Esme Benjamin is a freelance writer, editor, and podcaster based in Brooklyn, New York. Esme joined Byrdie as a freelance writer and editor on the commerce team in 2023, covering the best tried and tested products in the beauty space. As a former wellness editor, Esme has a particular interest in clean beauty and the intersection of beauty rituals and self-care. Her latest obsessions are natural beauty, products that support the skin barrier and tackle hyperpigmentation, curl-friendly haircare, and beauty tech (hello, Nuface microcurrent device).

Esme started her career in London, England, where she worked as features editor of Sheerluxe.com, a women’s lifestyle publication with an emphasis on unearthing the best fashion and beauty buys. She’s been tapped into the latest industry trends and launches ever since and loves sharing her discoveries with readers and friends alike.

As the former wellness editor of Culture Trip, Esme started and developed the wellness vertical, exploring the healing traditions, rituals, and trends of cultures worldwide. It was there that she won a Muse Creative Award. As an authority on wellness culture and travel, Esme was invited to contribute a section on managing well-being abroad for the 2022 book Wanderess: The Unearth Women Guide to Traveling Smart Solo and Safe.

When she’s not perusing the aisles of Sephora, you’ll find Esme at the yoga studio (she’s a certified instructor), hanging with her daughter and corgi, or plotting her next getaway to a far-flung destination (Japan, Namibia, and Patagonia are on the list).