Portrait
September 5th, 2022
SARAH HARRIS
Journalist and Fashion Features Director at British Vogue.
Life story
Is there a turning point in your life that made you the woman you are today?
SARAH HARRIS. I think it’s hard to pinpoint one turning point, I think everything you do in life informs the next chapter, but to name a few it would be moving to London, working at Vogue and with Edward Enninful, becoming a wife and a mother, it’s all a journey.
What is your greatest pride?
S.H. Without question my 4-year-old daughter. Watching her grow and change is my greatest pleasure.
What is a typical day like for you?
S.H. No two days are ever the same, but I always drop my daughter at nursery every morning and bath her and put her to bed every evening. What happens in-between is mostly spent in the office, on Zoom calls, meeting with fashion brands, designers, and planning future issues of the magazine.
What is your current project?
S.H. I’m the deputy editor of British Vogue so we have lots of projects cooking!
A leitmotif/mantra in life?
S.H. Perspective; don’t sweat the small stuff.
Beauty and well-being
How did you build your relationship with beauty/well-being?
S.H. I’ve always loved beauty and trying new products. Ever since I was young I used to love pots of cream and concocting face masks, I remember Saturdays aged 15 spent bent over a bath tub dying my hair copper (wash in / wash out) with my two best friends. Certainly, I’m less adventurous now and a lot more edited in my choices!
How do you take care of yourself today? What are your moments just for you?
S.H.. If I manage to carve out an hour or two just for me – which, honestly, is pretty rare! – Then I love to book a facial. It’s such a treat to relax and have someone work their magic.
What advice would you give to feel good about yourself?
S.H. Someone once said to me, be thankful for the face you have today because in 10 years’ time it will be the face you wish you had. And it’s quite true, I think we get too hung up on ageing – at least the early signs of ageing – and really, it should be celebrated more, it’s a privilege to grow old, more people should see it that way.
The beauty of the future in 3 words for you?
S.H. Technology, science, sustainability.
Routines and skin care
What is your relationship with your skin? Has it evolved during your life?
S.H. I’ve always had pretty good skin so I’ve tried to look after it as the years have gone by. I’ve never had botox or anything invasive, I try to have regular facials, I use good products, and try to get a solid 8 hours sleep a night. Drinking 2 litres of water is also important – but I’ve never been so good with that one.
What is your daily routine?
S.H. In the mornings, I wash with water, apply vitamin C and then a moisturiser. In the evenings, I cleanse, apply hyaluronic acid and moisturise. If I have 20 minutes after bath time with my daughter then I will apply a sheet mask before the Vit C and moisturiser – which she finds hilarious and loves to peel off.
Any beauty tips you wish you had known when you were younger?
S.H. Probably stay out of the sun, which maybe I did know but the skin you have at 18 you think is the skin you will have forever. I probably laid in the sun a little too much over the years, but having said that, I still do it now because I enjoy it so much – and I’m not going to lie, I like having a light tan – but I should have probably worn an SPF50 a lot sooner than I did.
Your must-haves: The product(s) you would take to a desert island?
S.H. Lip balm – it’s a must for me, I can never be without it – and sunscreen! I also love a good vitamin C serum and hyaluronic acid.
Your favorite myBlend product(s)?
S.H. Superserum Hydration, superserum wrinkles, revitalising cream, myLEDmask.
How has your job as an editor impacted your vision of beauty?
S.H. I think in recent years the industry has really made great strides when it comes to diversifying what used to be, a really singular vision of beauty. It’s great seeing how casting choices have broadened – in terms of race, age, size, sexuality – in campaigns and on the runways. It needed to happen.
When it comes to beauty products, working at a magazine you’re lucky in that you get to see and try every new launch, you’re exposed to every product that ever existed, but because of that you’re also able to quickly cut through a lot of the noise and really define what does and doesn’t work for your skin.
& finally
As an editor you are exposed to a lot of beauty brands & product innovations. How do you select your favourites?
S.H. It all comes down to what does and doesn’t work for your skin. Some products claim incredible results but they might not be right for you. Putting it really simply, I choose what works, I like to see brighter, firmer, more radiant skin and I think you can when you’re using something that works for you. I love vitamin C, a really hydrating moisturiser (which is even more important during the winter months when you’re exposed to colder climates and heating at home, which can be dehydrating). Like anything in life, sometimes you have to try a lot to find the few that are right.