Condé Nast posted their summer internships.
Plus surviving NYE beautifully, should authors be on Substack, and more.
Good morning everyone. Over the weekend, I asked my readers what their most strongly-held predictions for 2026 were. Responses included: moral questions around assisted fertility, visible bra straps, a rise in popularity of traditional Chinese medicine, people turning on Esth*r P*rel, Substack writers unionizing, and predictions markets making gambling legal across the US.
If you’d like to read what everyone had to say or submit your own, head over to the Feed Me Substack chat.
Today’s letter includes: Ken Klippenstein went offline for a week and now he wants to start a news site off Substack, Christmas commercials made without AI won the holiday season, anonymous editors told New York Magazine that authors shouldn’t be on Substack, and Condé Nast’s summer interns will get $25/hour.
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If you need two hands to count the amount of holiday party hangovers you had this month, have a suitcase somewhere in your bedroom that has yet to be unpacked, and can’t remember the last time your legs saw the sun, you’re not alone — we’re also sensing that rallying for New Year’s Eve will be more of a marathon than a sprint. Maybe “holiday season beauty” sounds like a paradox to you, because the dead of winter is not the time of year when you feel most beautiful. Maybe you’ve been sitting under a red light like a hen, waiting for your skin to glow like it did in August. Or, you’ve been busy playing Santa/mom/daughter-in-law/responsive manager and haven’t found the time to read a book during the languid days between Christmas and January 1.
We hope that many of you will be going out-out on New Year’s Eve. Or at least just out. In the spirit of getting you through the last stretch of the holiday season before hunkering down on January 1, we’ve asked 12 beauty experts — from dermatologists to editors to acupuncturists — about their best hacks for the holidays.
Jenna Perry, colorist and founder of Jenna Perry Hair:
The best holiday hair looks like you didn’t try too hard because you didn’t have to. Start with the cleanest hair possible and a great blowout. I recommend straying from wanded/iron waves because they are dated and usually flatten by day two. Book in at Jenna’s on 9th or Jenna Perry Hair and ask your stylist for a ’90s-inspired voluminous blowout using R+Co Bleu Essential Blow Dry Crème (created by Garren, so you know it delivers). Keep it fresh on day two and three with a dry shampoo like Olaplex’s No. 4 Dry Shampoo and when it’s time to switch it up, spray in R+Co Bleu Ultra Dry Texture Spray for that Bardot-esque texture and pull your hair into a sexy 60s French twist or chignon with a hair pin.
Savannah Galvin, beauty writer and sales associate at the Goop store on Bond Street:
The holiday season is hard on skin in ways we don’t always realize. My best advice is to think a few days ahead: about three days before the big event, I’ll use a glycolic acid overnight peel pad, Naturopathica if your skin is sensitive, Goop if you can handle more — to gently resurface and reset everything. It gives the immediate glow-from-within effect and makes makeup look noticeably better. From there, hydration is non-negotiable. I always layer a water-based serum (Evolve beauty is my favorite) and never skip a highlight stick. Victoria Beckham Beauty in Pearl is my go to for catching all the light in the most natural way. And because party season is also prime sick season, I rely on liposomal vitamin C sachets for immune support. It tastes awful, so I mix it in some juice and take it like a shot. Low effort, high pay off.
Dr. Juliana Berk-Krauss, dermatologist and professor at USC:
This skincare hack is a bit nontraditional, but it works. It involves triple paste cream, which yes, is a diaper cream. I can’t promise your skin will feel like a baby’s bottom, but it’ll come damn close.
I start by applying a layer of CeraVe healing ointment on my eyelid skin and lips — or wherever else is particularly dried out, but be careful of applying broadly to your face if you have acne-prone skin. The CeraVe ointment is my go-to because it contains the humectant hyaluronic acid, drawing moisture in, and ceramides and petrolatum, which seal your skin barrier. (Vaseline and Aquaphor are great too, but Aquaphor contains lanolin, a potential allergen.) Then I apply a layer of the Triple Paste — I use the sheer zinc option which is less messy. I let this sit overnight. The combo hydrates, protects, and soothes the skin, leaving it plump, flake and redness-free. Start a few nights before a holiday party, and even repeat a couple hours before applying makeup for optimal results. If your lips are particularly flakey, you can apply the Ordinary PHA 5% exfoliating lip serum before the ointment and paste. Avoid an exfoliant if you have cold sores, painful or bleeding lips. See a board-certified dermatologist if you have chronically irritated lips, as you could be dealing with a skin condition beyond dry skin.
Amy Francombe, writer and contributing editor at Vogue Business:
My favourite TikTok beauty hack I still use to this day: curl your eyelashes and use a waterproof mascara to lock in the volume. Using regular water-based mascara is like taking your perfect blowout for a jog in the rain. Speaking of blowouts: for truly special occasions, just spend the 40 bucks at the salon. I’ve tried, repeatedly, and never achieved the same result with a Dyson. A proper blowout will last you a good five days anyway, especially with dry shampoo. Instead invest in a good make up primer (I love Shiseido Synchro Skin Soft Blurring Primer), baking powder (Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder) and under-eye concealer (HAUS Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating Concealer). I also swear by knowing exactly how long you take to get ready and not starting a minute earlier. Nothing kills the vibe faster than over-faffing in front of the mirror, convincing yourself to change outfits for the fourth time. You look great, don’t overthink it.
Whenever I’m truly in a rut I go to Vogue’s Beauty Secrets YouTube channel and find a celebrity with similar hair, eye and skin color. Pretty much all my lip combos and eyeshadow palettes are curated by that series at this point.