Cayli Cavaco Reck

This week on Wynne's World, we have the honor of interviewing my friend Cayli Cavaco Reck, the Founder of Knockout Beauty. I look forward to reading their emails (sign up for the newsletter!) because I learn so much about skincare, am able to discover brands I never would have found on my own, and she offers only the best products including the Westman Atelier Clean Makeup Collection.

About Cayli Cavaco Reck: Cayli may be the only woman on the planet whose parents both worked at American Vogue. Immersed in a world of high fashion, famous photographers and elite hair and makeup talent all throughout her teens and 20s, Cayli parlayed that knowledge and exposure into her own early career.  

Her exciting career has included roles such as fashion and accessories editor for Teen Vogue and Elle Décor, among others, as well as set design for for Patrick Demarchelier, Michael Thompson and other esteemed photographers. 

But throughout those fashion-centric years, Cayli was developing her true professional calling: becoming a completely self-taught expert in beauty. While building a growing clientele of beauty brands seeking her branding expertise, Cayli was also learning everything she could about skin function and physiology, ingredients, formulation and cutting-edge scientific advances. And because hormones play such a pivotal role in how skin behaves, Cayli was becoming exceedingly knowledgeable about endocrinology, too.

Cayli had always been the go-to resource for friends seeking the best facialist or dermatologist in New York City. Now, she was becoming a skin diagnostician – with the full capability of prescribing a game-changing protocol - in her own right. She attracted a loyal following on Instagram due to her expert knowledge and willingness to share.

The success of Knockout Beauty on Instagram, combined with her growing passion for helping women achieve their skin goals, led Cayli to where she is now: Knockout Beauty, a 360-degree, full-service business that encompasses both highly in-depth, one-on-one virtual skin consultations and meticulously curated retail spaces in New York City, Bridgehampton and Los Angeles. 

Heidi: Could you share your spring beauty tips? What are your top products, what are you loving now, and what is your end of winter/beginning of spring routine?

Cayli: In spring I like to take the opportunity do the last of my peeling and exfoliating so that I don’t damage my skin inadvertently in the sun. I think of it as a sort of spring cleaning. I love to do a treatment like the MZ Skin Glow Boost Ampoules or the Vitamin C Power Treatment Cure from MBR. 

MZ Skin Glow Boost Ampules

Heidi: What are you currently reading and watching?

Cayli: I am fully obsessed with Call The Midwife. My love for the show runs DEEP. 

I am currently reading Principles by Ray Dalio. He is one of the great entrepreneurs of our time so I felt I could learn a thing or two. I am only a third of the way through and I have already learned more distinctions than I can quantify.

Principles by Ray Dalio

Heidi: What are your travel plans (once it is safe)?

Cayli: I am currently in Ojai, it’s a short car ride but a much needed change of scenery. I miss my hometown of NYC and I am very excited to visit our store in the Hamptons which I didn’t get to last year.

Cayli lounging at home

Heidi: What are you wearing this spring?

Cayli: I am wearing Mother Denim straight jeans called The Scrapper.

I have taken many of my white dresses and added a black bow at the waist.

I live in my Heidi Wynne Fisherman’s Sweater as you know.

I love it over a silk slip dress from The Gradient Studio… makes me really wish the cream cardigan was in stock in my size… but I digress. (Editor's note- we hope to have it back in stock soon!)

My Loeffler Randall Leonie Ballet shoes that look like the ones little girls wear with the elastic over the foot are beyond comfortable and I rarely take them off.

I also love the boxy fit of Zara t shirts at the moment.

Heidi: What are your favorite summer beauty products? 

Cayli: The Daily Dose Vitamin C Sunscreen from Supergoop and I are having a total love affair at the moment. The glow is so good. 

In Summer I like to add in more hyaluronic and less cream. Ubuna Drench Intense Hydration Serum feels amazing on the skin and gives it a massive drink of water. 

Ubana Drench Intensive Hydrating Serum

I love to treat my body to a gorgeous body oil and Agent Nateur Holi (Oil) Body Serum feels and looks great on the limbs. 

Agent Nateur Ageless Body Serum

I like to use an enzyme cleanser in Summer for a gentle exfoliation and to remove stubborn sunscreen. The MBR Enzyme Cleansing Booster leaves my skin silky smooth and fresh. 

MBR Enzyme Cleaning Booster

I am never without my B3 but in summer it is key to keep my skin from breaking out.

With breakouts and hydration on mind in summer I am constantly spraying Lumion Mist on my face for the glow and amazing cleansing properties. I generally spray before I re-up my sunscreen.

Lumion Mist

 Heidi: Who is your fashion or beauty icon?

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Cayli: Maybe because I grew up in fashion, I have never had a singular icon. I love moments in fashion or beauty and there are specific images that are inspiring to me. So when people will say that they love Audrey Hepburn, as an example, I love her in the final scene in Breakfast At Tiffany’s in the rain with her bouffant pigtails and neutral ensemble.

Breakfast at Tiffany's 

I love the color of her jacket when she and Paul are running through the streets in masks. It’s similar to the orange red of the Essie nail lacquer “Clambake”, which is actually being re-released for a limited time.

I love Romy Schneider in a cream cable knit much like your fisherman’s cardigan. It’s a sort of elevated version of what is now referred to as cottage-core. 

Romy Schneider

In terms of personal style I love the way Shala Monroque and Giovanna Battaglia mix femininity and form.

Shala Monroque

Giovanna Battaglia

My beauty and style icon is my daughter, Reed Reck.

Reed Reck

Heidi: What is your favorite city and any other favorite places to visit?

Cayli: Paris always brings me joy. As the late, great, and brilliant Bill Cunningham said “You need to go to Paris to educate the eye.” 

Photo of Paris taken by Heidi's friend, the designer Danielle Fichera

A couple of years ago we visited an incredible place in Mexico called Cuixmala. It is an eco-resort with all of the luxuries you can imagine. It is very healing. The wildlife is extraordinary. Wild zebra and sea turtles are both on property. If you go at the right time of year you can witness the baby turtles making their maiden voyage out into the sea. 

 Cuixmala

At the moment I am visiting Thatcher House in Ojai. It is a beautiful homestead in the heart of the wilderness. You are truly off the grid while staying here there is no cell service and the only WiFi is in the main house that I will need to go to in order to transmit this. The owner is an incredible chef. 

Heidi: What is meaningful in your life right now?

Cayli: Motherhood is always my most important job. This last year of having my children home and with me has been a huge gift. I do worry that they are both at critical ages for socializing and relationship building so I do try to find as many ways to keep them engaged. 

Cayli with her daughter Reed

My team at Knockout Beauty has also been a huge source of strength and friendship during this time. There were months when the only people I saw were my family and my LA team. Our collective energy to support our clients, vendors, landlords, and each other has been inspiring.

Follow Cayli on Instagram here

Shop Knockout Beauty here