Show Notes
This week, Bridgett interviews Anita Bhagwandas, an award-winning journalist and beauty editor with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Anita has held senior editorial positions at prominent publications, including Stylist, Marie Claire, and Women's Health, and contributed to Vogue, Elle, Allure, i-D, Evening Standard, Glamour, The Telegraph, and many more. Currently, she serves as The Guardian's beauty columnist and freelance Beauty Director at Condé Nast Traveller. Her debut book, Ugly: Giving Us Back Our Beauty Standards, explores the origins and impacts of societal beauty norms, encouraging readers to redefine beauty on their own terms.
In this episode, the two explore Anita's journey from using makeup to fit in to challenging conventional standards throughout her career. They chat about topics such as the influence of historical forces on beauty ideals, the role of social media, and the concept of "pretty privilege." Anita shares insights on the intersection of race and beauty standards and how we can rediscover joy in beauty beyond traditional definitions.
Take a listen to discover the roots of beauty standards and how they manifest in our current social-media-driven world. Follow Anita on Instagram, subscribe to her substack, The Powder Room, and read her book UGLY!
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