About the project
This Is Not a Beauty Podcast is a collaboration between the L’Oréal Groupe and The New York Times, exploring the unexpected ways beauty shows up in places far beyond cosmetics. Hosted by the legendary actress Isabella Rossellini, the show uncovers the hidden role beauty plays in sports, technology, politics, business, community spaces, and more. Each episode blends reporting, storytelling, and cultural insight to reveal how beauty shapes our world in ways we often overlook.
The episode “Finding Friendship in a Barbershop” shines a light on barbershops as powerful community hubs, places where connection, care, and belonging extend well beyond the haircut itself.
My role
I was brought onto this episode as a tape syncer and research partner to help uncover authentic community-centered barbershops in the U.S.
- Conducted research to identify barbershops with strong local impact
- Interviewed and profiled Jay’s Barbershop in Hamburg, NY (featured in the episode’s first segment)
- Captured high-quality on-location audio to support the episode’s storytelling
- Coordinated with producers to ensure the sound, tone, and context aligned with the episode’s narrative
- Provided background details and field insights to strengthen the reporting
Services
Tape sync & field research: location scouting, pre-interviews, on-site audio recording, story sourcing, community profiling, and collaboration with editorial producers.
Results
- Delivered clear, broadcast-quality audio for the episode’s opening segment
- Identified and profiled a barbershop with deep community impact, enriching the story’s heart and authenticity
- Strengthened the episode’s reporting with insights gathered through local research
- Contributed to a well-received piece of narrative journalism for a major podcast collaboration between L’Oréal and The New York Times
Listen on Spotify: This Is Not a Beauty Podcast