Influencer spotlight: Alyssa Melendez
When we have the opportunity to meet one of our favorite influencers in real life, we consider THAT a major win. We've been working with the gorgeous Alyssa Melendez of the @TheHauteBrunette for a while now, and we decided it was time for YOU to get to know her!
Name: Alyssa Melendez (@TheHauteBrunette)
Where are you from?: San Diego
What is your Instagram/blog all about?: Lifestyle tips, tell-all beauty secrets (botox, fillers - the stuff people don’t want to share), travel hacks (how-to travel the world on a budget) and empowering young women to be fearless inventors of wild and passionate life!
Where do you get inspiration from?: Honestly, from within. I know that sounds lame, but I’m human and I have struggles, questions, ideas, hobbies, passions etc. So, if I have a question about something, I want to find the answer to it and share that experience. Although it looks like I’m living up this glam life, it took a lot of work and a lot of mistakes to get here - and have nice skin at the same time! I want to share the journey and the secrets.
What is your favorite campaign with Obviously and why?: The Fashion Week collab with Kyboe Watches. When I was new to NYC, I was so intimidated to go to Fashion Week shows alone, I had hardly any friends in the city and I would find reasons not to go to shows because I was SO nervous. My friend’s sister invited me to join Obviously right before the Kyboe show so I met her and I attended my very first Fashion Week show with Obviously! VERY memorable!
If you could list 3 of your favorite Instagram pages, who are they and why?:
Chiara Ferragni - She just kills it on every level. Like every. single. level.
The Skinny Confidential - Through the glam, she has struggled to get to where she’s at and not afraid to admit it and give advice. I admire her success because she works really hard and empowers women to do the same.
Lili Hayes - She is a fearless, loud, hilarious woman in her 70’s that is a badass entrepreneur. She’s 100% insane and I want to be her when I grow up.
What is your favorite restaurant? Cipriani SoHo. I just feel really cool when I go there… and the Baked Tagliolini with Ham is to die for.
Your favorite place(s) to take photos?: TriBeCa… because it’s not far from home and there it’s the perfect mix of industrial charm and stone streets.
Favorite social media platform and why? Instagram. I love how easy it is. Frustrating at times, but such a great way to create and show content.
What sets your feed apart from others?: It’s ME. The influencer market is so saturated and content is getting lost in the masses so I only post pictures of myself with a clear view of my face. You like me, you hate me… it’s just me.
Top 3 apps on your iPhone? iTunes music, Instagram, email
Social media trend you’d like to see less of and why? Comment pods. It’s horrible. So horrible.
Favorite photo editing app? Facetune 2 - the paint feature is everything.
Favorite inspirational quote and why? I don’t really have a favorite inspirational quote but I try to live by my own motto of “get over it” - It doesn’t get more inspirational than that! Seriously, life is too short to be worrying all the time, fussing about things that really don’t matter, dwelling on the things you can’t change, holding grudges, seconding guessing yourself or trying to make sense of things you have no control of. Get over it, move on and be thankful that we are living in a time where anything you can dream of is possible!
Where can we find you on social media! @thehautebrunette