Mega-babe Sophia Roe knows a thing or two about beauty, and what she doesn’t know—she finds out because someone is going to ask her. But here’s the thing: It’s not just surface-level stuff that you’ll find on her Instagram feed. She really, truly gets that beauty is more than skin deep, which is why her account is dappled with highly-pigmented lipsticks and highly-motivational thought-starters in equal measure.

For just that reason, we’re so excited that she’ll be bringing her feel-good message about the connection between what you eat and how your complexion shines on the road to the Well+Good Retreat at the Cedar Lakes Estates in upstate New York the first week of August. “What makes it special to me is that it feels different than any retreat I’ve ever been to,” she shares. “This is more about intimacy, and I think that’s very much my brand of wellness. So I’m very excited.”

But before the Retreat officially commences, we asked her for the most-common questions she gets on Instagram about skin and hair, here, she shares her top tips. Keep scrolling to find out the beauty questions Sophia Roe gets asked all the time, and, of course, their answers.

How should I deal with hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is frustrating because if you’ve got darker skin like mine, you scar a little easier. Sometimes, you don’t even have to pick at your pimple for there to be a little mark left over when it heals. Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of the more surface-level layers of the skin. Even if you’re not treating it at all, in order to not make it darker, you want to make sure that you’re using a good sunscreen. My favorite SPF right now is Vive Sana; I like the 20 serum because it goes on a little white but it does eventually blend in. I like it not just for my face but for my body—I think that a lot of people aren’t putting sunscreen on their neck, chest, shoulders, and areas that are going to touch the sun. So the number one thing to remember, if you have hyperpigmentation, is to wear SPF.

Next up: You want to reach for acids, which usually really freaks people out. A nice little intro (because there are AHAs and BHAs and all of these different things) to acids is vitamin C, which is really nice and easy. You can put it on in the day and wear your sunscreen on top of it and it’ll work while you’re not even thinking about it. I really like Ole Henrickson Truth Serum ($48). I keep mine in the refrigerator, and it helps with the quality and with the oxidation. You’ve also got to remember you’re putting it on your face in the morning and that cold is nice if you’ve got some light puffiness. Remember: Hyperpigmentation will go away; be diligent and it’ll go away.

How do you keep your hair moisturized, healthy, and encourage growth?

If you’re keeping your hair moisturized, it’ll stay healthy and grow, which is why this is one question. My top tips start with the scalp— that’s where your hair is growing from, so you want to make sure you’re keeping your scalp really, really clean. I suggest washing your hair a little less in the summertime because it’s so hot and curly hair is already dry, so washing it every other day isn’t good. I like to do a spray bottle with equal parts ACV and water, with three to five drops of tea tree oil it. It’s a nice little mix and a good refresher. People always ask about the vinegar smell, but it’ll dissipate in about 20 seconds, so spray it onto the scalp (wet or dry).

To help rehab curly, parched hair, my favorite deep conditioner is Deva Curl Heaven in Hair ($28). It’s a silicone-free product but it still has nice slip and detangles easily. It’s good for a protective style, so I put the deep conditioner in and then put my hair in braids and let it air dry. I’m really conscious of how much energy I’m using in the summertime, and the blowdryer everyday with the AC and the fans on, is a lot. The last step is that you want to protect the ends of your hair, which is really easy when you’re doing a protective style, and that helps encourage growth.

Who cuts your hair?

I do it myself! I’ve always done it myself! When it comes to how often to cut your hair it’s controversial because a lot of people would say you need to cut it to encourage growth, but I don’t really do that. I cut the length maybe three times a year, and when I do, I cut two inches and that’s it. I cut my bangs once every couple of weeks. I make sure no matter what, I cut my hair when it’s super dry (as in: I haven’t washed it in a few days) because it’ll be my truest length and texture.

I cut each individual tendril; each one gets its own little moment. I never cut at an angle, because you don’t want to cut up because you’ll cut into your curl. If you want to tell your stylist the cut you’re going for, I have Betty bangs where you can still see most of my forehead and the overall shape is like a pyramid.

There are still spots to meet Roe IRL! Email [email protected] for details on the Well+Good Retreat at Cedar Lakes Estate.