#AllCoopedUp with Kelly Atterton, Beauty Director for C Magazine
Kelly Atterton has been the beauty director at C Magazine since 2017. She is also a Los Angeles-based freelance creative consultant and brand strategist working with a wide range of brands, from multinational corporations (Procter & Gamble) to small direct-to-consumer brands, especially in skincare and beauty. Prior to her freelance career, Kelly spent 20 years at Condé Nast. She recently opened a retail store for independent beauty brands in Los Angeles, and will shortly launch her own teen personal care brand called RiLE. She lives in Laurel Canyon with her husband, three children, three dogs and 5 chickens. Kelly and I met while writing protest postcards on Super Bowl Sunday 2017. Every time our orbits cross we have plenty to talk about. She is beautiful, interesting and passionate. I wish her a Happy Mother’s Day this year and an even better one in 2021! -Jenna
What’s your profession, and what does your day-to-day work experience look like now?
I like to say I’m a beauty director (C Magazine), a pop-up experimenter (Atterton at The Glen Center), and teen skincare creator (soon-to-launch RiLE). I also consult with beauty & fashion brands. My current day-to-day work experience has yet to settle into some sort of rhythm. At the beginning of our “safer at home” directive, we (my husband and I are business partners) spent most days reassessing our launch strategy for RiLE, figuring out ways to keep our pop-up viable, and monitor our 3 kids and their home school schedules. Now, we’re gearing up for our summer issue at C, and remote sales at the store have started to pour in. So, part of my day is spent doing my beauty director duties, while the remainder of my day is spent filling orders and delivering to local customers.
Are there objects or spaces in your house that you are newly appreciating? Or are there objects and spaces you have come to loathe?
Since opening the store, I pretty much stopped using my home office. Now, I’m at my desk everyday, using my desktop computer again, and enjoying the bright light pouring in from the skylight.
Describe your at-home quarantine uniform.
My at-home quarantine uniform is either Beyond Yoga workout gear (which may or may not inspire me to exercise), Natalie Martin Fiore dresses, or old Levi’s and chunky Xirena sweaters — mostly paired with Birkenstocks with cozy socks.
I also make sure to put some makeup on, nothing too heavy, just enough to even my skin tone (facial redness from rosacea - ugh!) and add a pop of color to my lips and cheeks. Luckily, I had a lash lift done by the brilliant Sarah Maxwell just before staying home. So my lashes look perfect all the time with zero mascara.
My go-to’s for light and dewy face coverage are Best Skin Days by Iris & Romeo and Mi Moi’s Skin Nourishing Foundation. For lips, I can’t get enough of Sunnies Face lipsticks — the colors are bold and the texture is velvety, never drying. To give my cheeks that perfect, slightly flushed look, I’m loving 8th Muse High Intensity by Kosas.
Who are you quarantining with? Do you feel the need to “get away”? How do you make it happen?
I’m quarantining with my husband, our three children, three dogs, and five chickens. With two teens and an active 11 year old, our house can get quite loud. I’m lucky to have my store to use as a hideaway. I definitely go for legitimate reasons, but I often stay longer for some quiet alone time.
What’s the last thing you purchased online? Regret or obsessed?
I’ve been wanting this Suzi Kondi bright pink velour sweatshirt ever since @LACaKe posted on their Instagram stories. I couldn’t find my size and gave-up. Then, last week, Monet Mazur posted a shot wearing the full velour sweatsuit and it inspired me to try again, and voila! I found my size on sale and ordered immediately. It hasn’t arrived yet, so I’m not sure if I’m going to regret or obsess over it. But the thrill of finding it has been very satisfying.
Before my Suzi Kondi purchase, I ordered a jumpsuit from a newly launched brand called The Only Jane by Jane Herman. I’m OBSESSED with my new purchase! I opted for the gorgeous French blue, but I suspect over time I’ll be getting a few others colors. The fit is flattering for all body types and the fabric is structured, yet stretchy and super comfy. Also, Jane provided THE BEST customer service I have ever had. I had quite a few questions for her and sent a DM via Instagram, she replied immediately and was thoughtful and so generous with her time.
Tell us the best shows, podcasts, or books you’re loving right now.
I’m late to Ozark, but am loving it. Everyone has been raving about Unorthodox, so that’s up next. Little Fires Everywhere has been captivating, and The Plot Against America stresses me out, but I can’t stop / won’t stop. I’m obsessed with The Daily podcast, and live for Yashar Ali’s nightly live streams on Instagram. Glennon Doyle’s new book, Untamed is an excellent Audible choice, and David Chang’s daily IGTV cooking show — while quarantined at a friend’s home — is so refreshingly authentic and inspiring. I have a huge stack of books on my nightstand, but I’m finding it harder than usual to concentrate. I’m in the middle of Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (it’s enjoyable, but put-downable), and I plan on finally reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantle. I’m also reading The Outsiders with my youngest son, and am loving it every bit as much as I did when I read it the first time — many, many years ago.
Do you have any new quarantine activities or rituals?
I’m not a super ritualistic person, but I do always start my day with a big mug of hot water and lemon in bed, followed by a yummy almond milk latte. Then I head to my bathroom and decide what my skin needs for the day.
If I’m feeling dry, I’ll do a light face wash with Monastery’s Rose Cleansing Oil, followed by Honor MD’s H(ope)2O Moisturizing Serum, and 3 Moons ultra hydrating Le Meilleur Creme.
If I’m looking dull, I’ll exfoliate with Reflekt’s twice daily, super hydrating face wash, followed by Naturium’s Niacinamide Serum Plus Zinc to calm my redness, Superflower’s Everyday CBD Serum for brightening and hydration, and Cultivate Apothecary’s gorgeous oil-based botanical serums to seal in all the goodness.
If I’m wanting immediate results, I’ll wash with Kat Rudu’s Coco Honey Papaya Enzyme Cleanser for smooth, renewed skin, followed by Tina Craig’s UBeauty Resurfacing Compound for immediate tightening and brightening, and Priya Apotheca’s Phyto Metamorphosis Creme for an energetically charged, hyper nourishing and moisturizing finish.
But, no matter what my daily needs are, I never — and I mean never — go without using Retrouvé’s Revitalizing Eye Concentrate day and night and Retrouvé’s Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer before bed.
What is your favorite quarantine snack? What restaurants are you ordering takeout from?
Before quarantine, Jon & Vinny’s was a family favorite. In quarantine, Jon & Vinny’s has become our weekly take-out treat. To me, heaven is their spicy fusilli served piping hot!
My daughter started making delicious almond milk a few times a week, and I’m making lattes with it every morning.
What is the one item you’re glad you stocked up on? What do you wish you’d stocked up on?
We did a big shop about 10 days before the official stay-at-home directive. That served us well, and got us through the first couple of weeks. Sadly, we waited too long to get yeast. Like the rest of the country, my husband has decided to master bread baking, but the yeast shortage is making it more challenging. He hasn’t nailed a starter quite yet, but he’s getting there.
What is your creative outlet and how are you making space for it?
I love to bake and I’m a pretty crafty person. I recently signed up for an online watercolor painting class. It’s in Spanish, so it’s sure to be an interesting experience. This past weekend, my daughter and I baked cookies for hours and hand delivered to friends and family. That was a fun thing to do together and so sweet seeing her friends wait outside for their cookies and an air hug.
Describe your biggest quarantine indulgence.
I’m a night owl by nature, so my biggest indulgence is staying up even later now — knowing that I can sleep in a little longer than usual. I know, I know, this is a habit I should be working to break. One day...
If you have kids, how are you maintaining some kind of schedule for them?
To be honest, we’re not doing that great on this front. My teens are easier than my youngest, who needs serious supervision or else he would be playing Fifa all day. We have a rough schedule set-up for him, but he needs constant reminders to push through. It’s an added stress that’s not the easiest to deal with.
What are you doing for exercise?
After eating my way through the first month of being homebound, I’m trying to mitigate the damage. I’ve started getting on the treadmill in the morning for 3 to 5 mile run-walks, followed by a Tracy Anderson or LEKfit online class.
Are you sharing recipes with friends?
I’ve been sent too many recipe chain emails to count. I’ve tried to keep up with them, sharing recipes, but I’ve yet to receive more than a couple in return. After posting about my epic matzoh ball soup fail, many friends sent recipes that they love! I’ve also been trying lots of different recipes from Tara Sowlaty's feed as well as Barrett Prendergast's.
What’s been the biggest challenge for you throughout this?
I really miss talking with people in person, without all the weirdness.
When this is over I cannot wait to ___________.
Have a boozy dinner party with friends and family, eat at Majordomo, hike Fryman, and open the doors of my store again!
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