You’ll have to excuse me for being rude. I’ve been here for six months and I haven’t introduced myself!

My name is Jessica Wakeman and I’m the new editor ‘round these parts. I’m the “woman behind the curtain,” assigning all the articles and once in a blue moon writing a post myself. I love beauty products, documentary films, cooking, and home decor. When I’m not working, you’ll usually find my nose inside a book or wasting time on Pinterest. I grew up in Connecticut and now I live in Brooklyn with my husband, who I’m trying to convince to adopt a cat.

Before I came to YouBeauty, I wrote and edited for six years at TheFrisky.com, covering everything from women’s political issues to sex and dating. It might seem like sharing makeup tips and recipes are a world away from those subjects. But as someone who believes smart, passionate women can and should be interested in everything, I’ve never seen it quite that way.

A woman’s lifestyle is an expression of how she feels about herself and the imprint she hopes to make on the world. I’m a feminist and also a longtime beauty junkie because I love how playing with hair and makeup can make women feel about ourselves. I care deeply about body positivity, mental health, and health at any size. Through YouBeauty, I want to promote self-confidence in all women, however we choose to express our individuality.

Now that we’ve met formally, I hope you’ll follow me on Twitter and Instagram and reach me at Jess [at] YouBeauty [dot] com. I’m always happy to offer a beauty tip or product recommendation — and I always love to receive a cute animal video. Baby pandas, especially.

Thank you for reading YouBeauty — and make sure to follow us on PinterestInstagram, Facebook, and Twitter so you never miss what we’re cooking up! Without further ado, here’s my very first weekly column on the hair, skin and beauty products I’ve been enjoying this week.  Click on to read more …