The year I turned 23 was pretty big for me. I'd been at my first beauty job for a full year, and I was settling into a makeup look I felt comfortable with. It was also the first time I chopped my hair short — a look I liked at the time, but that my mother hated. This was also the start of the eyebrow craze, and I took to it like a fish to water. I started filling in my set every single day, and loved the way fuller brows offset my mascara-and-red-lip lewk.Things stayed pretty much the same makeup-wise from 2013 to 2014, although I did start experimenting with the cat-eye. I also started embracing my natural hair texture a bit more, although it would be a few more months until I got a cut that really flattered it. The bad part about this period was my hair color — I'd gotten these horrible Kelly Clarkson-style chunky highlights that did nothing for me.I'm a person who believes in soul mates — people who come into your life whose energy just matches yours. That's how I felt when I met Wes Sharpton of Hairstory Studio in New York City. Wes gave me the best haircut of my entire life — a sexy, choppy shag that made my natural hair texture sing. Aside from the occasional trim from my brother (whom Wes approves of), I haven't let a single other human cut my hair. As my best friend Justin said, "I think this is your haircut." Also of note: This was the year I embraced the cat-eye as my secondary beauty look. I now wear both that and red lips on the regular.