Kleigh Balugo

Kleigh Balugo covers beauty and fashion through the way people actually use products, treating makeup, skincare, fragrance and body care as tools for identity, creativity and cultural connection. She writes for Hypebae with a focus on cosmetic launches, brand stories and the personalities behind them, and pairs product detail with interviews that show how beauty routines fit into wider trends and online culture.

Beauty editor with a focus on launches and brand stories

At Hypebae, Balugo holds an editorial role dedicated to beauty and fashion coverage, concentrating on the beauty vertical within the masthead. Her recent work includes reporting on new brand and product launches, such as a piece on Kaia Gerber’s collaboration with the body care brand Uni that situates the partnership in the broader body care and celebrity-brand space. She regularly covers major cosmetic and fragrance releases, including a story on a label expanding its original “Le Dix” scent into a collection of ten new perfumes. Across these launch pieces she traces how brands refresh legacy ideas, position themselves with younger consumers and respond to shifts in taste.

Interviews that link beauty routines to identity and culture

A recurring format in Balugo’s work is the interview, where she uses direct conversations to show how beauty practices express identity. She has spoken with artists about a lifelong connection to beauty and an upcoming album, tying their aesthetic choices to their creative output. In another feature, she talks with a star about daily skincare rituals and a new “Dior Addict” collection, using personal routine as a way into the story of a major luxury launch. She profiles early adopters of specific hairstyles, exploring the intimate connection between a look and the person who helped popularize it. Her coverage also extends to the makeup artists behind surreal film looks, highlighting the craft that brings cinematic universes to life and how those visuals feed back into beauty trends. These pieces distinguish her reporting by keeping the human source at the center, treating products as part of a larger narrative rather than standalone items.

Service journalism and product curation

Balugo frequently writes service-led features that guide readers through product choices and emerging favorites. In a story on Miss Bashful’s top five beauty buys, she compiles recommendations spanning brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, NYX Professional Makeup and Morphe, explaining how specific items achieve a cohesive “cutesy” look. She covers launches like fragile’s debut line by framing makeup as “armor,” introducing two initial products while discussing how the brand positions itself emotionally and aesthetically. These pieces combine practical detail—shade ranges, textures, use cases—with an emphasis on mood and self-presentation, making her work useful for readers looking to translate trend-driven coverage into everyday routines.

Industry analysis and internet culture

Alongside product and personality pieces, Balugo reports on broader shifts in the beauty industry and online behaviour. In a feature where beauty experts explain why brand loyalty is declining and consumer awareness is rising, she examines how increased access to information, social media discourse and ingredient literacy are reshaping purchase patterns. Her portfolio includes coverage of digital and virtual spaces, such as a story quoting Chloë Grace Moretz on a “new universe” where users create avatars and inhabit alternative identities, showing her interest in how beauty and style extend into online worlds. Beyond Hypebae, she has written for other culture and fashion outlets, contributing pieces on beauty, internet culture and fashion that reflect a consistent interest in how trends circulate across platforms and communities. She also uses her social presence to share honest product reviews, including fragrance coverage like a detailed take on Bella Hadid’s Orebella Nightcap perfume, reinforcing her role as a critic as well as a reporter.

Beat focus and story fit

Balugo’s beat sits at the intersection of beauty, fashion and culture, with particular depth in makeup, skincare, fragrance and body care. She gravitates toward stories that have a clear product or campaign hook but also offer a narrative about the person, brand ethos or cultural moment behind them. Launches tied to notable faces, brands looking to reframe heritage lines, and pieces that explore how online communities talk about ownership and trends all align with her coverage. Her work is especially aligned with stories that can support an interview or expert-led analysis and that show beauty not just as commerce, but as a medium for self-expression and identity.