Canadian talent Shay Mitchell, who has conquered television, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok—commanding each medium with equal finesse—always seems to be plugged in. A thriving presence on multiple platforms means the former Pretty Little Liars and You star is constantly sharing her professional and personal lives, whether it’s her acting career, her lifestyle brands, her travel adventures (which inspired her YouTube series, Shaycations) or her life with partner Matte Babel and daughter Atlas. But the secret to her social-media success has less to do with being an “online persona” and more to do with knowing when to disconnect.

“I really have fun with [social media], and that is the key word,” says the 34-year-old via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles. “Once it stops being fun, then I turn it off. I don’t feel pressure to continue to shoot. I can go months or years without shooting anything, and I’m okay with that because I have a really healthy relationship with social media.”

That keen self-awareness and selectiveness also extends to how Mitchell approaches her entrepreneurial pursuits and creative collaborations. Her own two ventures—luggage and accessories brand Béis and a ready-to-drink sparkling tequila line, Onda, launched this past summer—were passions first and foremost. “Travel and tequila, you know what I’m saying?” she jokes. “Those [brands] came from doing what I love and [offer] products that I love selfishly and want other people to love as well.”

In 2020, Mitchell became the ambassador for Cacharel’s Yes I Am collection of fragrances, and it’s a partnership that’s close to her heart. “I remember seeing a bottle of Cacharel on my mom’s dressing table when I was growing up,” says Mitchell about her personal connection to the storied French brand. “Every day, before she went to work, [putting some on] would be the last thing I’d see her do. It’s a full-circle moment.” Mitchell was also drawn to the collection because it represents multi-faceted modern women like herself who aren’t defined by any one thing.

The brand’s fourth fragrance, Yes I Am Glorious, happens to be her favourite. “It has a mix of peach and vanilla with an undertone of sandalwood,” she says. “It’s sultry, but it’s also flirty.” The scent is all about self-affirmation, and Mitchell’s is, fittingly, ”Do what you love.” 

While she is hyper-visible, Mitchell does prioritize her privacy. “If I have to question anything [that I’m about to post], then I’m not putting it up,” she says. “And whatever I do put up is fair game to ask me about.” The same goes for keeping away from online negativity—Mitchell will always read feedback from fans and customers but disengages when it comes to trolls.

Motherhood dictates how she chooses to spend her time these days. Atlas just turned two, and Mitchell is grateful to have spent the past year at home making memories with her instead of constantly being on the go. “Being able to see her change every single day truly was the best gift I could have had as a new mom,” she says.

The pandemic has also reaffirmed how Mitchell wants to live her life: connected to the things that really matter. Right now, that’s Atlas, family and friends, and she’s making up for lost time with moments in person instead of chats via Zoom and FaceTime. “The next time I see my parents or family in real life, it will be just that—without a phone.”

 

Yes I Am Glorious Eau de Parfum, Cacharel
$85

SHOP