• by Sara Guaglione , September 11, 2020

Dotdash-owned beauty side Byrdie launched its first digital magazine on Thursday.

The debut issue of the beauty and wellness quarterly is called “Changemakers.” It features a collection of over a dozen original stories and 20 profiles of trailblazers redefining beauty. Many are women of color.

They include stories on what it’s like to live alone and break up during this time of social distancing, fall beauty trends to try and how wearing a mask can be a form of activism.

“A big part of feeling your best is being part of supportive communities, and we are thrilled to use our first digital issue to honestly discuss what matters most to our community right now,” stated Leah Wyar, general manager-vice president at Byrdie. 

Byrdie’s "Changemakers issue" features actress and director Taylor Russell as its cover star.

"Changemakers" also houses interviews with women such as Meena Harris, lawyer and founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign; Sharon Chuter, founder of UOMA Beauty; and Elyse Fox, founder of Sad Girls Club. 

“When we were brainstorming the theme for Byrdie’s first-ever digital issue, one word kept coming up: change. 2020 has been a year of change, to put it lightly,” editorial director Faith Xue wrote in her editor’s letter. 

She continued: “For Byrdie’s debut digital issue, we’re digging deep into the concept of change and the discomfort, pain, clarity, and growth it brings with it.”

A recurring feature in every digital issue is "The B Side," a bonus cover and feature story profiling the hair and makeup team behind the cover star’s look. 

This issue spotlights Russell’s hair stylist Johnnie Sapong and makeup artist Kate Lee.