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SOPHIA
ROE
The chef and wellness guru gets real with VIOLET GREY about happiness, her beauty routine, and why she’s not interested in simply sitting at the table.
Written By AMBER KALLOR
Hair By NEEKO
Photography By CASSANDRA GREY
Makeup By JOE STRETTELL
VIOLET STATS
Name: Sophia Roe
Job Description: Chef, wellness advocate, writer
Instagram: @sophia_roe
I’m happy, how are you? Those five little words are the simple-yet-loaded response you’re likely to receive from Sophia Roe—a chef, wellness guru, and self-proclaimed “food and feelings advocate”—if you happen to ask her how she’s doing these days. It’s also one of the many tattoos (located on her left arm) you’re likely to notice upon meeting the multifaceted storyteller in the flesh. Happiness isn’t something that Roe takes lightly. Despite dressing like a “Skittle” in New York City’s sea of black and cooking in full-throttle color with makeup artist Violette as part of her YouTube series, Eat The Rainbow, her days weren’t always so bright. Like any resourceful cook, however, she knows how to turn lemons into sweet and satisfying lemonade.
“I was a foster care kid. My mom is a drug addict. I haven’t been in contact with her for five years. My dad died before I could meet him. I have three siblings that I didn’t grow up with. It’s gnarly,” Roe explains of her past. “I’m also so happy and so okay. I feel like the greatest gift I was ever given was a tumultuous childhood because it prepared me to do the work that I do now, which is to tell stories and give other people space to tell their own.”
In addition to managing a very full plate, which includes creating “conscious programming for everybody” (with American Express as part of the brand’s newly established Platinum Collective), Roe is penning her first book (scheduled for release next year) that is a compilation of short-but-true stories. “It’s sort of a memoir slash ritual remedy book,” she says. “Everyone has trauma. Everybody. The idea that my trauma is worse than another person’s trauma is crazy.” Roe is hoping that her book will help others overcome the blows dealt by life, whether that means working through issues surrounding your parents or not knowing who you are. “I had to do 23andMe to find out what my breakdown was, but it turns out that a lot of people have similar narratives,” she explains.
Roe remains firmly committed to living her truth, which extends to her beauty routine. “Eight years ago, I remember going to two different salons and they would not cut my hair with bangs because they said it would look bad with my texture. So, I woke up in the middle of the night and cut them myself,” she says of her signature look inspired by Donna Summer, her beauty icon. “Now, everybody has curly bangs. I’ve never had a professional haircut in my life. I don’t trust anybody!” She’s also hellbent on keeping her many tattoos “crispy” by religiously applying her favorite Shiseido Clear Stick UV Protector. “I don’t walk out of the house without it and I reapply every hour, especially on my hands if I’m driving,” she stresses. Asked if she would ever cover up her tats for an important red carpet event such as the Academy Awards, she replied: “I want to bust open the stereotype that Oscar winners look a certain way. I’m just not interested in sitting at the table and more interested in building my own.”
SOPHIA'S
SELF-CARE
ROUTINE
In addition to cooking and writing, Roe also views beauty as an effective coping mechanism. “I think it’s very important to find a ritual or a remedy and be consistent with it,” she says. “Wellness can be just about how something makes you feel.” Here, VIOLET GREY gets the scoop on Roe’s existing head-to-toe routine and offers up a few additions for glowy skin, bouncy curls, and an even spicier sex life.
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“I’m all about staying lifted,” says Sophia. “I ZIIP like it’s my religion! I use it twice a day and it’s really made a difference—I feel awake when I use it.” In addition to using the nano-current device to “keep everything where it’s supposed to be,” it’s her preferred way of battling breakouts and hyperpigmentation without causing irritation.
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“I keep it simple because I have perioral dermatitis on my face from trying too many products,” says Sophia. “This serum has completely changed the game and is actually designed for relieving dermatitis.” This hydrating formula replaces and prevents the loss of moisture to soothe sensitive or inflamed skin STAT.
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“So many people wonder why they look like the Crypt Keeper and it’s because they are stripping their faces,” warns Sophia. “I’m all about moisture.” One 15-minute session with this ultra-thin sheet mask infused with anti-aging superfoods and botanical oils drenches dry skin with hydration and leaves it looking luminous.
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“I love the transformation that happens between getting out of the shower and leaving for an event,” says Roe. “It’s like a painting—I get to take my blank canvas and express whatever internal feelings I may be having outwardly.” Exfoliating with this detoxifying scrub that combines French sea salt with nutrient-rich oils ensures Sophia will start with a clean slate every time.
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“I tried the face cream for two months in the winter and my skin was like ‘Yes, ma’am!’” says Sophia. “People ask me all the time if it’s worth it and I’m like ‘Listen, it really is. I just want it all over me.’” Now it can be with the launch of Augustinus Bader’s new non-greasy body cream that features the same stem cell technology found in the brand’s cult-favorite complexion products.
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“There is something so sexy about super-smooth and mega-moisturized hands,” says Sophia. “A fresh manicure on top of gorgeously exfoliated and moisturized hands? The sexiest!” Cooking entails constant handwashing. This soap and lotion duo enriched with Alpine herbs and plants keeps this chef’s skin soft and soothed.
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“I wash my hair every ten days or so,” she says. “The longer the better with my texture.” Sophia swears by spraying an antibacterial combo of colloidal silver and tea tree oil on her scalp daily, but this detox from Act + Acre will help eliminate product buildup and pollution once a week. It also contains moisturizing oils that leave strands shiny and strong.
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“I’m notorious for doing pops of color on my eyes, especially in the summertime,” she says. To recreate Sophia’s ravishing ruby lids, reach for Chanel’s ultra-soft and easy-to-blend eyeshadow for foolproof results.
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“My favorite look is pretty simple but strong,” says Roe. “I love a bare face with only mascara and lipstick. There is something so effortless yet still perfectly transformative about it.” The right red: this silky formula that delivers an intense dose of color in a single swipe.
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“I usually spice up my sex life by having sex in different places—staycation and kitchen sex is the BEST—or by integrating new positions or techniques. But no products yet,” she says. Enter this portable and powerful device that also doubles as a necklace. Featuring four speeds and two modes (pulsing and constant), this slim and stainless steel toy guarantees good vibes anytime, anywhere.