Interview | Zanna Roberts Rassi of Milk Makeup

When Zanna Roberts Rassi launched Milk Makeup in 2016 with her husband, Mazdack Rassi, Dianna Ruth, and Georgie Greville, she was already a familiar name in fashion.

The Manchester-born journalist started out as an intern at Marie Claire in London before moving to its US edition in New York. She has since reported from the red carpet for E!, mentored designers on Project Runway All Stars, and, in 2015, became Target’s first stylist.

This year, Roberts Rassi has been celebrating Milk’s 10th birthday, a decade that has turned Hydro Grip Primer and Kush Mascara into cult favourites.

We recently caught up with her to talk about bringing Milk back to its New York roots, why founders shouldn’t rush a launch, and the 8am ritual her team calls ‘desk face’.

What inspired you to create Milk Makeup?

It came out of Milk Studios, honestly. Every day we were surrounded by photographers, models, stylists, and artists, and the makeup they actually used was whatever was quick, easy, and made them look like themselves. They were hacking products on the go to make new ones! Nobody wanted a full face that took an hour. We wanted makeup that felt effortless and fun, that you could throw in your bag and forget about. So we made it.

What product makes the best introduction to the brand?

Right now, it’s our reformulated Lip + Cheek collection. It captures what Milk is all about: easy-to-use products that fit seamlessly into your routine while still leaving room to play. We’ve really focused on making the formula work harder, with hyaluronic acid to help retain moisture and ceramides to hydrate. Lip + Cheek brings a soft-focus flush of colour to your lips and cheeks, while Line + Fill Lip Color combines liner and colour in one, making it easy to define your lips or elevate an everyday look. Both are effortless, versatile, and designed to enhance your natural look rather than mask it.

What has been the biggest highlight?

Bringing the brand back to its NYC roots. We’ve returned to our original creative team, with Frank B as Global Artistic Director, and made a brand film that’s a love letter to New York with Rhian Teasdale. But ultimately, it’s the people, always. Seeing people wearing Milk Makeup out in the real world, living their life to the max in Milk Makeup never gets old!

What’s next for Milk?

We’re going back to what makes Milk, Milk. Milk Makeup is all about NYC ENERGY… and we want people to feel that energy globally. Through products, our creative, and in-store gondolas. For example — the reformulated Sticks, with more product, creamier formulas, longer-lasting colour, and more shades than ever. We’ve also introduced Line + Fill, a new lip innovation that combines liner and colour in one. All products developed are multifunctioning, hardworking — they go on Fast and Last, just like New Yorkers.

Beyond the products, we’re also bringing the brand’s creative direction to life. Our film, New York Found Me, starring Rhian Teasdale, is a love letter to the city that made us, with Frank B and Marie Noorbergen leading the creative. It captures that balance of function, culture, and cool that sits at the heart of Milk. And through it all, our community remains central to everything we do. We cast the film through an open call that attracted over a thousand creatives, and that spirit of NYC and individuality is something we want to carry into everything we do next. We’re having a lot of fun with this next chapter.

What advice would you give to those wanting to launch their own beauty brand?

Don’t rush it. We spent a couple of years getting Milk right before we launched, and every second was worth it.

Know what you stand for first. What’s your point of view, and why does the world need it? A great product is table stakes. The real question is what world you’re building around it.

Be your customer, and know your customer. Listen hard, especially during product testing. Hire real industry expertise and surround yourself with the smartest people you can afford. Let your needs and values lead your creativity.

Then go for it. People thought I was mad to leave my editor job. I’ve never looked back.

What does your daily beauty routine look like?

Mornings are all about skincare. I slather on oils, serums, and hydration, face and body (I’m loving Naomi Watts’ Stripes body lotions!). I’ve just cut my hair into a short bob, so it’s a slick of leave-in conditioner and out the door.

Makeup still happens on the move. In the car (as I have done for the last 10 years!) or in the office. Most days I’m at the office by 8am, doing my face in the tiny mirror on my desk: Hydro Grip Gel Tint, a swipe of a Stick — usually Enigma — and Matte Bronzer in Baked, topped with whatever we’re testing in development. It’s become a ritual for the team and me. We call it “desk face”. The filing cabinet drawer next to my desk has become my unofficial R+D drawer. I keep it locked!!

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve been given?

Sleep. Obviously. But if that fails, blush. One swipe and you look awake, flushed, and alive.

What are three beauty products you can’t live without?

Hydro Grip Gel Tint is my go-to for everyday skin. I love that it gives me a fresh, even-looking complexion without feeling like I’m wearing a full face of makeup. It’s quick, easy, and fits perfectly into my routine.

Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream is one of those products I keep coming back to. I love how rich and nourishing it feels, and how it leaves my skin looking healthy and glowing.

And the KJH.brand Microscara is brilliant for defining lashes. I love the precision of the tiny brush, especially for getting right into the corners and catching those smaller lashes. It gives that beautifully defined look without feeling overdone.

What person or brand would you love to collaborate with?

Two of my dream collabs are already in the works, so watch this space! Milk is a fashion-adjacent beauty brand, so fashion brands and designers are always top of my list. I love people with that New York energy: fast, styled out, creative. It’s infectious. If that’s you, give us a ring.

What’s not getting the attention it deserves in the beauty industry right now?

Facials! We all talk about them, but rarely book them. There’s a price point for everyone, and they do things for your skin no product can. Before the Oscars, Grammys, and Globes — and the Met — I’m with Joanna Czech. She gives me a glow and lifts that last. If you’re visiting NYC, book in early!

Second, discovery in real life. Everything is IG- and TikTok-first, and social is brilliant at making you want something. But beauty is tactile: you need to swatch it, smell it, feel it on your skin, or hear about it from someone you trust. As a New York brand, we know this city is the original pop-up. People discover things on the street, on the subway, at a friend’s desk, in a bar. That’s where loyalty is built. The brands that treat retail as an experience, not just a shelf, will win the loyalty social alone can’t.

Milk Makeup is available at Boots and Space NK in the UK, and at Sephora and amazon.com in the US. For more exclusive conversations with beauty founders, explore our beauty interviews archive.