You learn something new every day, and during our interview with WWD editor Kristi Garced we learned that some people can put on make up in the dark. That’s right, Kristi has her beauty game on lock, to the point where she can apply eyeliner without having the lights on. However we’re not really surprised, working as fashion editor and nightlife reporter she needs to go from office to gala quickly, so it only makes sense that her beauty skills are super sharp. We talked to Kristi about her beauty routine (important: she told us which concealer can make you look awake when you head out a the party after the office), her unfortunate eyebrow incident in her teens, and when she feels the most beautiful.

Job: Fashion Market Editor, WWD

Heritage: Puerto Rican, Italian (Sicilian) and Syrian

What’s your attitude towards beauty and grooming?
I would never say that I’m not high maintenance, I get manicures and pedicures weekly, I’m very groomed. It’s kind of a New Jersey thing, my mom did that, so I got that regular grooming thing from her.

However I’m not a 12-step skin care girl, I use a moisturizer during the day and then one at night. I’ve basically had the same makeup routine since I started wearing makeup. I emphasize my eyes with eyeliner and mascara, that’s pretty much it. Then I use a little bit of lipstick, usually one that’s the same color as my skin. It’s rare that I wear a color. Recently I was hanging out with a friend and did my makeup just in a dark room, and he was like “you’re putting on make up in the dark right now” and I was like “yeah, I know.”

What have been some of your most memorable nightlife and fashion reporting moments?
I covered a Harper’s Bazaar event at The Carlyle Hotel a few months back and was face-to-face with design visionaries ranging from Alessandro Michele of Gucci, to Alber Elbaz. I don’t cover the shows in Europe — only New York — so talking to them was super exciting.

As for parties, I rarely feel starstruck, but I loved interviewing Susan Sarandon once at a film premiere. She was incredibly candid and answered my questions so thoughtfully, which is obviously the best case scenario for a journalist. Ditto to Meryl Streep, who I witnessed give a powerful speech once at an award show. They’re iconic.

Is fashion week as glamorous as it seems?
Of course fashion week has glamorous moments; sometimes a show is so beautiful it can move me to tears. That usually happens at least once every season. Catching a taxi on Tenth Avenue, while peacocking street style “celebs” and photographers clog the street and you’ve got 30 minutes till your next show? Decidedly un-glam.

How do you prepare for a super long day that starts early in the morning and ends late at an event at night?
I need makeup and heels to feel ready for a night out. I’ve never been a flats kinda girl. I keep a separate bag of makeup at my desk for touch-ups and I used to keep heels under my desk, too. But I hate getting ready in the office bathroom. I really try to stop home first, work out, relax, shower and change. Plus, I have a dog to tend to, so I need to!

What’s your go-to going out look?
Everyone who knows me knows my go-to look — a crop-top or some other little sexy top with pants. I have some dresses I’ll wear in the summer, but for the most part I feel the most myself in pants and high heels. Then I’ll throw a sporty or oversize jacket over it to keep it from feeling too “done.” There always has to be an element of undone-ness to what I’m wearing. Having messy hair helps.

What five products can you not live without?
Bobbi Brown concealer because they make you look awake which is the most important thing since I stay up so late. Then eyeliner is so important to me, I use MAC and Chanel. I use a diffuser to blowdry my hair, it helps me get the wavy style that I like. I also love Nars matte lip pencils.

Your hair is a big part of your look, tell me what you do with it?
I never cut it — I go twice a year. I just started going to this girl Pooja at Blackstones. She’s awesome and knows what I want. I use a texturizing mousse from Oribe. I don’t use a brush, I just blowdry my hair with the diffuser and just run my fingers through it. I wash my hair every two to three days. I also have this amazing colorist his name is Bryan Thomson-DiPalma he just switched to Mauricio Salon and he does my highlights. They’re so subtle that even my mom is like “you got highlights?” He doesn’t give me anything stripey, it’s perfect.

What beauty tips did you get from your mom?
I remember going into my mom’s bathroom when I was little and the makeup she had definitely influenced me. She would take me to the mall to buy makeup products. We have slightly different ideas about beauty, she’s always like “your hair needs to be more brushed!” I think she would like for me to be more polished.

Have you ever made any beauty mistakes?
In high school I overtweezed my eyebrows — it’s crazy how much your eyebrows affect your face. I look back at myself with these tiny eyebrows, it’s brutal. I also got my hair dyed at the mall once and it was just jet black. So stuff like that.

How did you get your eyebrows to grow back?
I honestly just let them grow back and they’re normal now.

What’s your scent?
I have a couple. Diptyque’s Philosykos and Frau Tonis. I also just started using Laura Mercier body lotion which is a bit of a splurge for me since I don’t usually use $35 body lotion but it smells great like vanilla and coconut.

When do you feel most beautiful?
I feel the most beautiful when I’m done up. When I have my make up on and I’m with a guy that means something to me.

Images by Nianga Niang