Across Oceans and Lipsticks: A Friendship Built on Beauty and Letters
All great love stories start somewhere, but sometimes the “love” in question isn’t romantic at all—it’s a friendship that reshapes your life. For beauty writer Daise Bedolla and journalist Daniela Morosini, that story began with a simple email.
It was 2019. Daise, then a social media editor at The Cut and a beauty writer on the side, was preparing a column called Why Is Your Skin So Good?, which explored the skincare secrets of those who seemingly radiated effortless glow. Her editor, Kathleen Hou, now Beauty Director at Elle, passed along Daniela’s name. Daise’s message was brief:
“Hope you’re well. Could you tell me more about your skincare routine + beauty philosophy for consideration? Would love a list of the products that you use and how you got into skincare.”
Little did she know that this email would spark a transatlantic friendship stretching 3,470 miles, connecting New York and London, bound by late-night FaceTimes, surprise packages, and a shared love for all things skincare and beauty.
Rituals Across Time Zones
Maintaining this friendship requires deliberate effort. FaceTimes and phone calls are carefully scheduled, packages arrive unannounced, and the two use Locket, an iPhone widget, to share live photos on each other’s home screens—a digital hug across continents. Daise describes the joy of unlocking her phone to find a silly selfie or a note from Daniela as “always a bright spot” in her day.
Their love for beauty products extends beyond conversation. Short Locket notes of 25 characters or less carry recommendations, and letters exchanged for Galentine’s Day reveal deeper reflections on products they adore. These letters, overflowing with enthusiasm, highlight the intimacy of their shared beauty language.
A Love Letter to Lippies and Lip Care
Daise’s letters are a playful chronicle of her beauty obsessions. She confesses to carrying 12 lip products in her purse—an assortment including Fara Homidi liner, Eadem Le Chouchou, and Ami Colé lip oils—all of which were thoughtfully gifted or recommended by Daniela. Dusty rose shades dominate her current rotation, with occasional excursions into soft pinks via Westman Atelier and U Beauty lip compounds.
Lip care is equally methodical. Daise rotates through Dr. Dennis Gross treatments, Ân-Gloss, Glossier’s Balm Dotcom, and Retrouvé serum, creating a regimen designed to keep lips plump, hydrated, and flake-free. Body care follows the same devotion: dry brushing with a Tronque brush, exfoliation with Lilis Instant Peel, and daily use of Kate McLeod’s body stone. Even Neutrogena’s light sesame oil plays a role in maintaining supple skin.
Skincare as Ritual
The friendship extends to facial care rituals, with Daise noting the influence of Daniela on her routine. She exfoliates with Danucera’s D22 Tonic, layers toner, mist, eye cream, and moisturizer, and never skips Ultra Violette Supreme Screen for sun protection. Hands are pampered with Koba hand cream and cuticle oils. Every step of the process reflects years of shared beauty wisdom and experimentation.
Their shared love of scent is another thread in their bond. Daise experiments with Victoria Beckham’s Suite 302, Guidance 46 by Amouage, Ambra by Santa Maria Novella, and The Apartment by Abel, mixing them with her signature Vanilj by Maya Njie. These fragrances carry memory, warmth, and an intimate knowledge of each other’s tastes.
The Joy of Discovery
Their correspondence also highlights a spirit of playful exploration. Recent favorites include Summer Fridays lip balms, Rhode Peptide Lip Shapes, and Celine Le Rouge lipsticks. Daise shares tips for layering blushes and lip colors, swapping stories about favorite textures, shades, and products discovered on travels—whether in Australia, London, or New York. She recounts rediscovering Kevin Murphy hair products Down Under and new skincare finds from friends and clinical collaborations.
Even packaging quirks—the satisfying plunk of a lipstick tube or a pocket-sized hand cream—become shared delights, a reminder that beauty rituals are about joy as much as care.
Letters as Friendship Anchors
While technology bridges the distance, letters remain the cornerstone of their friendship. Daise’s notes are whimsical yet intimate, balancing updates about life—like a recent tumble down a flight of stairs—with playful confessions about her growing collection of lip products. Daniela’s replies mirror this tone: reflective, detailed, and laced with warmth.
In one letter, Daniela recounts a quiet week in London, soaking in a muggy apartment while binge-watching Law & Order: SVU, yet finding joy in sharing her beauty discoveries with Daise. She lists conditioners, hair masks, and serums she swears by, each recommendation an extension of their ongoing conversation and shared aesthetic values. Even Paddington, her dog, makes cameo appearances, a nod to the cozy intimacy of their exchange.
More Than Beauty
Ultimately, the story of Daise and Daniela is about connection, care, and shared enthusiasm. Their friendship thrives not despite the distance, but because of it, strengthened by rituals of attention, thoughtful gifts, and letters that double as diaries of beauty exploration. Products, from lip oils to body stones, become tokens of affection, and every exchange deepens the bond.
For readers, their story serves as both inspiration and invitation: reach out to a friend, write them a note, share a favorite lip shade or skincare find. In the words of Daise and Daniela, friendship, much like beauty, is a practice—a collection of small gestures, discoveries, and shared moments that accumulate into something extraordinary.
