Maya Allen

Maya Allen is currently Beauty Director-at-Large at The Cut, where she oversees all beauty coverage while pursuing creative ventures and branded campaigns. A Howard University journalism graduate with a minor in African-American Studies, Allen began her career in 2015 as a beauty intern at InStyle. She progressed through roles at Cosmopolitan, Byrdie, and Marie Claire before becoming Beauty Director at InStyle, then joining The Cut in August 2022. Throughout her career, Allen has made it her mission to shift the narrative of the beauty industry and amplify representation. She's known for conceptualizing and launching 'The Braid Up,' Cosmopolitan's first-ever Black hair show, and has conducted interviews with celebrities including Angela Bassett, Naomi Campbell, Ciara, and Pharrell. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Allen has appeared in global Target commercials and was named a 2019 Hearst Spotlight Awards recipient. She's recognized for her signature red lip and advocacy for diversity in beauty standards, using her platform to discuss beauty beyond surface level and challenge Eurocentric beauty norms.