Lauria Locsmondy

I also know that the media and advertising have long been telling us to feel bad and to look “better.” That buying a red lipstick isn’t just a boost quicker than espresso — it’s a story of liberation, a color palette of inclusion, and a finger back at the male gaze.

I bring this media literacy and feminist lens to the articles that I carefully curate. This is my angle. But we’ve come too far to not also have some fun.

Along with a personal mission to empower women, I share a lifelong love affair of the beauty industry, where decades of dedication define my profile, both literally and professionally. I’m a self-taught makeup artist, who refined her skills in the theater, on set, at the MAC counter, and with cancer survivors. Here, I’ve witnessed beauty’s power to transform.

I also love to write. I studied journalism and received my MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I founded the indie publication, PISTIL Magazine. Stories of beauty, fashion, health and even horoscopes comprise my bylines, along with a long run as Beauty and Editorial Director at Walgreens.

I share my home in Chicago with my young son, a born artist, my loving partner, and his amazing teenage daughter who visits often. My longtime wish to rescue every senior pet in the city maxes out at two pups and a cat in our fabulous rental — a constant work of art with my obsessive rotation of vintage gems — supported by my daytime gig, of course, directing copy.

What’s the best part of being in your forties? Confidence. The unwavering confidence to live contently and share my truth without fear — because living authentically is the (very hard and) very real expression of beauty.