TikTok's Tefi Pessoa on Dating Red Flags and Her Favourite Beauty Picks

Estefanía Pessoa is learning to be a little less "f*ck-less." The 32-year-old TikTok personality, who is better known as "Tefi," has amassed a colossal social media following of over 1.9, million people, and she's done it by just being herself, plain and simple. Raised by a Columbian mother and Brazilian father, Pessoa has made a name for herself for her vast pop-culture knowledge, celebrity deep dives, and overall relatable content — but her reach doesn't stop there.

She has a weekly YouTube show, "This is My Superbowl," where she asks her friends questions she pulls from a shrimp bowl, she's writing a scripted show, and she's making her acting debut in an HBO feature — a role she landed through a "single self-taped audition with no prior acting experience." The woman has charisma, that fact can't be denied.

If you've ever come across one of her TikTok videos, you likely found yourself laughing uncontrollably or wondering whether it's a beauty routine or witchcraft that keeps her skin looking so fantastic. (The latter is a question I often find myself contemplating.)

Ahead, Pessoa talks about everything from her favourite beauty products and dating red flags to how she deals with the haters.

Tefi Pessoa on Her Career and How She Deals With Trolls

"I'm at this point in my life where I'm a little less f*ck-less," Pessoa tells POPSUGAR. (For the uninitiated, Urban Dictionary defines 'f*ck-less' as "the ultimate state of not caring.") "I haven't always entirely cared so much about what I do, but I think there was a moment where I realised that I had been thinking about the way I wanted things to go for so long that I just wasn't doing anything."

So, Pessoa decided to just start trying new things. She's currently writing a scripted show, as well as a book of essays, and she's decided to stop caring about whether or not she's bad at it — she just wants to try. "There's a lot less pressure on myself to impress you, and rather to have a good time and be able to say, 'I did it,'" she says. "I'm starting to realise that people just want to see other people do the things that they like, and I think that's really empowering."

Still, despite the fact that Pessoa is focusing less on dazzling the masses and more on herself, with such a large following, there's no shortage of mean commenters and "trolls." Luckily she's figured out how to handle it. "I have this rule that after [a video] reaches a certain amount of views, it's none of my business. You teeter on the possibility that this could reach a community that does not know you," she says. "For me, once a video passes hundred-thousand views, the comments are none of my business."

Thinking this way helps Pessoa keep herself grounded and allows her to keep creating the content that so many people have come to know and love. "The opportunities are real, the money is real, the career advancements and the people that you want to meet are real, but in terms of hate and people telling you who you are? That sh*t is not real."

Tefi Pessoa's Dating Red (and Green) Flags

If you're single and looking to win Pessoa over, you should know there are a few red flags she won't stand for, especially when it comes to beauty. The first? Don't even think about using her products without asking her. In fact, in order to deter people from sneaking into her stash, she scares them into submission. "Usually, what I tell people when they use my products [is that] if you use it wrong, it can lead to third-degree burns," she says jokingly. "I'm like, 'I just want you to know that there has been significant scarring if you use this product incorrectly.'"

Next: you can't be judgmental about skin care. "I understand I'm not gonna introduce a chemical peel to them, but if I'm introducing a moisturiser with some sunscreen in it and they're judgy about it, I'm like 'OK, yeah, no,'" she says.

And lastly, she won't stand for those dreaded three-in-one products. "It's a body wash, shampoo, and conditioner? There's no way. It just doesn't make sense to me," Pessoa says. "I don't even want to know what you're like in the sack at that point. . . What are you in such a rush for?"

If you want to get on her good side, she has green flags she looks for, as well. First, if you use a toner, you can expect to earn some extra points. She also can't resist a good face mask and movie night. "It's a green flag if someone can find enjoyment in taking care of themselves, even if it takes 10 minutes," she says. And last but not least, she always appreciates someone who trims their nose hairs. "I'm sorry, you gotta. I'd rather you have spinach in every tooth."

Tefi Pessoa's Favourite Beauty Picks

We couldn't help but wonder what beauty picks of Pessoa's were so amazing that she felt the need to hoard them. Luckily, she broke it down for us.

"When I talk about skin care, people think I'm talking a nine-step [routine]," she says. In reality, she keeps it simple. Her non-negotiables include a cleanser, hyaluronic acid serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen. "That's it — that's all I do."

To start, she washes her face using Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash ($60). "It's the best face wash in the entire world," she says. "It calms acne, and I have cystic acne, especially when I'm about to get my period."

Next, she follows up with her favourite hyaluronic acid serum: the Youth to the People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum ($41, was $54). For moisturiser, she switches between the La Mer Moisturising Soft Cream ($100) and the Dieux Instant Angel Skin Restoring Moisturiser ($45). Of the latter, Pessoa says, "My mom has the most sensitive skin in the world — she can't even use hyaluronic acid — and she uses that moisturiser every day."

She finishes her routine with SPF. "I use the Holiday Classic Whip SPF 30 Sunscreen Mousse ($16, was $22), because my God, it gives you a face filter. It's like the Paris filter on Instagram."