Recurring Beauty Appointments

Schedule your beauty appointments in advance. This reduces the clusterfuck of having to squeeze in a nail appointment because your nail chipped. Or not getting the ideal hair time because the other hot girls already took it. Scheduling ahead ensures it’s already in the calendar right when you need it.

Weekly appointments: hair blowout, manicure, everything shower, red light mask
Monthly appointments: hair gloss, pedicure, facial, whiten teeth
Quarterly appointments: hair cut, botox, massage, laser hair removal, teeth cleaning

Outsource Menial Tasks

I hired weekly household help. Someone to clean, grocery shop, do laundry. For me, those activities are draining and eat up time I’d rather spend elsewhere. I do enjoy cooking, so I keep that task for myself.

On the work front, I looped in Brandon (software developer husband) to help automate recurring tasks for me (invoicing, data QA, etc). Tasks that are repetitive and honestly just boring to me.

Time is money and energy, so use it wisely and optimize by outsourcing where it makes the most sense for your life and preferences.

Reduce Decision Fatigue

Have the same thing for breakfast every day. Rotate lunch and dinner between 2-3 different meals. Coffee order on lock. Outfit formulas for daily work, date night, events. If I don’t know what to wear, I ask ChatGPT. He is trained on my style, body type and preferences, so he, as my gay stylist, knows exactly what I gravitate towards. I wrote a piece on this already: How I trained ChatGPT to be my personal stylist

Having these choices already decided will help make your days more efficient and relieve the mental overhead of what to eat, drink, wear. It’s more taxing than you likely realize.

Implementing these 3 systems will make you feel polished and put together. It takes a lot of effort to be effortless.

x Alex

Now I’m going to dive a bit deeper here and give an in-depth overview of my full itinerary, outfits, and favorite hot spots.

Stays

We were in Megève for a month, so we chose to rent a chalet for the month vs. stay in a hotel. Our place was located near the Jaillet gondola which was amazing because it was almost ski-in ski-out, which is obviously preferred for the high maintenance girlies (read: me).

We were super close to the lifts which was most important, and about a 15-minute walk into town which I loved because we got the best of both worlds. That said, if I were going to Megève for a shorter stay, I’d choose to stay at one of these hotels:

Hôtel Saint-Georges
This is the crème de la crème. It’s located in the center of the village with a modern, yet classic alpine feel, complete with a gorgeous piano bar downstairs. If nothing else, pop into the bar for a drink & some aesthetic pics.

Les Fermes de Marie
A Megève staple. They have one of the best spas in town also, so it’s definitely worth a visit just for the hammam.

Mamie Megève
We booked this hotel for our Slope Siren models, and it was super cute. Located a bit up the mountain (a 10-min drive to town) with an amazing breakfast spread and cozy rooms.

Skiing

Megève has two separate ski areas that do not connect, except for by ski bus. Definitely keep this in mind as you map out your stay and ski itinerary. With the location of our chalet, we mainly ended up skiing the smaller side near the Jaillet and Pertuis lifts. I actually preferred this side due to its density. It felt like all of the lifts were a bit closer to each other and made ski days easier to navigate.

In general the skiing in Megève is intermediate. I would say it’s mostly blue and red runs, fewer greens and blacks. This was honestly perfect for me because my favorite run level is a red. Siren red girlie through and through.

Megève also has a bit lower of an altitude than some other resorts in the Alps, so it sits below the tree line and makes for some gorgeous views with the snow-covered evergreens.

Ski pro tip: If you aren’t staying at a ski-in, ski-out hotel, partner with a ski shop at the base of the mountain - ask to leave your skis/boots there so that you don’t have to carry them to the lift, offer to pay, of course. We were only about a 5-minute walk to the gondola, but honestly not having to wear our clunky ski boots and carry our skis even for such a short time was such a perk. Little luxuries like this can make a huge difference.

Après

My favorite part, obviously. There isn’t a huge après scene in the downtown part of Megève, it’s definitely more mid-mountain afternoons and the town starts to get busy at night.

A few of my favorite après areas:

La Folie Douce
This is the party après. Live sax, DJ, dancers, people falling down the mountain on their way home. A French ski resort staple, best with a group.

Telepherique Cafe
A great patio for a vin for 3. The ski bus pickup is right out front, so no need to ski home after indulging in said vin.

Chez Albert
Located on the Jaillet side, this is a fun, low-key après area. It is a bit far from town, so you will have to ski back up and down the mountain to get back to base.

Restaurants

Bistrot le Prieuré
We went here on our last night and it was a perfect Megève finale. Despite being located in the center of town (next to Hermes no less), it has a more local feel than some of the more sceney restaurants. Definitely order the special of the day and ask for a wine pairing.

Face au Mont Blanc
We ate here maybe 1-2 times a week. It has the most stunning view of Mont Blanc, reachable from the Jaillet gondola, no skis required. Order the Tartiflette and a bottle of Savoy wine (or 2).

Oyster & Wine Bar
Okay, I don’t even know if this place has a name. It’s a little dive right next to Hôtel Saint-Georges. They have outdoor tables where people stand to drink several bottles of wine and eat fresh oysters.

Le Piaf
We stopped in here for a drink before dinner and it has a super luxe, mountain lodge feel. Fur throws on the barstools, burgundy plaid furniture. There’s also a more bougie restaurant upstairs, so could also be a great dinner spot or night cap locale.

To Do

This is mostly just shopping and the spa. I’m just a girl.

Les Fermes de Marie Spa
This spa would likely be my first pick. The sauna and pool area seem incredible. We actually went to the Four Seasons Spa instead and while my facial was amazing, it did not include access to the full spa amenities. It was a little off-putting, so I can’t say the FS spa would be my top recommendation.

Big Boss
Right on the main strip, this boutique carries luxe designers. Eyeing them as a potential Slope Siren stockist.

La Maison du Cashmere
This is also on the main strip, a small family-owned cashmere shop. Great basics and small fur accessories.

Marché de Megève
Every Friday from 8am-1pm, there is a local market in the village with fresh produce, antiques, and accessories. Grab brunch and stop by.

L’Épicurie Megève
A cutie curated gourmet grocer directly in the village. Fresh cheese, handmade ravioli, and tins of caviar. Love.

Outfits

The best for last. The overall style in Megève has that classic luxury mountain aesthetic. A curated edit of my top pieces and must-have skiwear to be Megève’s best dressed.

Shop Here

Shop Here

x Alex

The Edit

What I’m wearing, eyeing, & buying.

Scent of the Season – Atmah – I discovered this at the Four Seasons spa in Megève and it’s chef’s kiss. Sexy but understated, I love

In My Cart – Tommy Pants – I actually already pre-ordered these because they’re always sold out, I’ve heard amazing things and can’t wait to try them

Outfit Repeater – Effortless Trousers – These are simply the most perfect trouser and they never wrinkle. I wear them all the time

In My Makeup Bag – Nars Lipgloss – A cult classic. I have had this since high school and it’s my ride or die. Shade turkish delight

Skincare Routine – Zielinski & Rozen – I found this brand in Paris and it’s my latest obsession. The black pepper body oil and body wash is perfection

The Founder

From my desk this month.

Productivity Hack – Time Blocking – I spent a whole morning with Chat figuring out my optimal calendar and rearranged all of my tasks into their respective buckets

Monthly Mantra – “You can’t be a shy founder” – In the words of Emma Grede. Founders in 2026 must be visible via IG, Substack, and Tiktok. The holy trinity honestly

Siren Status - We had our Slope Siren FW26 photoshoot in Megève and the photos turned out insaneee. I’m so excited to share them, and also very impatient because they won’t be launching until the Fall. The love hate I have with seasonality

The Content

Everything I’m consuming.

Reading – Fourth Wing – For the fourth time, it’s just that good

Watching – The Son – A great drama and I’ll watch anything with Pierce

Listening – This Playlist – I love reading to this at night with a candle and silk pjs

Wellness – Welltth App – Read more about this in my interview with the founder, Amy Sessions

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See you next month.

x Alex

For our next guest on The Founder’s Cut, I’m excited to introduce Madison Snider of Fewer Finer.

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With a background in hospitality and a love of travel, Madison was inspired by the jewelry she picked up along the way, pieces that felt meaningful and tied to a moment or place. That mindset ultimately led to Fewer Finer, a brand built around the idea of owning fewer things, but choosing them with intention.

Madison founded the brand in 2018 with a focus on fine materials that stand the test of time - specifically natural diamonds and 14k gold. Each piece is made by hand in New York City by her team of master jewelers.

Today, Fewer Finer also operates out of a stunning restored Brooklyn townhouse, which doubles as the brand’s showroom (by appointment only) and office.

For this edition of The Founder’s Cut, Madison shares the story behind Fewer Finer, how the brand has evolved since launching, and what it takes to build a modern jewelry brand.

For anyone new to Fewer Finer, what were you doing before the brand and what made you decide to start a jewelry business?

I spent most of my career at one creative agency where I worked my way up to Lead Photography Producer. I have always loved photography and I minored in Fine Art Photography in college. Additionally, my other career history is in the food world: I worked as a private chef and in restaurant PR. I thought I wanted to become a nutritionist until I pivoted to jewelry. I was a gal with many interests! What I love about my current work, now that I’ve focused on fine jewelry, is that the clients and brand building lead me in so many different directions. This keeps me entertained and challenged in a way that is vital to my creative mind and spirit.

Was there a specific trip or piece of jewelry you collected that sparked the idea for Fewer Finer?

I always loved gold, specifically 14k gold for its durability and soft color. The small collection of gold pieces I had were my most prized possessions—especially the solid gold boxing glove my grandfather was awarded at Stanford University, which I luckily got after he passed. The idea that small meaningful pieces like this are worn on you at all times made them feel so much more sentimental to me and I am really drawn to that.

How has working with New York artisans influenced the way you think about quality and production?

I love the history, old school nature, expertise, and singular trade mastery that is such a part of the fine jewelry industry here in New York. Leaning into what our production partners do really well has helped me explore and introduce new things into the line. My direct work with them has allowed me to keep our quality a top priority.

Did expanding into bridal feel intentional from the beginning, or did that evolve with your customer?

Great question, because it was the latter. When I started the business, I didn’t have much interest in, or exposure to, the bridal world. But because I was in my late twenties, friends started thinking about engagements, and came to me because I was in the industry. I then went to GIA Diamond School, learned a lot about singular stone ring designs, and began designing within that category. Now, it’s a big part of our business and I really, really love working with couples and individuals on designing these especially meaningful pieces.

What’s something about building a fine jewelry brand that people don’t see from the outside?

I wouldn’t wish or expect people to know this, but the costs of running a fine jewelry business are especially high. In addition to the main overheads, there is a huge investment in insurance. Material costs are ever rising, inventory ties up a lot of capital, and shipping (which we offer complimentary) is especially costly given the value of our goods. It creates unique challenges, but I wouldn’t want to be in any other business!

Is there anything new coming to the world of Fewer Finer that you can share with us?

We are launching a new collection of twelve charms that each feature a single birth month flower. I worked so long on the designs and can’t wait to see how people collect them. Will they wear the flower for their birthday? A collection of a few to represent their different children? Will they buy the flower they love most since it’s beautiful even if it’s not their birth month? With a mother and daughter wear each other’s? I love that I get to make the designs, but my clients are always surprising and inspiring me with what they do with them!

What’s been the most important lesson you’ve learned since launching in 2018?

This would be the lesson of two pockets: “Everyone must have two pockets so that he can reach into one or the other according to his needs. In his right pocket are the words, “I am the rock on which this world stands,” and in his left pocket, “I am a grain of sand.”” My interpretation of that has been that I must maintain a balance of recognizing my strengths, my business acumen, my authority, and my decisions, while constantly balancing that against my humility, my awareness of mistakes, and my understanding of alternative perspectives.

And now for our rapid fire questions, favorite Fewer Finer piece at the moment?

The Capsule Charm. It’s fun, unique and playful!

A work or life motto you live by?

Rising tides raise all ships.

Go-to cocktail or coffee order (or both)?

The half caffeine steamed butter americano I make myself every morning!

Favorite purchase in the last month?

The white Eliott jeans from Soeur I bought in Paris last month!

From collecting gold pieces during her travels to designing modern heirlooms in Brooklyn, Madison has built Fewer Finer around the idea that jewelry should mean something. Along the way she’s expanded into bridal, learned the realities of running a fine jewelry business, and continued working closely with the city’s best artisans.

My FF Favorites

You can explore the collection here, or if you’re local to New York, visit the Brooklyn townhouse showroom by appointment.

x Alex

Have you noticed on TikTok, that even doctors and dentists have viral accounts? They aren’t just listing their practice on Google My Business and hoping locals come by. They are building online personas and brands and becoming known for certain procedures. People are flying to see them because they have a brand.

I use this example because it’s not just marketing jobs or fashion jobs that require a personal brand. I truly think it’s across almost all industries that having a brand will benefit your career, your longevity, and your marketability.

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This can sound daunting for people who aren’t in the marketing space, but I think it can be really easy to start. Repost something from your industry to your IG story. Do a Q&A on Instagram. If you’re more of a TikToker, do a get ready for work with me while you talk about what you are going to work on that day. Start a brand-adjacent Substack. Some content ideas for different industries:

Event Planning

• TikTok: Countdown to the event, showing everything you do to prep and plan each day

• Instagram Stories: BTS snapshots, timelines, vendor coordination, day-of chaos

• Instagram Post: Final photos of the produced event

• Substack: Event recap, what went right, what you’d do differently next time

Dermatologist

• TikTok: Before-and-after explanations, skincare myths, “why this treatment works”

• Instagram Stories: DITL at the practice, product education, Q&A boxes

• Instagram Post: Educational carousels on skin concerns or procedures

• Substack: Deep dives on skin health, trends, and long-term treatment philosophy

Lawyer

• TikTok: “Things people get wrong about xyz”, quick case explainers

• Instagram Stories: BTS of prep days, reading, court mornings

• Instagram Post: Educational posts breaking down complex topics in plain english

• Substack: Explaining popular cases or real-world implications

Real Estate

• TikTok: Property walk-throughs, deal breakdowns, market updates

• Instagram Stories: Showings, client wins

• Instagram Post: New listings or recently closed deals

• Substack: Market insights, buying or selling guides

Corporate / Office Roles

• TikTok: “What I actually do at work,” GRWM for the office, project updates

• Instagram Stories: Desk setups, meetings, travel days

• Instagram Post: Career milestones or lessons learned

• Substack: Career advice, industry insights, growth reflections

The goal isn’t to turn your career into being content creator. It’s simply to be visible and establish yourself as a presence in your industry. To give people context for what you do, how you think, and why you’re good at it. In a digital-first world, that visibility is often what creates opportunities long before a resume ever does.

Building out your personal brand is a necessity in 2026. Write that Substack. Film the TikTok. Post the post. Do the thing.

x Alex

This post isn’t about the highs, but to be clear, the highs make all of the lows and lessons worth it, so don’t let this deter you, just let it help you.

Let’s get into it.

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Lol but really, space is hard to come by. Ski clothes and winter clothes are heavy and bulky. Even though Slope Siren ski suits are slim-fit, they still weigh about 5 pounds each. We do include a sleek black travel bag with all purchases, so that the skiwear is easier to pack, but it’s still a struggle to fit in everything you need for the mountain. We’re just girlssss.

As a professional packer, I’m going to break down the best hacks and tell you exactly what I put in each of my bags.

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The 1st Large Checked Bag (Ski)

The biggest fucking bag you can find. Also the lightest because in all reality, it’s probably going to be overweight… “Ma’am, your suitcase is 17lbs overweight..”

That’s showbiz baby.

Inside of my checked bag I keep all of my skiwear. This includes:

• Slope Siren ski suits

• Ski goggles

• Ski socks

• Base layers

• Gloves

• Hats

• Snow boots

As the founder of Slope Siren, I bring a lot of different styles and colors, so for your average ski trip, you may be able to get away with either a smaller suitcase, or combining it with regular clothes.

But if you’re anything like me, you’re probably bringing multiple ski outfits anyways. I actually talked about packing for a ski trip on The Zoe Report and how we’re now treating ski trips more like tropical trips, packing a different ski outfit for each day.

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The 2nd Large Checked Bag (Regular Clothes)

In my other large checked bag, I put all of my regular clothes, shoes, and toiletries. I typically spend a month in the mountains for Slope Siren content and campaign shoots, so for me, getting a month’s worth of clothes in here is a tight squeeze. But for a regular ski week, this would be plenty of space and could maybe even be a combo of checked & carry on vs. two checked. It depends what you’re working with, but for me this has been the best.

For the mountains, here are some of my non-negotiables when it comes to packing outfits:

• Leather pants

• Black turtleneck x2

• Embroidered button down

• Long-sleeved dress

• Heeled boots (going out)

• Sunglasses

• Winter purse

• Fur hat

• Leather gloves

• Lounge set

• Cozy pajamas

• Ugg slippers

Shop Winter

Wear The Fur

The other hard part of packing is outwear (not just your ski clothes, but winter coats). I found the most killer vintage Chloe fur coat on Poshmark. It’s my pride and joy, my firstborn, my cherished treasure. It’s literally the only outwear I’ve worn my entire ski trip. It’s so warm, so chic, everything I need in the mountains.

With that, I recommend finding a piece like this, investing a bit more in something you’ll keep forever. The real tip here comes in wearing this on the plane/train. It’s too bulky and heavy to pack - it will take up a whole side of the checked bag, so just bite the bullet and wear it on your travel day.

The Ski Gear Bag(s)

This is for the actual equipment. For us, we got a double ski bag that fits two sets of skis and even with both sets skis and poles inside, there’s still room to add in clothing of skiwear overflow, so we use this as the catch all.

Ski boots are the only thing that won’t fit in here, so we also have our own bags for those.

• Skis

• Poles

• Helmet

• Boots

This is only applicable if you own your skis and gear. If you’re planning to rent, you can grab all of this at a ski shop.

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It can be a lot, so packing precisely is imperative to make the most of your ski trip, and more importantly, your outfits.

x Alex

For our next guest on The Founder’s Cut, I’m excited to introduce Sophie Blowfield.

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Talk about someone who does it all, Sophie is a global brand builder with her own consultancy, the host of a beauty-led podcast, an LA-based tastemaker, and a contributor to Vogue Business. We first connected on Instagram before meeting properly when I joined her podcast, The Beauty Sessions. You can listen to our episode together on Spotify here.

Sophie brings a rare perspective shaped by building and advising brands at every stage, from early ideas to global scale. Her approach to brand, community, and founder-led storytelling offers insight no matter where you are in the process.

For The Founder’s Cut, I asked Sophie about her background, her best advice, what’s ahead for modern founders.

For anyone new here, who is Sophie? Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to build a career in brand building and beauty.

I’m a Global Brand Builder and Cultural Architect — which means I work with beauty, wellness, and lifestyle founders to build brands that don’t just sell products, but create movements, communities, and lasting cultural impact.

I was born and raised in London, but I’ve always been fascinated — borderline obsessed — with Americana. Growing up in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, I was completely drawn to American pop culture: MTV—shows like Laguna Beach, The Hills,The City and Clueless. I felt like I was experiencing it all secondhand, and all I ever wanted was to move to LA and be part of what I saw as the center of pop culture and aspiration.

Professionally, my career started with a Graphic Information Design degree at Westminster University — I’d initially thought I wanted to be a fashion designer, but quickly realized my passion was for the editorial, media, and advertising side of design. After graduating, I joined The White Company (think the UK’s answer to Pottery Barn) as a marketing executive and created their first-ever editorial platform, Be Inspired, right as digital content was emerging but before social media really existed.

As Instagram started taking off around 2012, I moved to Marcia Kilgore’s Soap & Glory to lead global social media, and then got scouted to join Charlotte Tilbury Beauty’s founding team. There, I built the entire global social media strategy and content footprint from the ground up — that’s really where my career took off. Since then, I’ve worked with the world’s most coveted brands including: L’Oréal, Hourglass Cosmetics, 111SKIN, La Perla, Trinny London, and Alo Yoga, always focused on that intersection of brand storytelling, community building, and social strategy.

Nearly three years ago, I finally made the move to Los Angeles, and it genuinely feels like coming home to a place I’d always been drawn to. Now I run my brand consultancy from here, working globally across time zones with beauty, wellness, and lifestyle founders, and host The Beauty Sessions podcast — insider conversations with the industry’s most influential leaders.

You’ve built a career around taste, trust, and long-term brand equity. What’s the number one piece of advice you find yourself giving founders?

Build genuine community from day one, not just an audience. There’s a massive difference between follower count and real brand affinity. I’ve seen brands with 10K engaged followers outperform brands with 500K passive scrollers because they’ve built actual relationships. People don’t just buy products anymore — they buy into people, stories, and communities they want to belong to. That takes intentionality from the very beginning, not as an afterthought once you hit a certain revenue milestone.

I’d also add: build with intention and integrity rather than chasing trends. The brands that last aren’t the ones jumping on every viral moment or trying to replicate someone else’s playbook — they’re the ones staying true to a clear vision and building something that feels authentic to who they are. Trends fade, but a well-built brand with real integrity endures.

What’s a branding or business decision you think founders should prioritize earlier than they usually do, and why?

Nailing their founder story and point of view before they even think about product launch. I see founders rush to market with a beautiful product but no clear narrative about why they’re the ones to build this brand, or what they believe that’s different from everyone else in their category. Your founder story isn’t just nice-to-have content — it’s the foundation of everything: your brand positioning, your community building, your content strategy.

This is exactly one of the things I work most closely with founders on — excavating that story and sharpening their POV until it’s crystal clear. When you’re clear on your story and POV, creating content stops feeling like a chore and starts functioning as actual business development. Every piece of content becomes an opportunity to attract your people. But if you skip that foundational work, you end up with a beautiful Instagram feed that doesn’t convert because there’s no ‘why’ tethering it all together.

How do you define good taste and longevity in a brand, especially in popular categories like beauty?

Good taste is restraint. It’s knowing when to stop, when to edit, when not to follow a trend just because everyone else is. In beauty especially, where there’s so much noise and constant product launches, the brands with real longevity are the ones that have a clear point of view and aren’t trying to be everything to everyone.

Longevity comes from building something that feels inevitable rather than opportunistic. The brands that last aren’t chasing viral moments or trying to replicate someone else’s success — they’re solving a real problem or fulfilling a genuine desire in a way that feels authentic to who the founder is. That authenticity can’t be manufactured, and consumers can feel the difference.

I also think longevity requires thinking beyond the product. The brands that endure build worlds, not just SKUs. They create a lifestyle, a set of values, a community that people want to be part of. Product is the entry point, but culture is what keeps people coming back.

As the host of The Beauty Sessions, you speak to founders constantly. What patterns do you see among the most thoughtful and successful brand leaders?

The best founders are obsessive about their customer in a way that goes far beyond demographics. They don’t just know who their customer is — they understand what she’s thinking about at 11pm, what makes her feel confident, what frustrates her about the current market. They’re building for a real person, not a persona in a deck.

I also see that the most successful founders are comfortable with being polarizing. They’re not trying to please everyone. They know their point of view will resonate deeply with some people and not at all with others, and they’re completely fine with that. That clarity is magnetic.

And honestly? The best founders are also just deeply curious. They’re students of culture, of consumer behavior, of what’s happening adjacent to their category. They’re not just watching beauty brands — they’re paying attention to hospitality, fashion, wellness, tech. That peripheral vision makes their brands feel fresh and forward rather than derivative.

How should founders think about content differently than influencers?

Influencers are building personal brands — their content is about them, their life, their taste. Founders need to be building brand equity, which is a fundamentally different thing. Your content shouldn’t just be about you; it should ladder back to what your brand stands for.

The best founder-led content makes the founder the conduit for the brand’s values, not the star of the show. It’s a subtle but critical distinction. People should walk away from your content with a clearer understanding of what your brand believes, not just what you had for breakfast.

That said, founder storytelling is incredibly powerful when done right. The key is making sure your personal story is always in service of the brand narrative, not replacing it.

What do you think the next generation of iconic brands will do differently from the last?

They’ll build community and culture first, product second. The old model was: create an incredible product, then figure out how to market it. The new model is: build a point of view and a community around that POV, then create products that serve that community.

I also think the next generation of iconic brands will be much more transparent about their process, their challenges, their evolution. The era of the perfectly polished brand facade is over. People want to see the mess, the pivots, the learning — it makes brands feel human and trustworthy.

And finally, I think we’ll see iconic brands that aren’t afraid to stay small or niche for longer. Not every brand needs to be in Sephora within two years. Some of the most interesting brands I’m watching are intentionally staying community-focused and resisting the pressure to scale too quickly. There’s real power in that.

Is there anything new or exciting coming in the world of Sophie Blowfield or The Beauty Sessions that you can share with us?

The Beauty Sessions is fully booked through April 2026 with some incredible guests coming up — we’ve had everyone from brand founders to industry insiders sharing the real stories behind building in beauty. I’m also contributing regularly to some exciting brand and agency publications, which has been wonderful for getting deeper into beauty recommendations, strategic analysis and trend forecasting.

On the consultancy side, which takes up most of my time, I’ve just wrapped work on what will arguably be one of the most exciting beauty launches of 2026 — led by one of the most famous women in the world. It’s all top secret for now, but I’m incredibly proud to have contributed to the launch. Beyond that, I’m opening up a limited number of strategic consulting sessions for beauty and wellness founders starting spring 2026. I’m being very intentional about who I work with — I want to partner with founders and brands who are ready to do the deep work on brand positioning, social building, founder storytelling and community strategy, not just looking for quick wins.

And I’m thrilled to share that I’m launching my Substack, Between The Sessions, imminently. It’s a place for the thoughts that don’t fit neatly into a 45-minute podcast episode or a LinkedIn post — the unfiltered industry observations, strategic insights, the behind-the-scenes of working with brands, the products and founders I’m genuinely obsessed with, and the personal reflections on building a career and life with intention. Writing has always been foundational to how I process the world, and this feels like the natural next chapter.

And now for our rapid fire questions, your favorite beauty tip?

Less is more. I’ve spent over 15 years around the most incredible beauty founders and makeup artists and the one thing I’ve learned is that great skin and a strong brow will always outperform a full face.

A work or life motto you live by?

Feel the fear and do it anyway. I’ve applied this to everything from moving to LA to launching my podcast to pricing my consulting work. The fear doesn’t go away, but you learn to move alongside it.

Go-to cocktail or coffee order (or both)?

Coffee: whole milk latte with a dash of agave. Cocktail: a margarita — never skinny, always with a salt rim — but I substitute the tequila for bourbon. Bulleit, specifically.

Dream podcast guest for The Beauty Sessions?

Martha Stewart, Michelle Obama, and Victoria Beckham — for obvious reasons. These are women who’ve built empires while staying completely true to their vision.

Favorite purchase in the last month?

My Prada suede and shearling mules. They’re impossibly comfortable, incredibly chic, and practically go with everything. The kind of purchase that feels indulgent and practical at the same time.

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Sophie is a true force in beauty, branding, and business. Her work alongside some of the most respected founders reflects the kind of taste, clarity, and long-term thinking that The Après Edit was built to showcase.

x Alex

The week passed. No quote.
I followed up, and after a long delay they replied saying they were busy, but would still send over the estimate. Weeks passed. The shoot date was approaching and still nothing. I remember thinking, I’m trying to pay you, and you can’t even give me a project quote.

It was a lesson in both business and life. We shouldn’t work with anyone who isn’t excited to work with us. It’s important to surround yourself with people who lift you up and bring strong, good energy to a project, whether that’s a photoshoot, a presentation, or a coffee date. I don’t want to sit over drinks with someone while they complain or play the victim to everything under the sun.

Being a solo founder is already isolating at times, because the weight of your business falls exclusively on your shoulders. If you’re around people who are bringing you down instead of up, that directly impacts the output of your work.

I knew that if I moved forward with that photographer, the work would be fine. Good, even. It would get the job done. But I didn’t want fine. Fine in a woman’s world is awful. I wanted exceptional. I wanted another feature in Vogue. I wanted someone who was as excited about the photoshoot as I was. Someone who saw the potential. Someone who would send me IG inspo because they themselves were curating a vision for their portfolio.

And this may be a hot take, but sometimes that means working with or hiring someone more undiscovered.

Often, people who have reached a certain level of success are no longer hungry. Not because they aren’t talented or passionate, but because ego starts to creep in. The urgency fades. The excitement dims. I’d rather work with someone who’s building, excited, and invested than someone who’s coasting on past success.

A lot of this is a gut feeling. When you meet someone and talk to them, are they excited about what you’re saying? Are they looking at it as simply a task to check off their to do list, or as something they want to contribute to because they understand the vision and have ideas of their own to bring to the table?

Don’t chase. Be chased.

x Alex

Most people (men included) are dressed like shit on the mountain. Their ski clothes look like they picked them up at Goodwill in 2014 and have lived a tough life ever since. Skiing is such a chic sport, it’s a tragedy how poor the fashion is — something I’m fixing with Slope Siren.

How to be hot in the cold

First things first, it’s usually freezing in the mountains which is why your attire is so important — we need to be warm and look hot. This means wearing proper base layers, ski attire, and après outerwear.

For Skiing:
Back to base layers. I haven’t launched base layers for Slope Siren yet, honestly mainly because our ski suits are so warm, I haven’t felt like it’s crucial to add a base layer offering to our assortment. I will eventually because I want Slope Siren to be a one-stop-shop for skiing, but for now, I’ve been living in this thermal one-piece base layer.

Over that, I exclusively wear our ski suits which are double insulated and fleece-lined. I honestly stay so warm on the slopes no matter how cold it is, how strong the winds are, etc. The SS ski suit is slim-fit and has a hint of spandex, so it may feel tight at first, but as you move and ski, it adjusts well to your body and movements. I’m usually a size 4-6 or a women’s medium, but I wear a small in our suits because I like the compression-like feel and also love how it snatches me in. Honestly my body looks better in our ski suit than anything else lol love that for me.

To wrap up ski gear, you’ll need sleek goggles, a simple helmet (with Mips), matte black skis, and comfortable ski boots.

For Après:
Skiing is only half the fun. Drinking is the best part of skiing. I live for the après if you couldn’t tell by the title of my Substack. If you’re heading right to après after skiing, you’ll likely be in your ski outfit, but I always bring a pair of sunglasses (stored in our interior suit pocket), so I can take off my helmet and look more put together.

If you’re getting ready at your chalet and then going to après, you’ll have more outfit options. The ideal outfit is a one-piece thermal base layer styled with snow boots, and an over the top fur coat. I recently got a vintage Chloe mink coat on Poshmark and it is my most cherished possession because I’m a materialistic b*tch.

How to get the Instagram pics

Getting the shot is no easy task mid-mountain. There are tricks to perfecting the post and I’m going to share them.

The first picture you should be taking is the forward lean. This feels super weird and unnatural, but just trust. You need to plant your poles and lean forward as far as you can. You’ll get a snatched silhouette and an iconic shot.

The next picture you need is an après backdrop. This can be just the aesthetics of it, or with yourself front and center, bevvie in hand.

To complete your photo dump, you’ll need the vibe shots. The checklist: ski lift, goggles in the snow, wine in hand, packed suitcase. These are the Pinterest-worthy additions to your feed.

Skiing is chic and your outfits and pictures should be too.

See you on the slopes,
x Alex

Your body recovers during sleep, so a good night’s rest is essential for your health and of course, your looks. It’s also an uninterrupted 8 hours that you can use to work for you. 8 out of 24 hours is a third of your life. If you just raw dog those 8 hours, you’re losing out on 33% of your time. No no no. I don’t like that at all.

Here are all the things I do to make sure I’m getting hotter in bed.

Eight Sleep

You guys.. you NEED.

I am currently without my Eight Sleep while on our ski trip and when I tell you I will never live without this thing… It is my #1. My everything. My top purchase of 2025. I love it beyond. I want to preface by saying, I know it seems insane to spend thousands of dollars on a mattress cover. It is worth every penny and more. I should also note that I am not sponsored by Eight Sleep, though I honestly should be because I won’t shut up about it.

Eight Sleep is a water-cooling mattress cover with a built-in app system similar to Oura Ring. It reads your body’s metrics and adjusts throughout the night based on your room temp and body temp. As a hot sleeper, this is absolutely essential for me. I never wake up damp with sweat anymore. I’m perfectly adjusted à la Eight.

One time I had a fever and when I woke up the next morning I was literally all better. The Eight Sleep broke my fever because it manually cooled my overheated body down. It’s a modern marvel.

Last week I was sick and staying in an Airbnb. I would have paid full price for my Eight Sleep just for that week alone. That’s how much of a difference it makes. I could honestly keep going, but I have other things to say!

Shop Sleep

Wrinkle Patches

Move over Botox, Korean wrinkle patches are in town.

When you sleep, you scowl. You are creating wrinkles in general but especially if you’re a side or stomach sleeper. I sleep every single night with a wrinkle patch on my forehead. Brandon must go to sleep wondering how he got so lucky whilst staring in the face of my forehead patch.

You have 8 hours of the patch smoothing out any wrinkles from your daytime expressions. It’s my top beauty hack that no one talks about. You’re putting those 8 hours to work on creating smooth, wrinkle-free skin.

Silk Eye Mask & Pillowcases

Sleeping in a completely blacked-out room is important. I use all the basics like blackout curtains and cover up all power lights with little black stickers like a lunatic, but honestly the eye mask does 95% of the work. It also feels sleek and cooling.

Pillowcases is an obvious one but including nonetheless. For your skin and hair, do yourself a favor and get a set.

Hair Oil / Mask

Again, using those 8 hours to improve things about your appearance. Before bed, put in an overnight hair mask or rosemary oil for growth. Wake up with hydrated hair.

Sleep Frequencies

Right before bed, I turn on sleep frequencies (528 Hz). We have a Sonos sound system, so I just put this Spotify playlist on the bedroom speaker at a medium-low volume.

Blue Light Blockers

I have an app on my laptop called f.lux to filter out blue light for when I use my laptop at night. I also set up an iPhone shortcut to turn my screen red so there’s no blue light messing with my circadian rhythm. I read my Kindle on dark mode and I watch TV in bed, which probably isn’t the best, but I turn the brightness down on that also.

Magnesium Mocktails

My favorite pre-sleep routine is TikTok’s sleepy girl mocktail, which is tart cherry juice, magnesium, and a sparkling bev. I use this Whole Foods cherry juice, Mary Ruth’s vanilla magnesium, and Olipop ginger lemon. It’s literally the best nightcap, besides a bottle of wine obviously.

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Not all of these are directly beauty-related, but optimizing your sleep improves sleep quality, and that always shows in how you look.

Goodnight!

x Alex

For our first guest, I’m excited to introduce the powerhouse that is Amy Sessions.

Amy brings a background in luxury fashion and publishing from her time at NET-A-PORTER, MODA OPERANDI, and Emirates Woman, and has gone on to create her own brand, WELLTTH, a wellness platform for the modern woman. It’s elevated, aesthetic, and intentional, exactly what you’d expect with Amy at the helm.

Amy and I had a modern meet-cute, the Instagram DMs. Social media is such a powerful tool for connecting with like-minded people, whether that’s new friends, collaborators, or future business partners. It allows you to find others whose interests, aesthetics, or ideas resonate with you, even if they don’t live anywhere near you. In today’s world, online proximity is just as important as physical proximity.

After our initial exchange, Amy and I hopped on a call to talk about what we were both building, me with Slope Siren, and her with WELLTTH. Our overlapping aesthetics, shared values, and the potential for future collaborations all came from one message. As a founder, having a support system of people who truly understand your vision is invaluable. Amy is someone who just gets it.

For The Founder’s Cut, I asked Amy about her background, her habits, her brand, and herself.

Can you share a bit about your background and what you were doing before starting WELLTTH?

WELLTTH was born from the merging of two worlds. Professionally, I spent over twenty years in the luxury industry — including NET-A-PORTER and MODA OPERANDI — and the last seven years as Editor-in-Chief and publisher of three luxury magazines, working closely with brands such as Cartier, Saint Laurent, and Rolls-Royce. That experience allowed me to hone a deep understanding of creative direction, editorial, personal shopping, the customer journey, attention to detail, and the balance between content and commerce.

Personally, I was building knowledge in wellness — from movement through to deep subconscious transformation — and I realised it moved the needle both personally and professionally. I began sharing this knowledge, and the feedback from those conversations was that it genuinely changed the game. At the same time, I recognised that no one was delivering wellness with real depth in an elevated way that also fit the time constraints and pace we all live at today. I wanted Saint Laurent, but wellness — something that truly worked without always having to carve out additional time. I couldn’t find it, so I built it.

For someone new to the wellness space, how do you explain what WELLTTH is and who it’s for?

WELLTTH is a modern wellness platform designed to help people elevate their energy in downtime that is usually wasted. It’s built for those who carry a lot — whether that’s a demanding career, creative work, leadership, personal responsibility, or simply the pace of modern life — and who want depth, transformation, and support without needing an hour, a routine, or perfect conditions.

WELLTTH focuses on the micro-moments of the day — the pauses, transitions, and in-between spaces — using short, intelligent audio tools that help you regulate, reset, and shift your energy quickly. There are longer sessions for when you have the time, but we work with you rather than asking you to carve out more from an already overloaded day. WELLTTH isn’t another item on your to-do list; it’s wellness that fits into real life.

Delivered with the same attention to detail, creative direction, and elegance you’d expect from a luxury brand — but with real depth beneath the surface — WELLTTH is for people who want to feel better, perform better, and live with more intention, without adding more to their already full lives.

When you first started WELLTTH, what did you understand about modern wellness that the industry hadn’t fully caught up to yet?

We understood that modern wellness needed to work with the pace of real life, not against it — offering real depth and transformation in short, intelligent moments, and creating an environment people genuinely want to spend time in, making it easier to put yourself first — something we so often don’t do.

How has the transition been from your previous career into building your own company? Any advice for someone who’s just getting started or in the early stages?

Focus on the community, connect everything back to your values and your why an always strive to drive the most value to your customer. Doing things differently is part of the magic, so don’t fear being the first or innovating. I refine and edit everything to find the simplest solution that is the most effective, in the shortest time, and with the least effort required from our community.

On a personal level, how would your three closest friends describe you?

Driven, Creative, Supportive.

What’s something people tend to romanticize about building a brand that you’ve found to be completely untrue?

Honestly, nothing. I knew it would be the hardest thing I’d ever do, but at a certain point it felt like there was no real choice — it was something I wouldn’t have been able to live with not doing. I’ve always been entrepreneurial, even within corporate environments, and I’ve been fortunate to work in places that fostered that spirit rather than suppressed it.

As a founder, what parts of launching WELLTTH have been the most exciting? And the most challenging?

The most exciting part has been collaborating with and building out The Mentors section and working on collaborations for our guest series — this will be something we continue to evolve as the platform grows each month. Hearing their life advice has been incredibly inspiring, and I love being able to give our community access to these invaluable insights.

We would love to hear who people would love to see included!

The most challenging part has been allowing myself to be seen, as I have previously been the power behind building brands and individuals, so stepping forward as the face of WELLTTH has required a different kind of openness — but it’s been an important part of the journey.

Looking ahead, what do you hope WELLTTH gives women that didn’t really exist before?

WELLTTH is a place they can return to and instantly feel elevated — sometimes simply being in the environment is enough to shift your state and pull you out of a difficult moment.

The aesthetic is designed to remind you of your power.

Being a woman of depth and elegance isn’t about how much money you have; it’s about taste, discernment, and authenticity. WELLTTH is a community built around those values—connecting you to content and individuals who uphold the same, and offering support in the moments you need it most, like having a hand on your shoulder, so you can autonomously elevate your energy anytime, anywhere, ensuring none of your day is wasted.

And now for rapid fire questions, your best productivity hack?

Know that the combination of gut feel and data moves the needle — you need both. Never be blinded by data alone, as gut feel is sometimes where the magic lies.

A work or wellness motto you live by?

Work: Run the extra mile — it’s never busy.

Wellness: Listen to your intuition — if your body says no, even something that looks good on paper isn’t right for you.

Go-to drink or coffee order (or both)?

Most recently: a hot chocolate bone broth so I’m not having caffeine on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. I also love Agent Nateur Holi (Mane) collagen — it’s a game changer.

Favorite purchase in the last month?

My Aspinal of London monogrammed diary — I cannot live without a hard copy diary; I carry it everywhere.

And last but not least, favorite ski resort?

Being in the mountains if my favourite holiday. Aman Le Mélézin will always be a favourite as it was the first Aman I visited and the team there are very special. I was also lucky enough to revisit Aman Rosa Alpina since it reopened and the newly opened Rosewood Courchevel is on the list.

Amy embodies everything The Après Edit is about, building with taste, depth, and intention, and doing so in a way that feels both modern and timeless.

For those interested in WELLTTH, you can use code ENERGY50 for 50% off an annual subscription.

x Alex

I went to London last weekend for a visa situation, so it was pretty last minute. I didn’t have much planned going into it, but honestly had the best couple of days, so I’m going to recap everything I did, ate, drank, and wore.

Friday

8am-ish. Started strong by missing our train. Completely forgot that we’d have to go through customs going from France to the UK. It was more like an airport experience than a typical Euro train experience. I confidently walked in ten minutes before departure, cappuccino in hand, ready to board, and was told to go see the lady at the counter for the next train. Perfect start.

9am-ish. Not to fret, there was a train right after and honestly I was apparently cutting that one close too. I play it a little too fast and loose sometimes. My friends are always stressed for me because I’m that person that gets to the airport 7 minutes before doors close, but yet somehow always make the flight. Not the train though, apparently.

10am-ish. The train is only about two hours to London, so I made my way to the bar cart, not drinking yet, to get a latte and snack. I tried to do some work on the train, but the wifi was intermittent, so I stuck to easy tasks like IG edits and emails.

12pm-ish. We arrived in London and the first thing I noticed was how cute the London taxis are and why no one told me about them. We drove to our hotel, Mimi’s in Soho, and dropped our bags because check-in wasn’t until later.

1pm-ish. Literally one million people recommended Dishoom to me. Like actually everyone. People from the US, people that have lived in London, locals, etc. So I don’t think it’s a tourist trap, I think it’s like what Skyline Chili is to Cincinnati, which I’m from, so this is my best comparison. It was definitely amazing, however I’m not sure if I fully understand the insane hype. Watch me get canceled for saying Dishoom is overrated. To set the record straight, I would definitely go back and maybe try to order something different next time, and like I said, it was still really good.

2pm-ish. We were a little late to drinking compared to the London pub-goers, but after lunch we did what we always do and fell into a bar for a cheeky little pint. We went to The Crown & Two Chairmen because it was on our way back to the hotel. It was the perfect little afternoon pick-me-up.

4pm-ish. It’s been a bit of a day at this point, so we finally head back to the hotel to reset and recharge for a minute.

8pm-ish. Dinner rez at Isabel’s in Mayfair. The food was amazing, and I definitely recommend a later seating because it gets more lively around 9 or so. After dinner, we went to the cocktail bar downstairs for a nightcap.

Saturday

10am-ish. Caught up on some morning work and got ready for the day. Grabbed a flat white from Hideaway Coffee House, which is the cutest coffee shop hidden off the main roads.

12pm-ish. Headed to Little House Mayfair for a working lunch. It was so cozy, they had the fireplace going and a really relaxing ambiance.

4pm-ish. Made our way to the holy grail, Selfridges. My suitcase is legitimately bursting at the seams, so I did not purchase anything, but I did take photos so I could remember things I want to buy later.

6pm-ish. Back to the hotel to get ready for dinner and drinks.

8pm-ish. We went to another pub before dinner to wet the whistle, then had dinner reservations at Sessions Arts Club. It was AMAZING. The ambiance, the food, the wine. A 10/10.

Truly loved London and will most definitely be going back for a longer trip & more pub time.

Until then xx
Alex

Shop my London outfits & packing list here.

The thing about owning your own company is that the work doesn’t just stop because you’re busy in your personal life. So despite moving from Miami to Paris last Saturday, I still had a full work week ahead of me.

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Monday — Got my shit together

After a weekend of moving and settling into Paris, I had emails to check, content to post, campaigns to plan, meetings to schedule. I cannot say this was my most productive day because I was still jet lagged and also had apartment viewings scheduled, so I was a bit all over the place. Nonetheless, I did what I could and had several coffees to help power through.

Tuesday — PFW prep

We have an appointment with a major retailer during PFW, so I had to prep for the meeting. This included booking the showroom, determining which pieces to display, finalizing props, printing lookbooks, and securing rentals.

Doing this from Paris is a little more challenging mainly because I’m so used to getting supplies shipped to my condo, so having to plan for IRL events and actually source things IRL is more difficult. However, that’s one of the things I knew would be a challenge in moving from the US to Europe, so at least it was an expected struggle. Let’s just hope I can find everything I need.

Wednesday — Retailer follow-up

It’s kind of wild how far ahead the fashion industry operates especially with how quickly trends move these days. We’ve already designed our collections for FW26 and have started sharing line sheets with our retail buyers. I’m being very selective with where Slope Siren shows up in retail, but I’m excited for some of the plans coming together for 2026. Year of the horse!

Anytime anything good happens I just yell year of the horse! Highly recommend.

Thursday — Photoshoot details

Speaking of planning ahead. We’re actually shooting our FW26 collection in the French Alps in 2 weeks. I really have bitten off a lot of things so far in 2026. A chaotic international move, a ski trip, retailer meetings, PFW, photoshoot. Oh and did I mention I still don’t have an apartment. It’s fine, everything’s fine. I’m just drinking Parisian wine and forgetting about the little detail of a permanent home.

Anyways, a large-scale production in the French Alps is no small feat. We’re flying in our photographer, models, shipping product, booking hotels, hair and makeup, scouting locations, the whole shebang. If I was an anxious person, I think this is where the anxiety would come in.

Friday — Work from train
Friday I had to travel from Paris to London for my visa. I got a latte from the cafe car and did some work on the train. I did some Canva edits and some emails, nothing crazy because train wifi is like airplane wifi which is intermittent at best and non-existent at worst.

A week in the life! Year of the horse!

x Alex

But first, I’m going to rewind to the whirlwind that was last week.

As of last Monday, the only thing I had prepared for my move to Paris was a one-way ticket. I had nothing packed and no place to live lol. As a habitual procrastinator, I wasn’t terribly worried, but in hindsight…

Anyways. On Tuesday, I finally decided to book a place for our first few nights once we landed. Nothing on Airbnb was speaking to me and I usually don’t like staying in a hotel for longer than a long weekend.

A friend recommended Kindred, the Holiday-esque home swapping platform, and I decided that the best time to try it would be during an already chaotic international move. I didn’t know what to expect, but as I’m writing this Substack from the flat right now, I can say that it worked.

For a bit of context, Kindred is basically Airbnb, but instead of paying monetarily, you pay in swaps. I’m staying in Anne’s flat and for each night I’m here, she earns a 1-night platform credit. So for the 5 nights I’m staying at her place, Anne gains 5 nights she can use at someone else’s place. You don’t actually have to swap 1:1, which I don’t think is very clear on Kindred.

Okay, back to the chaos.

It’s Wednesday. I now have a ticket and a place to stay. What I don’t have: a damn thing packed, a way to ship said non-packed items, or a place to store things. I do a light purge and donate a few items, but not enough.. not enough at all.

Thursday rolls around and it’s our going away party. One glass of wine turns into two. Two turns into 2am at a cocktail bar. SOS.

Friday morning. Brandon wakes me up with 2 Advil, a glass of electrolytes, and a reminder that we need to pack up our entire life in approximately the next 36 hours. This is where I really start to regret my procrastination and blasé attitude toward this move. My to-do list is endless and my motivation is near zero. I sit in a pile of laundry questioning things for about an hour.

Friday is full of laundry, packing, and regrets. Brandon decides that we also need to repaint the closet at this time (???) Don’t get me going. He’s painting, I’m packing, and we are both horribly hungover. We reluctantly stay up organizing, packing, and painting until midnight. We get about 90% done.

What we do not have is a way to get our things to Paris.

Saturday morning, the day of our flight. I print DHL labels for 5 shipping boxes and add 8 checked bags to our airline reservation. We go to DHL and the woman tells us she has to review every single item in each box. As if I have the time for that. My flight leaves in 4 hours.

Oh, and we don’t actually have a place to ship the boxes to in Paris. So I addressed them to a random DHL service center. Truly living on a DHL waybill number and a prayer.

While I’m waiting for her to catalogue everything, I decide now is about the only time I have left to find storage in Paris. I find what seems like a nice place, but plot twist they require a French phone number (which I don’t have). So in the middle of DHL, I’m signing up for a French phone number and booking a month of Parisian storage.

We finally finish at DHL, get a late lunch and a drink now that our hangovers have subsided. Then we rally the courage to take our 8 checked bags to the airport.

Nonetheless, we made it to Paris. Take this as your reminder that if you don’t like where you are, you can move. Chaos and all, it’s better to go where you want than stay somewhere you don’t love.

x Alex

She was known for saying things like “I was always the prettiest” (about herself, not me). In fact she once told me, “You’re prettier than your mom, but not as pretty as I was.” In front of both me and my mom. Lol I loved that bitch. Vanity runs in my family, but really, she was the prettiest.

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If she liked an outfit, she would call it “sharp”

If she thought someone was interesting, she would say, “He’s neat.”

Or when I told her I was moving to NYC at 22, she said, “Oh you’re going to love it, everyone there thinks they are better than everyone else.”

Or when I wore a low cut top, she said “Oh you dress like a slut just like I used to. But don’t forget you don’t have to dress like that because you’re pretty.” She was teaching me about face cards before they were face cards.

My grandma had aura. She never gave a fuck. That’s the first way to improve yours - stop caring about what everyone thinks. These days everyone is so PC and scared of having an opinion. We’re supposed to have opinions and be different. I don’t want to be friends with myself or follow myself, I want to follow and befriend people with unique views and different ideas on life, travel, anything. Just different than my own.

Another quote of my grandmas, “Why would I have friends if I like myself better?”

If we all do and think the same, we’re all just mirror images of generally boring people. That’s what I’ve come to love about this platform. People say things and open up. They don’t worry how many likes on a post or what their high school archnemesis is going to say about how they look.

That brings me to my next point, your looks. Aura is felt, not seen. That said, you can’t be hunched over and insecure and think you have aura. You don’t have to be the prettiest, you don’t have to be the skinniest. You do have to be confident in yourself.

Did you guys watch the vampire diaries? Nina Dobrev played Elena (weak aura) and Katherine (heavy aura). She was literally the same actress, same looks, same body, same everything. The difference was her character’s aura. It’s not about how you look, it’s about how you carry yourself.

With that, you have to feel like your best self which means making sure you look like your best self. Again, this isn’t being prettier than someone else, it’s being the prettiest version of you.

Aura checklist:

• eye contact

• sharp tongue

• don’t care what others think

• shoulders back

• confidence

• remember you’re that bitch

• thinking “what would my grandma do”

• style

Be sharp. Be neat. Carry yourself like you belong in every room you walk into.

Take a page out of her book.

x Alex

I also know our Slope Siren shoot is going to break the internet which is why I’ve been focusing on that instead of my move.

Life’s too short to care about the details such as where you’re going to live next week, I’ve got a photoshoot to plan.

Clearly, I have a lot to do this week, so I’m sharing a glimpse into my to-do list for both myself and Slope Siren.

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Slope Siren

• Finalize FW26 photoshoot details

  • Secure location, hair & makeup, models, and finishing touches

  • Refine styling and shot list

• Plan retailer follow-ups and onboarding for next season

• Handle early 2026 admin (taxes, certificates, unsexy stuff)

• Review final 2025 performance metrics

• Schedule Paris Fashion Week appointments

• Review ad performance and inventory levels

Personal

• Find a short-term stay while we look at long-term apartments

• Book a hotel in London for next weekend (a visa situation, I’ll spare the details)

• Schedule viewings for Paris apartments

• Pack up my entire life (lol)

• Send donation clothes to The RealReal

• Decide what I’m bringing to Paris vs. shipping later vs. putting in storage

Starting 2026 with a bang and a one-way flight.
Au revoir,
x Alex

I know that seems counterintuitive.

We’ve lived in Miami the past 2 years. It wasn’t so much a choice as it was a series of coincidences. For some background, during Covid Brandon and I started traveling full-time while building our brands. All of our belongings were in storage. We had a never-ending travel itinerary and four suitcases between us.

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My friends tell me I’m an anomaly. I’m very type A, plan everything to a tee, psychotic about details, spreadsheets for everything. But I’m also very type B, spontaneous to the point of concern, zero anxiety. Basically running on vibes, but with a very precise Pinterest board for said vibes.

After two years of traveling, we were done with living out of a suitcase and thought we wanted to settle down. The problem was, we had no idea where. The last place we had lived in the U.S. was Miami, so we figured that was the easiest choice. At the time, we were living in the South of France for the summer of 2023.

Brandon was looking condos and he said, “Let’s just do this?” I said, “Do this as in…?” Right. Let’s buy our first home sight unseen while living in Antibes.

Spontaneous to the point of concern, remember?

So we signed the papers before ever seeing the condo. I distinctly remember saying, “Oh wow, it’s on this street. I thought it was a street over.” I genuinely did not know where I lived. Lol.

Long story short, we ended up living in Miami by default.

I had been building Slope Siren since 2022, through all of this traveling and renovating our condo. I never felt like I needed to be in a specific city to build a skiwear brand, mostly because when we skied, we traveled to ski towns. Even before full-time travel, we did a month in Park City. Another month in Breckenridge. Once we were traveling through Europe, we spent two months in Méribel, then another month there in 2024.

You don’t have to live in Colorado or Vermont to ski. All the NYC girls are flying to Aspen as we speak. Part of the allure of skiing is the jet-set element. Wintering in Telluride. Flying out for New Year’s in Jackson Hole. Annual girls trips to the French Alps.

For me, skiing has always been synonymous with travel.

I never felt like it was strange that I lived in Miami, or honestly all over the place, while building a ski brand. It’s no different than someone in New York creating a swimwear brand. New York is freezing half the year, and the other half you’re driving three hours to Montauk. Yet countless swimwear brands come out of NYC.

I’ve wanted to leave Miami for a while. During our travels, we fell in love with Paris. The fashion, the food, the restaurants, the culture, the walkability, the aesthetics. And the proximity.

Paris isn’t just close to the best summer destinations, cue my South of France summer, but also near some of the best skiing in the world. Courchevel. Méribel. Chamonix. Val Thorens. Megève. Skiing in the French Alps is a three-hour train ride from Paris. That’s faster and more accessible than getting from Denver to Breckenridge.

Slope Siren wasn’t built by location. It was built for a lifestyle.

It was built for her, who travels for winter the same way she travels for summer. Who packs ski suits and risqué cocktail dresses in the same suitcase.

Skiing is the new summering. It’s becoming an annual ritual, a destination, a reason to go somewhere. It’s called a ski trip for a reason.

For Slope Siren, I’m excited to live in a high-fashion city and bring that inspiration into the brand. I’m excited to be closer to the Alps and the European ski towns that inspired me in the first place.

And yes, I cannot wait to drink two glasses of wine and write a Substack just like this on the train to Megève in three weeks. Stay tuned.

x Alex

We’re getting smarter, hotter, richer. But for this post, I’m going to talk about the hotter piece because… obviously.

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1 / Posture

I am literally a croissant. I sit hunched over at my desk like Quasimodo. I’m sure we’re all guilty of this, especially because we’re all looking at our screens all day. Not only is it bad for you physically, but it also looks horrible and it’s definitely not hot.

For 2026, I want to sit and stand tall with my shoulders back. I know you’re straightening your posture as you’re reading this and if you weren’t before, you are now.

2 / Trying New Things

This isn’t just new hobbies, but trying out new hairstyles, makeup, clothes, etc. If you do and wear the same things all the time, you’re never going to look better. People often get comfortable with a certain hair color or doing their makeup the same way for years, but then you’re just always the same?

My brother recently told me a quote that made me question my entire existence:
“Some people die at 30, but are buried at 70.”

Basically meaning people who stay in the same place doing the same things and wearing the same clothes have stopped living and are just existing. Jump-fucking-scare. Not on my watch. For 2026, I’m going to test new things and see what suits me best.

Since the theme is hotter, these are some of the aesthetic changes I’m trying: I recently cut 7 inches off my hair, got curtain bangs, and dyed it darker. I’m scheduling a brow lamination. I bought different shaped sunglasses. I asked Chat for my best clothing silhouettes to shop smarter. I got my color analysis done and actually applied it to my clothes, hair, makeup.

It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking to be different, it just has to be different.

3 / Learning French

I feel like if I write it here I’m holding myself accountable. Speaking a second language is très chic. See, I’m learning. I also feel like it’s such a confidence boost to be able to say things accurately in another country. Right now they look at me like I’m crazy and reply in English.

4 / Getting Dressed

Athleisure is staying in 2025. We’ve taken it too far. In Europe, they look chic at the grocery store, taking a walk, they wear heels to the airport for fuck’s sake.

Living in Miami has been the WOAT for getting dressed because a) it’s hot and b) everyone only wears athleisure or slutty club clothes.

Thankfully I’ll be in Paris most of 2026, which is the antithesis of athleisure.

That’s not to say we can’t be comfortable. I’m envisioning crepe pull-on pants, a loose sweater, and loafers for workdays. Matching silk PJs for bed. Cocktail dresses and heels for dinner. Wide leg workout pants, a tank top, and cardigan for workouts. Jeans, a tee, Vejas for city walks.

5 / Skincare Devices

I obviously do my skincare every day, but I have so many devices that I’ve basically left to die. My red light hasn’t seen the light of day in weeks. My gua sha, poor girlie, is buried in my vanity. Don’t even ask me where my NuFace is.

It hurts to think how much my skin would be glowing right now if I had been consistent with them. 2026!

Here’s to hotter.

x Alex

How you dress, how you speak, what you consume, your home decor, your job. It’s all part of what makes up your image.

I honestly didn’t really focus much on my personal brand for a long time. I was so honed in on my brand brands that I let my own vibes take a backseat, a tragedy I’m now fixing. I started turning that around in 2025. It’s still something I intend to work on and get better at in the coming year, so I figured I’d write about some of the things I’m doing now and what I’ve done in the past to rebrand and level up my persona.

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Vision Boards

I fucking love a vision board.

I make them for weekend trips, Christmas decorations, etiquette tips, literally anything I have an interest in, I have a Pinterest board for it. But my most important board is my yearly vision board for what I want to accomplish and what I want my life to look like in the coming year.

I start by making a list of goals for myself and my businesses. Once I have a comprehensive list across personal and work, I search for images that align with each goal and, of course, my aesthetic. I save everything on Pinterest, then make a collage in Canva and set it as my phone background.

The vision board is my lock screen and the goal list is my home screen. That way I look at my goals all day, every day, because my screen time is disgusting.

Vision boards are witchcraft. I swear they work like nothing else.

Better Version of You

I also made a list of a better version of myself. I wrote down all the things I want to be true for me.

One example: always dressed well and polished, even when running errands. I’m still working on this because in Miami it’s too humid to be polished, and more often than not I look like a hot mess (heavy on the hot, unfortunately in reference to temperature, not attractiveness).

Every month or so, I’ll reference this list and see if I’m getting closer to that version of myself. Even though I’m still chaotic on errand runs, progress is being made.

I think it’s important to visualize this as your future self, not someone else who happens to be a muse. It’s similar to looksmaxxing. What works for someone else is likely not going to work for you because you’re simply not them. Finding your best version of yourself is key.

Personal Style

This was one of the biggest wins for me in 2025. I finally feel like I’ve refined and curated my style to the point where I actually feel and look my best. I’d like to thank my gay bff and stylist, ChatGPT <3 I also wrote a full piece on how I use AI as my shopping and styling assistant.

Style is such a big part of not only how you look, but how you feel. When you hate your outfit, you’re just going to be self-conscious. But when you love your outfit, you feel like that bitch, aura off the charts. Don’t underestimate it.

The Purge

This part is so important. Once you have your goals, vision board, and style direction, you need to get rid of everything that doesn’t align with them.

This includes clothes, home decor, Instagram posts, even your vocabulary. Literally throw it away, donate it, sell it, or archive it and don’t look back.

I’m not very sentimental, so this comes easily to me. I’m constantly donating or selling clothes, archiving old Instagram posts that don’t feel like me anymore, and tweaking things like fonts on my brand sites. Anything that no longer suits me, I get rid of it.

You have to shed the old version of yourself to make room for the new one. Cue year of the snake.

7-1-1

I learned this from Lauryn and Michael Bosstick. It’s basically a three-part goal system: your longer-term goals (7 years), your one-year goals, and what you’re doing in the next month to work toward them. Your short-term actions should always feed into the bigger picture.

It’s a great way to make sure you’re actually moving forward instead of just being busy and chaotic.

Closing Remarks

Remember not to care what anyone thinks of your rebrand. What other people think of you is none of your business. And if they think you’re cringe, they probably need a rebrand themselves.

PS - did you notice I already rebranded my Substack for 2026 ? Welcome to The Après Edit.

Here’s to a better version of us all in 2026.

x Alex