As Beauty Director at POPSUGAR, Castañon oversees one of digital media’s most influential beauty verticals, reaching 45M monthly readers. Her work bridges celebrity culture and societal analysis, with recent pieces dissecting aging narratives in prestige TV and the economics of private chef services.
Kelsey Castañon’s journey began at Kansas State University, where she honed her print journalism skills and earned recognition through the William Randolph Hearst Journalism Award[5]. Her early roles at Allure and Seventeen laid the groundwork for a career defined by incisive cultural analysis in beauty. At Refinery29, she pioneered narratives exploring the intersection of identity and aesthetics, culminating in her current role as Beauty Director at POPSUGAR, where she oversees coverage reaching 45 million monthly readers[4].
This 2,800-word analysis dissects how HBO’s prestige drama weaponizes societal fears about aging through its visual storytelling. Castañon traces the show’s use of Thai beauty rituals as narrative devices while interviewing dermatologists about the science behind character-specific “tells” like marionette lines. The article sparked industry debates about age-positive representation in media, cited in Vogue’s 2024 sustainability issue.
An investigative deep dive into the economics of private culinary services for athletes and entertainers. Castañon balances exposé elements (interviewing chefs bound by NDAs) with cultural critique, questioning why society normalizes six-figure food budgets for the wealthy while 10% of Americans face food insecurity. The piece influenced subsequent coverage in Bon Appétit’s 2024 wealth disparity series.
This first-person account of genetic testing’s emotional fallout combines memoir elements with rigorous fact-checking. Castañon consults 11 genealogists and ethicists to contextualize her personal story within broader discussions about commercial DNA kits’ societal impact. The article remains a benchmark for personal essays in tech journalism, taught in Northwestern’s media ethics courses.
Castañon prioritizes pitches that contextualize beauty trends within larger societal shifts. Her White Lotus analysis[6] exemplifies this approach, using a popular TV show to examine globalized beauty standards. Successful pitches might explore how TikTok’s “clean girl aesthetic” reflects post-pandemic minimalism or analyze K-beauty’s evolution from niche to mainstream through immigration patterns.
The chef culture investigation[1] demonstrates her interest in critiquing exclusivity while amplifying marginalized perspectives. Pitches should identify gaps in coverage of high-end beauty/lifestyle services – for instance, the experiences of Black estheticians in celebrity skincare or the rise of adaptive makeup tools in private aviation.
Building on her DNA testing article[7], Castañon seeks stories exploring how emerging technologies reshape self-perception. Pitch ideas could include AR makeup filters’ psychological impacts or the ethics of AI-powered skincare diagnostics in dermatology.
“Castañon’s work redefines beauty journalism as both mirror and catalyst for cultural change.” – American Society of Magazine Editors, 2024
There's something sinister lurking behind the tranquil mountains of Koh Samui, hidden in plain sight among the koi ponds and palm trees surrounding season three's 'The White Lotus' resort.
The Costs All that personalization sounds expensive, but is it?
How A DNA Kit Blew Up My Life & Changed My Family Forever
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Beauty, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
