Can Beauty Really Make You Feel Better? Let’s Talk.
This is the hill I will die on.
Welcome to the first real edition of Laugh Lines—a project I’ve been dreaming about for years and am beyond excited (slash mildly terrified) to finally bring to life. Thank you to the 507 of you who are here from the start—it means the world to have you on this journey with me! Seriously, I cried when I got the email that we’d hit 500 subscribers before launch. Thank you for believing in me 🥹.
After a decade in beauty journalism and a lifetime of figuring out how to take care of my mind as much as my skin, I’m ready to explore what happens when the two come together. I’ll be sharing new content on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays (don’t worry, they won’t all hit your inboxes—no one needs to hear from me that often), and each week, we’ll be focusing on a theme.
This week, we’re kicking things off with the link between feeling good and looking good—because, let’s be real, when life is overwhelming, our beauty routines are often the first thing to go. But what if they were actually the thing that could bring us back to ourselves?
On Wednesday, I’ll be sharing the self-care ritual I swear by for my worst days, and on Friday, some of my all-time favorite beauty and mental health stories. But first, let’s talk about why any of this matters.
Aside from my toy poodle, Luna, and my temperature-controlled mattress, there are two things in life I’m most passionate about: beauty and mental health.
My therapist has asked me more times than I can count why someone with anxiety, depression, and a history of eating disorders would dedicate their career to an industry so obsessed with image. And trust me, I get it. But what if beauty was never the problem? What if it was the way we’ve been taught to use it?
Beauty products may very well induce joy.
As gen-Zers on social media have traded 12-step skincare routines and bold Instagram makeup for simpler, "soft life" practices dedicated to making them feel like the best version of themselves, beauty has emerged as a valid form of self-care. According to Mindbody’s 2023 Wellness Index Report, 65 percent of consumers believe that beauty and grooming are important parts of wellness, and the industry has started to shift accordingly.
Sure, you can still shop Sephora shelves for concealers meant to cover your flaws and creams that promise to make your cellulite disappear—but you can also pick up "functional fragrances" that boost your mood, "psychodermatology" skincare products that address the stress-skin connection from the inside out, and shower accessories that turn your bathroom into a full-blown spa experience. In today's beauty world, feeling good is the key to looking good—not the other way around, as we've always been led to believe.
How beauty can be a powerful form of self-care
For me, the moments I spend playing with beauty products are a form of meditation, and often the only self-care I can squeeze into my jam-packed days. Creating the perfect cat eye or mastering the brushed-up brow allows me to tune out the world and be present with myself. Popping on an episode of The Valley while I curl my hair or indulging in my nightly full-body lotion massage are my forms of "me" time.
Not only are these acts powerful, but their results can be, too.
On my first day at Condé Nast, MAC Ruby Woo lipstick gave me a confidence boost that made me feel like a real editor.
The morning of my dad's funeral, a blowout helped me feel like a glimmer of myself amid heartbreak.
On my first date with my now-husband, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino became the scent of our love story.
Even on the hardest days, my beauty rituals bring comfort:
"Everything showers" have helped me heal my relationship with my body.
Perfume lifts my mood when I’m low.
Glitter eye makeup gets me out of bed when depression wants me to stay under the covers.
Our beauty routines are meant to make us feel good
All my years as a beauty editor have taught me that beauty isn’t just about products—it’s about how they make us feel. The confidence boost from a bold lip. The comfort of a skincare ritual that calms more than your skin. The joy of taking a moment for yourself.
Why Laugh Lines? Because this is about celebrating the beauty in life’s little moments—the ones that leave their mark on us in the best possible way. It’s about embracing imperfection, finding joy in the journey, and never taking ourselves too seriously.
Here’s what you can expect from Laugh Lines:
Recommendations for joy-inducing beauty products (including the tear-friendly mascaras I swear by!)
Insight on using your routine to feel like the best version of yourself
Essays about my own emotional struggles and the tools that help me navigate them, in beauty and beyond
For now, I want to hear from you! What’s a beauty ritual that makes you feel your best, even on tough days? Hit reply or DM me on Instagram (@zoeweinerrr) to share—I might feature your response in an upcoming issue.
And if you’re loving this newsletter already, please share Laugh Lines with a friend. The more, the merrier!
Thank you for being here. Let’s laugh, learn, and glow together (… we’re workshopping that tagline, I promise).
XX
Zoë