A style and beauty blogger known for her edgy aesthetic and silver strands, Ellen V Lora is no stranger to sharing. Almost every single day of the week, Ellen posts a look into her life for her nearly half a million Instagram followers. You can glean a lot from those posts, from outfit inspiration to the best places to travel, but we still can’t get enough! Fortunately for us—and you—Ellen is sharing even more about herself in this exclusive interview. Keep reading to learn more about this successful influencer, including what inspires her and keeps her going, her best skin care tips, all about her extensive hair care routine, and her thoughts on the importance of inclusivity in the media.
ON A TYPICAL WORK DAY…
The “beauty” about being an influencer, Ellen explains, is that every day is different. “Sometimes I’m traveling to a different country shooting a campaign and meeting with new faces,” she says, and other times she’s “creating content at home.” Sometimes, you can even find her “at home in sweats, no makeup and glasses, glued to [the] computer while listening to podcasts and working all day with barely any human contact.” What you won’t find Ellen doing is taking any days off. “I love the beauty of each day and how I choose to be intentional with my time,” she says.
ON BEAUTY TIPS AND HACKS…
Speaking of beauty, Ellen stands by some tried and tested beauty tips, recommending to “always take your makeup off before bed—or better yet, right when you come home for the day.” Another beauty rule she lives by: “Clean your makeup brushes every week!”
ON BEAUTY TRENDS…
Take one look at Ellen’s Instagram and you’ll quickly learn that when it comes to beauty and fashion trends, she’s as adventurous as they come. Speaking about beauty trends in particular, Ellen says there isn’t a beauty trend she won’t try, saying she “can’t rule anything out.” When it comes to beauty trends she’s currently loving, she says “the glow, for both face and body, colorful eyeshadows, a thick brushed-up brow [and] faux freckles” are a few of her favorites.
ON HAIR CARE AND COLOR…
Another thing you’ll be quick to notice about Ellen is something we couldn’t help but mention earlier—her silver-purple mane. “At this point, I can’t see myself doing any other color,” she says. “It’s a part of my signature look now.”
Since she bleaches her naturally dark strands, keeping her color-treated hair in tip-top shape is always a priority. “I have to dye my hair every four to six weeks, so I have to make sure I’m taking care of it to avoid breakage and dryness,” Ellen explains. “I use a shampoo, conditioner, and in-shower hair balm and then out of the shower I use a leave-in conditioner, followed by two leave-in hair sprays, one for protein and the other for UV + heat protection. Then, I use a lightweight but effective hair oil before and after blow-drying.” The intensity of her hair care routine isn’t lost on Ellen, who admits that her “locks are pretty high maintenance,” but judging by her amazing silver hue, it’s certainly worth it!
ON SKIN CARE…
Ellen’s dedication to beauty goes beyond hair care; skin care is clearly also important to Ellen, who describes her daily skin care routine as “pretty extensive.” After double cleansing with “cleansing oil and micellar water,” she follows up with a third cleanser and a cleansing tool to get completely clean. Next, it’s time for face oil, moisturizer, and eye cream, and using a rose quartz roller that's kept in the fridge. A few times per week, Ellen also uses a lip mask and an overnight face mask.
ON HER FAVORITE L'Oréal PRODUCTS…
The Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Lipsticks are at the top of Ellen’s the list of L’Oréal must-haves, she even notes that she hasn’t stopped using the lip colors since she got her hands on them. “I’m such a matte girl, and this one stays on all day and night without drying out my lips,” Ellen raves. “Another all-time favorite of mine is the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm and Leave-In Conditioner, I travel with the full-sized bottles of both. One time I made the mistake of not bringing it with me on a trip and my hair was not happy with me,” she continues.
ON HER FIRST BIG GIG…
Ellen’s love for L'Oréal Paris isn’t new—her first “big job” was actually with the company. “I got cast for the L'Oréal Colorista purple box, when I had purple hair! So, I’ve loved L'Oréal from the jump!”
ON HOW HER CAREER BEGAN…
“I would definitely say it was a long time coming and all my past jobs and experiences have led me to where I am today,” Ellen shares. “When I first began, I honestly didn’t see this as a business opportunity, but more as a creative outlet and it organically blossomed into a career.” Ellen attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where her love of wardrobe blossomed. “I studied costume design for theatre and film in college, then worked at a fashion PR agency, then under a celebrity stylist while doing Instagram on the side wherever I saw free time. I was always in the fashion and beauty realm and my love began there. I eventually saw an opportunity and went full-time in 2015 and haven’t looked back since. It was meant to be.”
ON HOW HER COLLEGE MAJOR HELPED SHAPE HER CAREER…
Ellen says that her studies helped nurture her “love of storytelling” through wardrobe and costuming. “How we dress speaks volumes,” Lora says. School also taught her to stay curious and creative—a must in this industry.
ON WHERE SHE FINDS INSPIRATION…
“A lot of my inspiration, of course, comes from Instagram and the selective people and accounts I follow,” Ellen explains. She also still loves “digital and print editorials” and "how people are really thinking out of the box.” To keep track of everything she comes across that sparks feelings of inspiration, she keeps a “very long running folder of people, images, poems, and places that inspire [her]” on her phone.
ON FASHION TRENDS SHE’S LOVING…
For Ellen, right now it’s all about “mixing comfort with edge.” What does that mean, exactly? “Taking daily wear and mixing it with high end, unisex clothing, feminine edge, pops of color, and having fun!”
ON WHERE SHE SEES HER CAREER GOING FROM HERE…
Lora doesn’t plan on slowing down in the fashion and beauty spaces any time soon, but her career ambitions don’t stop with posting OOTDs. “I hope to connect to more like-[minded] young females who are quickly getting their minds and opinions shaped by social media,” Ellen says. “I want them to see a figure they can relate and look up to. I didn’t have many Asian American females to look up to in the media growing up, so representation and inclusion are important.” Her fans will be happy to learn that a possible Ellen V Lora brand is on the horizon. “Ultimately, I want to start my own brand from everything I’ve learned and continue to learn, and in something I believe in,” she says. In summary: “Career to CEO.”
Loving our L'Oréal Lifestyle series? Next up: Going Beyond Beauty, Militza Yovanka Lets You into Her World.
