Jen Monroe, Meals Artist, Unhealthy Style

“Unhealthy Style began out of a need to see what I felt was lacking within the meals world. I burned out working in restaurant kitchens at a extremely younger age. We speak about restaurant kitchen tradition due to The Bear and that was very a lot the tradition I grew up in—males with tattoos sporting bandanas and this obsession with meat. I discovered in a short time that from a artistic and bodily stamina standpoint that I wasn’t going to have the ability to hack it in that surroundings for a very long time. This was round 10 years in the past and the meals media panorama was so completely different from the place we are actually. Just a few individuals have been beginning to get extra experimental with meals on Instagram. It was a really slender area, however I used to be looking for a lane that made sense for what I assumed may very well be actually fascinating and difficult about meals. Round that point, I began throwing small dinner events out of my condominium for pals. Ultimately these events became small ticketed occasions in Bushwick. I obtained somewhat little bit of press, and it wasn’t lengthy till manufacturers got here calling to work on tasks that might inform their model’s story by means of meals.

I went full time with Unhealthy Style in 2019. I’d say it’s nonetheless a scrappy-feeling operation, however we’ve gotten to do all types of actually thrilling tasks for manufacturers like Simone Rocha, Coach, J.Crew x Christopher John Rogers, and Marc Jacobs. Schiaparelli was a white whale shopper for me as a result of there’s a lot play and irreverence within the clothes and jewellery. Final 12 months, we made an enormous 300-square-foot pavlova for the Public Artwork Fund’s gala. Giant-format desserts are having this loopy Instagram second proper now, however on the time, it was quite a lot of, ‘Can we get it to be this large? Is it even doable? What would that seem like?’ I used to be actually, actually jazzed.

You would possibly assume that I’m going out to fancy dinners fairly a bit as a result of I work in meals, however that’s not likely how my social life works. After I have to blow off some steam, I wish to go dancing—typically all night time lengthy. I like These days, Basement, Mansions, and Paragon. There are additionally a handful of recurring invite-only events and raves which might be actually particular, a few of which transfer round within the metropolis and a few of that are upstate.

SKINCARE
My pores and skin will get somewhat bit hormonal every so often, however the true kicker for me skincare-wise is that I get eczema on my fingers, which, if you’re a chef, is a catastrophe since you’re always washing them. I’ve to be actually aware about sporting gloves after I do dishes and ensuring that I’m always slathering my fingers in moisture. It will get so unhealthy that within the winter I’ve to sleep with lotion gloves to forestall my pores and skin from cracking.

I wish to maintain my cleanser easy. I’ll in all probability use Cetaphil ceaselessly, but when I discover my pores are beginning to get somewhat grubby, I’ll do an additional cleanse with DHC’s Deep Cleaning Oil after I get out of the bathe as a result of I really feel like that is when my pores are probably the most open. I’ll give myself a therapeutic massage with it for perhaps 10 minutes.

In the summertime, I discover myself utilizing Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench moisturizer, however through the winter, I like utilizing the Nivea creme to lock in as a lot moisture as I can. It’s thick and wealthy. Pores and skin Meals can be heavy-duty, however I solely actually use it as an eye fixed cream when my eye space is feeling somewhat bit dry. I apply it to my fingers, ft, and elbows, too. I really like the way it smells. Oh, and if it’s nonetheless gentle out as I get able to exit, I’ll do a layer of Nivea’s UV Tremendous Water Gel SPF 50.

MAKEUP
I discover that if I attempt to get too ‘achieved up’ to exit, after I look within the mirror, particularly after I’m two drinks in, I get a jarring, who-is-this feeling. Additionally, I really feel like all the pieces begins to run off your face and also you look form of loopy as quickly as you begin to get sweaty.

If I needed to decide two magnificence merchandise to take with me to a desert island, I’d take my Shu Uemura eyelash roller and blush. However earlier than I get to both of these, I mud on CoverGirl’s Clear Matte powder in Buff Beige—I’ve been sporting it since I used to be a youngster. I really feel like sporting tinted powder is fairly dated today, however I want to be matte. That being mentioned, I’ve very pale, cool-leaning pores and skin, so it’s very simple for me to look washed out and lifeless. I are inclined to go fairly ham on the blush to make myself look and feel alive. I’ve been sporting Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Puff for years—it really works actually properly on my complexion. After I was rising up, I used to be taught to smile as I put blush on the apples of my cheeks, however now I wish to put my blush fairly near my nostril and, typically, even fairly near my mouth. You keep in mind if you have been compelled to run a mile in gymnasium class? We’d at all times be very pink after and it could sit actually near the nostril. I at all times thought that was cute, so I wish to imitate that look.

I don’t put on forehead pencil on daily basis as a result of it begins to make me really feel very achieved in a manner that doesn’t seem like me, but when I’ve to exit to a elaborate cocktail social gathering for work, or if I’ve a photoshoot, I fill within the sparse areas with Revlon’s ColorStay forehead pencil in Darkish Brown. I do put on Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Forehead Freeze gel just about on daily basis to fluff up and lock down my brows although. And as for lips, Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat in Pillow Discuss is a basic. It’s barely darker than my pure lip shade, which is what I’ve at all times wished. There’s no universe through which I’m reapplying lip liner within the mirror after I exit dancing, so I put on this if I’ve to go to a pleasant cocktail social gathering or elsewhere the place I’m going to have my {photograph} taken. I lately found the Hourglass Phantom shiny balm in Haze. It provides you probably the most flattering, lovely shine, and the colour is the true sheer purple that I’ve been in search of my whole life. I maintain off on placing it on till proper earlier than I stroll into a celebration so I can actually maximize it. Oh, and I actually, actually love the ChapStick sweet cane lip balm. I fill up through the holidays. I at all times have one on me.

HAIR
I by no means do something significantly concerned with my hair as a result of it’ll find yourself in a grungy ponytail throughout the first half hour I’m out dancing. However I’ve actually fantastic hair and I battle with quantity, so about six months in the past, I switched to Hairstory’s New Wash and it’s helped lots. It’s given me a ton of raise from the foundation that I didn’t even know was doable. It’s form of costly, however the benefit right here is that you may get away with utilizing it twice every week. If my hair begins feeling somewhat bit greasy in between washes, I exploit Dwelling Proof’s dry shampoo.

FRAGRANCE
I don’t know an excessive amount of about fragrance. I grew up with the key gamers—Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, and Dior—however as I become old, I’m studying that there are such a lot of indie and experimental perfumers. The Ghost within the Shell from Etat Libre D’Orange is somewhat bit harsh and bratty in the way in which it smells. It makes me consider Veruca Salt tearing the heads off of her Barbie dolls or one thing. I’ll put it on if I have to exit and I’m feeling somewhat bit insecure or socially anxious. I additionally catch myself placing it on earlier than Zoom calls the place I wish to be somewhat bit extra fearless and provides somewhat bit much less of a shit. It’s a enjoyable method to trick your mind into being no matter form of particular person it’s that it’s worthwhile to be at that specific second. Then I’ve this rotating solid of fairly simple important oil roll-ons. I wish to maintain one in my purse as a result of if you’re a few hours in on a sweaty, gross dance ground, throwing on perfume is a really candy factor to make your self really feel somewhat cuter. It could actually get somewhat smelly on the market. [Laughs] Invariably, individuals who go dancing with me all know to stay their wrists out as quickly as they see the roll-on come out. I’m loving the Gia Labs rose geranium roll-on. Aesop has a Ginger Flight Remedy that I actually like, too.”

—As advised to Daise Bedolla

Photographed by Alexandra Genova in New York on August 15, 2024