Michelle Li On Beauty, Growth, And POIRET

When it comes to beauty, everything is transient. Trends come and go, standards change, and routines shift with the newest product on the block. Despite the ebbing and flowing of said trends, there's one thing that holds true through every era and phase of the beauty industry, which is this: Without sounding too earnest, the most appealing and admirable type of beauty is not a byproduct of makeup or serums, but rather of something else. It's a palpable energy, one that is built over time. It comes from a sense of ease and confidence that, without question, comes from within and through time spent asking the question, what is beautiful?

POIRET, a niche luxury beauty brand, asks the same question. Rooted in the pioneering spirit of its namesake, French designer Paul Poiret, the brand is dedicated to redefining beauty standards by blending timelessness with modern audacity. POIRET offers a sophisticated skincare line that seeks to empower individuals to embrace their unique beauty through high-quality, transformative products.

In partnership with POIRET, we're exploring that very idea of beauty with our friend Michelle Li. The New York-based stylist, writer, and creative consultant is approaching her third decade. After spending the last one working in fashion in New York City, she has seen countless beauty trends cycle through the zeitgeist, and is now defining her own meaning of beauty.

Meg: Let’s start with the beginning — how do you get your day started in the morning? What’s your routine like, and is there anything you incorporate that puts you in a particularly good mental space?

Michelle: I usually start my day by making some oatmeal, and to curb my addiction to TikTok, I will read my book instead. That's been really helpful for me in establishing a routine, or else I would just scroll on TikTok all morning. I make some tea and will go for a walk in Washington Square Park if it's nice out.

Meg: As someone who is a multi-hyphenate, how do you keep chaos at bay, or how do you maintain a sense of calm?

Michelle: I try to just tackle one thing at a time, I've definitely tried to do it all at once and get really overwhelmed and nothing turns out good. But when I'm working on multiple projects, I force myself to finish the project at hand before dealing with something else. Things oftentimes come up when I'm in the middle of doing something else or I remember that I need to do something for a different project in the middle of another project, so I try to just write everything down so I don't have to spend any mental energy on trying to remember what I need to do next.

Meg: What do you think of when it comes to beauty? What comes to mind? Have your ideas of beauty changed over the years?

Michelle: I think beauty comes from some inner trust in yourself. My ideas of beauty have changed a lot over the years. I used to have pink hair and I tied a lot of my self worth and identity to that. And now I'm back to my natural color and I feel more beautiful and the beauty feels deeper. I don't have to be afraid that I might lose it.

Meg: Beauty standards have become particularly stressful online, especially as skincare and makeup have become trending topics on social platforms. How do you maintain a healthy relationship with online beauty standards?

Michelle: I try not to focus too much on online beauty standards because there's so much misinformation and ideas being thrown around that I've seen cycle through over and over again. I think once you've seen a few of the cycles of beauty standards, it's easy to just see it as a trend and not something that you need to change yourself for. I think also as I've gotten older, I try to put my energy towards things that I genuinely want to build upon like healthy eating habits. Those are the things that I can control.

Meg: When it comes to beauty products, what do you look for?

Michelle: I like to look for clean and simple beauty products, I've pared down my beauty routine a lot and usually just use an easy cleanser and rich moisturizer because my skin gets really dry.

Meg: What do you like about the POIRET products? How do they feel different than other products?

Michelle: I love the POIRET Absolift Créme because it keeps me moisturized the whole day while also absorbing into my skin instead of just sitting on top. I really love that they aren't overly scented because my skin is really sensitive.

Meg: Where are you having the most fun with beauty right now? Any fun makeup or skincare trends you’re getting into?

Michelle: I love experimenting with make-up and trying new colors and techniques. I'm not big on foundation and I mostly focus on my eyes and am starting to experiment more with lip colors too.

Meg: What makes you feel beautiful?

Michelle: I've felt really beautiful recently just walking to dinner with a really cute outfit to meet friends. I stopped listening to music on headphones and just enjoy walking and taking it all in.

Meg: What would you tell your younger self when it comes to beauty and how she thinks about it?

Michelle: It's a process and it's okay to feel bad about yourself sometimes, just work through it and trust that you'll get there someday by working on yourself.

Discover more from POIRET on Instagram and shop online.