Olivia Perez | Violet Vanities

OLIVIA PEREZ: I would do an Australia trip with you. I always follow your travels [on Instagram] and I love the way you experience a place because you are so invested in the culture. I remember watching your Mexico City trip and being like, Oh my god! But I think I’d want to go camping with you or some sort of adventurous trip where we are in nature and not on our phones. Wherever we go, I want it to be very Zen and chill because you are the master at providing those vibes.

OP: That’s so funny because one of my first thoughts was an Iceland trip where we could climb all of the cool glaciers, watch the Northern Lights, and be cozy!

OP: I traveled to New Orleans a couple years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite places in the world. It’s an extremely eclectic city for a lot of reasons. The food and culture is definitely a diamond in the rough in terms of America. More importantly, the people are some of the kindest in the world and really welcome you into the city as if it were your own. People would invite me over for gumbo or just to hang out on a Sunday. It was nice to see that in our own backyard.

OP: I went to Siem Reap in Cambodia close to 10 years ago. I loved that city a lot. There's a ton of poverty there and that's extremely difficult to see, but at the same time there's something energetically very beautiful about being at Angkor Wat. The people are very eclectic and fun no matter what their situation is. They love their city, they love the tourists coming in, and they were very welcoming. I ended up taking a little boat on the river that runs through Siem Reap. There's literally a town on a river where people live in houses that are floating on the water. It's one of those moments where you're so out of your comfort zone and in such a beautiful place that all of the little things just kind of fade away. It's probably very different now. It's funny, I traveled to all of these incredible places before social media was a thing. I feel really grateful that I was able to do that. I think the way people enjoy destinations is really different now because of social media. It’s about capturing a lot on your phone versus being fully immersed in a moment. Of course, that's a sweeping generalization because not everybody does that.

OP: I think Instagram is a huge utility. There are so many benefits to it and being connected to the world is amazing. But going to Siem Reap with no knowledge of what the city looked like or what to expect made it more magical for me. I was able to discover it for myself. Now, I have my phone in my hand 24/7. It’s about capturing the moment and little tidbits of inspiration for me, not other people.

OP: I've learned to adapt the idea of home to anywhere I am. Between LA and New York, I have such a nomadic life. For me, home is so much about the energy I bring into a space. I bring a lot of things with me everywhere I go. I bring my little jewelry box with me. I literally bring every beauty product that I own even if I’m not 100% sure I need it. I like having my little totems. I keep a rose quartz crystal that my mom gave me in my carry-on. It never leaves. My dad is French Moroccan, so I spent a lot of time in the South of France growing up. I have so many childhood memories and I feel like I know every town and city like the back of my hand. It always feels like home to me.

OP: The food choices. I probably travel every other week and I feel like there are such limited options. It's so brutal and sometimes I don't have time to pick something up. It's really difficult to find real sustenance. My worst enemy on a plane is salt. I’m already inflamed and swollen all the time. I have Hashimoto’s, which is an autoimmune disease that causes a ton of inflammation.

OP: I’m like a hermit when I travel! I feel like I'm in a little bubble. I either pass out or I have my headphones in working. I'm not really communicative with the person next to me. I’m a window seat person. I create my own little world.

OP: I see so many people doing sheet masks on a plane and that's a little too messy for me. I don't know if I have a small face, but sheet masks don't fit me at all! It's an ordeal and I don't like it. I do have a nice little program: I always wash my face before and after a flight with Cetaphil cleansing clothes. I use Blue Mercury’s M-61 Hydraboost serum pad to stay moisturized. Then, I’ll throw on Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask and Bliss eye gel, which has a cooling metal ball that is really good for depuffing. I also take turmeric supplements daily, which are great before or after a flight. What about you?

OP: What is the best beauty souvenir you’ve picked up abroad?

OP: Does it have to be physical? Anytime I go somewhere, I gain new knowledge of a culture or a different way of life. That's the best souvenir I could ever bring home. I love being able to get out of my bubble and experience the world the way somebody else views it.