some Korean street food delicacies.
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Elle EXPLORE
DAY 2 Venture on a hike up the incredible panoramic Mount Inwangsan to get uninterrupted views of the Bugaksan and Namsan Mountains. On your descent along the Hanyangdoseong path, head south to Sajik Park to uncover the Sejong Village Cuisine and Culture Street - a great place to indulge in some much needed sustenance. What’s more? By staying at the Stanford Hotel Myeongdong you can spend the evening exploring the nearby Namdaemun Market for some delicious Korean barbeque with soju before experiencing Hongdae’s nightlife.
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID SJUNNESSON, YENA KWON, KONRAD ZIEMLEWSKI, ETHAN BROOKE, MARKUS WINKLER
DAY 3
NAMSAN MOUNTAIN NAMSAN TOWER LOCATED ON NAMSAN MOUNTAIN, VISIBLE FROM SEOUL CITY AT NIGHT
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The Dongdaemun Design Plaza is one of Seoul’s most eccentric buildings which houses the most spectacular selection of exhibitions. After it, visit the colourful neighbourhood of Ihwa Mural village, where you can find unique street art created by over 70 artists. Finally, bid adieu in style by visiting Common Ground, a contemporary collection of various shipping containers-turned-popup-shops, complete with cafés and restaurants.
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BACK COVER