“I grew up in Sydney, Australia, and I got really lucky in high school by booking a big acting job in Unbroken, the 2014 movie directed by Angelina Jolie. My role was completely cut in the end, but the job took me to LA and helped me get my visa. I did a few other films, but honestly, when I don’t feel passionate about a project it is hard for me to give it the attention it deserves. That’s all to say that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I did know that I always loved cooking—I even had a food blog when I was younger. Then a friend of mine who was planning to open a cafe asked me to create their breakfast menu. I spent months doing that but nothing ever happened with that concept because the cafe never opened. But it was the first time that I developed recipes professionally and it made me realize that I wanted to do more of it, so I became a private chef. As I threw these amazing dinner parties, more people started hiring me. One thing led to the next and I opened my catering and production company, Sophie’s Table. Our events seat anywhere from 10 to 300 guests in LA and New York.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with brands like Rhode, Sezane, Oddli, Orebella by Bella Hadid, and Sephora. What’s really special is that in addition to allowing me to make food that I love, these events give me the opportunity to create beautiful tablescapes. When I worked with Thurma, the bedroom furniture company, we created an ice tower; we designed food trays that matched the color of their wood, which felt very poetic, and we had a florist create incredible designs with plants. On the menu level, since the company is San-Francisco based, everything was inspired by the city. The theme was ’sourdough.’ We had seafood, of course—oysters and skewers of mussels brined in tomato vinegar with Iraqi pickled carrots. The carrots were inspired by my dad. Growing up, we always had this big jar of pickles in the fridge that my dad would constantly stuff with food scraps. My dad has a catering company, too, so it was a full circle moment to include one of his dishes into a project of my own.
SKINCARE
I have dry skin that gets a little bit red and bumpy sometimes, so I try not to use too much on it. Sometimes I just splash water on my face in the mornings. If I do use a cleanser, it’s Biba de Sousa’s daily one. Lately, I’ve been spritzing myself with Goldfaden MD’s Mist Rx—it’s great after I’ve done my makeup, too—before doing a layer of Merit’s Great Skin serum. My skin really soaks it up. I have dark eye circles quite naturally that look sort of sunken—and I also don’t really like sleeping that much—so I always look tired, but I genuinely think Goldfaden’s Bright Eyes concentrate helps. Then I apply either Merit’s Great Skin moisturizer or Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural rich cream and let it dry. Emma’s from Australia, too. She also has this fantastic illuminating body oil that’s slightly bronzy and leaves me so glowy. And I do my best with sunscreen. Some of my makeup has SPF, but when I’m not wearing one with sunscreen, I like Lesse’s Every Tone SPF 30, which are these really light drops that leave me feeling fresh-faced. Oh, and the only lip mask I like is Ilia’s Lip Wrap. I’m quite reluctant with balms because they usually make my lips even more dry, but I love wearing a thick layer of this to bed and I always wake up with soft lips. And, that’s pretty much it. I don’t get facials—although I want to start—and I don’t do Botox. The one time I got lip filler, I panicked and got it dissolved two weeks later. I think I went a little overboard and my lips felt bumpy. By the way, getting lip filler hurt so much. It felt like I was getting my lips pierced. And then getting it dissolved? Just as painful.
MAKEUP
I always keep my skin pretty minimal, but I love Ciele’s serum foundation in Light Medium. It gives me some coverage but truly leaves my skin feeling like it’s still my skin and not like I’m wearing a mask. It also has SPF 50. The Saie Slip Tint concealer isn’t heavy either. I use shades 3 and 5 depending on the season. I mostly use it on my eyes, but I use it to cancel out any redness on my skin, too.
The Rhode Pocket blush in Freckle is so beautiful on the apples of my cheeks. I also like my lips to look a little bit blushed rather than well-lined and this is the perfect product to achieve that. Otherwise, I love Merit’s Signature Lip in Court, a warm brick color, all over. Their Shade Slick in Sangria is also beautiful.
One thing about me: I love a heavy eye and brow. Chanel’s brow powder is amazing. It goes on pretty lightly so you can build it up as much as you want. I’ve tried some others that were way too faint, but with this one, I can add more and still have control over the intensity so I never come away feeling like my eyebrows are two completely different colors or shapes. You can’t really fuck it up. Meanwhile, any old liquid eyeliner will do, although I recently tried NYX’s Epic Ink liner and I’m obsessed because it’s easy to put on and lasts forever. I’ve tried so many expensive ones that lasted me all of two weeks before fading or drying out, which makes it so hard to do clean lines. I always go for a brown shade. But as for mascara…I never wear it. I find it really hard to remove, and I already don’t have a lot of lashes so I don’t need to put them through the wringer.
HAIR & FRAGRANCE
I cut my own hair, which I learned by confidence and instinct—and a lot of bad haircuts. [Laughs] Sometimes it’s the best cut ever—I’ve had friends ask me to do their hair because I get it so right. I even had a friend who is a model ask me. I remember telling her I probably shouldn’t because she relies on her looks, but she was very happy in the end.
To wash, I use the Davines Momo shampoo and conditioner. They smell so good, and I like the way my hair feels after I use them. I also recently got Uni’s hydrating shampoo and conditioner and I’m a fan so far. And the Crown Affair leave-in is a must. I have a lot of hair but it’s really fine, so it can get really knotty, especially when I’m in New York and I wear a jacket. I feel better having some sort of ‘protection’ on it.
Serge Lutens discontinued Jeux de Peau for so long, but I’m so happy they recently brought it back. They’re going to disagree with me, but I reckon it smells like buttered popcorn. [Laughs] There was a nuttiness to it when I first smelled it, too. It’s so unique and has become my favorite smell. At home, I like to burn piñon incense because I love a woody, smoky smell. But I especially love the smell when I make a giant chicken stock and leave it on the stove for 12 hours.”
—As told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Brittany Bravo in Los Angeles on August 6, 2024
