We have recently interviewed powerful women living intentionally every day for our ‘Take Care‘ series. Each of these women has taken their time to change their old ways from business to personal. From hair influencers to editors, they challenge themselves to show the good and the bad to their audiences.
As a platform, we spotlight these women on their journey. We dedicate this time to asking the tough questions of what is their beauty ritual, how are they taking care of themselves and how has this pandemic changed their life.
Meet, LaTonya aka ‘Yaya’, an interior designer with a heavy love of skincare and aesthetics. She is known on social media as ‘yaya.tone‘ where she has introduced her love of squalene oil, interior design flows and more. In this interview, learn more about how Yaya views beauty, her life with the aesthetic of interiors and her favorite products.
Would you describe what you do to our audience? What is the passionate work that you would love to share with us?
“I am in the interior design world working with a company in their contract division. I help designers and builders finalize their plans for their projects. Mainly, majority of my clientele comes to me to help source products for them that best fit their vision for those spaces. It’s a very fun process because I am constantly testing my creative skills. It’s a very rewarding experience because not only are the projects beautiful, but some of them do get published in blogs or magazines.”
What is your current beauty routine?
“My routine is always changing *laughs* – literally I am always changing it up. I love trying new products and I cannot help it – sadly. My main focus in my routine is always going to be hydration, balance, and brightening. The glow is important okay?!?
My current routine consists of a few of my favorite brand’s:
AM:
Biossance – Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel,
Tower 28 – SOS Facial Spray,
Biossance – Squalane + Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum,
Innisfree – Intensive Hydrating Serum,
Biossance – Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel
Lancome -Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Moisturizer
SuperGoop – Glow Screen SPF 40
PM:
Biossance – Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel,
Tower 28 – SOS Facial Spray,
Kiehl’s – Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Innisfree – Intensive Hydrating Serum,
Biossance – Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel
Biossance – Squalane + Omega Repair Cream
Of course, I occasionally use chemical exfoliants and masks but that’s on alternate nights. I can talk about skincare all day but we knew that already!”
Do you have a signature scent that you love to wear?
“Oh you know it! I would never share my signature scent because I believe every woman should create their own blend of something that reflects them. Scents tell a story about a person before you ever have the chance to chat with them. Which is exactly what I did with my personal blend.
I love super clean scents a few of my favs are:
Margiela Replica – Bubble Bath
Jo Malone – Mimosa & Cardamom
Tom Ford – Metallique
Nest – South Pacific Sandalwood Perfume Oil
Chloe – Eau De Parfum (The Original)”
Who introduced you to the power of beauty?
“Honestly, it was no one in particular. I have always loved taking care of myself to make sure I always looked the part and smelled amazing – when I was of age to do so of course.
I would say once I was able to go to the mall by myself and shop. That’s when I started to pay attention to what beauty truly was, whether it would be popping into Macy’s to walk around and smell perfumes to stumbling into MAC to figure out what shades of lipsticks and gloss I loved. It has been a journey of course, – from finding foundations that matched with my skin tone to blending eyeshadow that complimented a look. I’ve finally arrived at the level of comfortability that I now have with makeup, body care, skincare, and fragrances. I love it here!”
If there is any beauty lesson you can give, what would it be?
“Be patient! Find techniques that work for you. There is no wrong way when it comes to learning – you make mistakes and then you learn from them. That’s truly all it is – how else would you grow? You should also be your biggest fan and admirer. No one is going to love you more than you love yourself – so, fall in love with your entire being. “
In your work with interiors, what is something that always catches your eye in a room?
“I always pay attention to layouts, details, and natural light first. The structure of a home or space gives it character and it tells a story. The way that someone has decorated their space will let me know everything that I need to know about a person. You can either be a hoarder or you could be stuck and need a little help figuring out what you like or love, but the true testament is the way a space is lit. It could be small and cold, but well lit – so at that point there’s potential or it could be spacious and beautifully structured but there could terrible lighting in the apartment. Either way there’s ways to making a space work no matter what.”
What’s your favorite room in your home? What is the reason why?
“My bedroom and bathroom! Sorry, I named two. I love those spaces because they are my safe spaces and bring me so much peace. From washing the day away in my bathroom to relaxing and unwinding in my bed. My spaces are created and centered around that peace of mind I want reflected no matter what kind of day I am having.”
If you could change anything about beauty experiences like salons and spas with your interior design work, what would it be?
“I would love to see more spaces with pop’s of color. I feel like salons are usually very small and just black + white. It’s so plain and does not reflect the personalities of the stylists and the atmosphere in the salon. They should be vibrant and a space that showcases high energy. We go to salon’s to make ourselves feel better or to maintain our up-keep – and they should definitely be more reflective of that.”
Author Profile
- Sterling Jones is the Editor in Chief of The Beauté Study, where is responsible for leading the editorial calendar and creation of online educational content across all categories, brand partnerships, VIP concierge, agency-side of business, and online classes. Sterling loves to write and create engaging content about the power of beauty, cultural trends and lifestyle brands. She founded this platform in 2017 and organically grown into a trusted media platform with the support of a growing population of feminine women growing and defining in their beauty epiphanies. Under her leadership, the brand has worked with other brands in partnership like La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Mejuri, Follain, Cocokind Skincare, Moisture Love, Rein Beauty, Proven Skincare, The Beaute Culture Conference, QCNY Luxury Spa, Merit Beauty, and more. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Sterling holds two undergraduate degrees in Art History and Business of Beauty and Fragrance, the perfect blend between cultural know-how. She can be found on all socials under @thesterlingstudy.
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