Charli Howard Is the It Girl We All Needed and Wanted

It’s this, Howard’s courage of conviction, that made her book Misfit such a compelling read. She has written two books: Splash, a piece of young-adult fiction released in 2018 that teaches children about body positivity and how some people respond to problems differently to others, and Misfit, Howard’s memoir, also released in 2018. I ask her if it was a cathartic experience, something akin to the relief she felt typing that Facebook post years earlier. “Yes, it was,” she confirms. “But, I mean, it’s frustrating, because now I feel like I’ve got even more to say. I really wish that I could do something like it again; I feel like so many things have changed since then, and it’s really not even that long ago. But yes, it was massively cathartic. I love writing, I journal all the time. I’ll show you my diary. It’s really important to me to get all my thoughts and emotions out.”

The term “multi-hyphenate” runs the risk of being overused, but it’s accurate when referring to Howard—a model, role model, activist and author. Oh, and businesswoman. She has her own beauty brand, Squish, and with all this to her name, if she wasn’t so charming, I’d feel intimidated by her. “I have lots of ambitions but I always wanted to set up a beauty line. I was getting really bored of seeing skincare brands just using models with perfect skin, perfect bodies, because those aren’t the people buying the products. I’ve had really bad acne, so I know how bad [adverts] can make you feel. So I really wanted to create products that made people feel good.” Our beauty editor tells me Squish’s Cheeky Cherry Eye and Cheek Masks are a must-try. “There have been big learning curves, too; we launched a moisturiser that didn’t do as well. I just don’t think it was for the right market. I’ve learned that when it comes to business, so much of it is learning and making mistakes, and you can’t be afraid to gamble. You have to be a risk taker. You can’t rely on other people to make your dreams happen.”

Determined. This is an adjective I’d use to describe Howard. Hard-working is another. But Howard credits her successes to her intuition. “I’m a big believer in following your gut, listening to yourself and being open to opportunities. There’s no harm in doing a meeting. There’s nothing wrong with asking someone for lunch or reaching out for advice. That’s how you’re going to make things happen. I’ve met so many fascinating women who make stuff happen for themselves. Like, yes, you go girl!” Be it intuition, hard graft or a combination of the two, I wonder how Howard manages to keep up. “The problem I have is switching off,” she says, without the slightest hint of smugness. “Sometimes I get very focused on things and then can’t seem to let [them] go. I found out I have ADHD not too long ago. It’s kind of a superpower, but it does mean you can burn out easily. I’m learning that I need to take time for myself, and I do love a self-care moment. I love face masks and having a nice bath. I need to realise that having an evening or a couple of days off is not going to be the end of the world.” However, it’s clear that Howard still has work to do on that front, as she’s just been unveiled as the face of both Christian Louboutin and Coco de Mer—brands which many would describe as sexy, a word that continues to be divisive even today. So, what does “sexy” mean to her? “I love the word ‘sexy’. And, like we talked about earlier, women are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. If you embrace your sexuality, you’re shamed for it. If you don’t, then you’re not sexy enough.”