Channel 3’s Jessica Moore in the studio
 
  Jessica Moore and the all-important commercial touch-up

I will never forget flying into Las Vegas for my interview at Channel 3.

Before the plane even touched the ground, I could make out dozens of glossy billboards, showcasing beautiful women dripping in diamonds.

“If this was what the people of Las Vegas woke up to every morning, what would they expect to see on their TVs?” I asked myself. I made a mental note to leave my derby hats and Lilly Pulitzer cardigans in storage.

I left my job at the NBC affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky, behind roughly a month later for my triumphant return to Las Vegas, stepping off the plane this time as one of the youngest anchors in the market. I knew I was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. The stakes were high, as were the expectations of my viewers and myself. I knew that my new audience, the people of Las Vegas, have the best of the best. They have seen it, worn it, tried it. I knew the only way to impress my new viewers was to be authentic.

Style is very personal: Every single night viewers decide whether or not to invite me into their homes. Just as I wouldn’t show up to a dinner party looking disheveled, I certainly shouldn’t show up in your living room looking anything less than polished.

Women need to trust that I am going to deliver the pre-bedtime news without trying to seduce their husbands. Men need to believe that I know what I’m talking about. Both sexes need to hear what I’m saying without being distracted by anything about my appearance.

Our audience ranges from college students in their 20s to middle-aged professionals, moms, and retired couples. I need to appeal to all of them without being distracting to any. When I first started at Channel 3, my news director gave me a piece of unexpected advice: “You don’t need a lot of jewelry, Jessica. Don’t wear anything that distracts viewers from your eyes. the studio Your eyes are what transcend the screen and tell the story.” Turns out, the news director was right.

As a broadcast journalist, one of the biggest compliments I can receive is that I am relatable, as the TV screen is a powerful force that can act as a barrier. It’s my job to render the screen invisible, allowing me to talk to viewers as if we were actually face to face. My appearance is a big part of that.

Most people think I have a hair stylist or makeup artist…. not so. When Sephora has a sale, I’m just as excited as you are. That’s me rummaging through baskets in the clearance section. My beauty routine, however, is not as complicated as you might think. I begin with immaculately clean skin, compliments of Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil face wash. If you’re going to invest in any product, I say splurge on a fantastic moisturizer. The most expensive makeup in the world won’t look good on dehydrated skin. I want my skin to look luminous, dewy, and I recently discovered Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel. I also use L’Oréal Micro-pulse Collagen eye cream; the applicator comes with a cool, vibrating metal ball that reduces puffiness.

A few months ago, an eye infection forced me out of my contacts for about a week. I debuted a very chic pair of Chanel tortoise-shell glasses on the 5 o’clock news. By the time I stepped off the set, I had received at least half a dozen e-mails. “You look so much smarter,” one viewer told me. The feeling of relief that washed over me then quickly dissolved with the next click of my mouse: The following viewer informed me that she was so distracted by my “new librarian look” that she couldn’t pay attention to what I was saying. That “glasses experiment,” however, reminded me that most viewers have a definite idea of how I “should” look.

Finally, I would be remiss not to share one of the recurring themes that emerges whenever the topic of my appearance comes up. I field e-mails on a weekly basis inquiring about the authenticity of the mole on my lip.

Yes, it’s real. No, you can’t touch it. And, no… I’m not kidding.