Beauty Confidence

Years ago, I couldn’t go to the grocery store without putting on makeup. Makeup was something I hid behind, and dare I say, it became almost a burden.

All that changed with COVID-19, and with having my two children. I no longer had the time I once had to do my full makeup routine every morning, and my children certainly didn’t care about whether or not I was wearing makeup.

After a while of going without it, it no longer served me as it once did. I now have a less is more approach and I feel much freer and more confident in who I am.

I distinctly remember a fellow mom at daycare pick-up saying to me “I never would’ve guessed you were a makeup artist!” In that moment, I thought “Wow, I guess I really need to start wearing makeup again!” and then immediately after I thought, “Actually no, this is me!” I’m proud that I feel comfortable leaving the house as I am, because a few years ago it certainly wasn’t like that.

I obviously still love makeup and think it possesses an insane amount of power to help someone feel like their best self. But, I don't ever want makeup to be a mask that my clients feel they have to hide behind. I don't ever want you to feel like you need makeup in order to leave your house, or to feel good about yourself.

With my less is more approach, easy-to-use products with skin-like finishes are my go-to’s. I don’t like thick, heavy products - in fact, I don’t even like the feel of makeup on my skin anymore! These are my top picks for makeup that truly doesn’t feel like makeup.

Dior Face & Body Foundation: Feels like a weightless ink that melts into the skin beautifully for the most stunning skin-like finish; I keep this in my personal makeup bag.

Face Atelier Foundation: The perfect example of great coverage that you can see, not feel. This is a staple in my makeup kit for my clients; I especially love this for clients with dry skin and my mature ladies!

Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Under Eye Concealer: A new favorite of mine; it almost seems impossible to make this concealer look cakey! I love to use it to brighten & highlight areas of the face, too.

Glossier Solar Paint Luminous Gel Cream Bronzer: Super lightweight and blends like a dream to create the most natural looking bronzy glow. I also keep this in my personal makeup bag.

Skin, skin, skin! The client asked for “the Hailey Bieber,” so I worked with her to create the ultimate healthy glow.

Her skin was dry so it was essential to prep with a bit of exfoliation and by massaging hydrating products into the skin. Once the skin was prepped, I used a super lightweight foundation to even out her complexion. Using a heavier formulation would’ve clung to the drier areas of her face emphasizing any texture there might have been.

I applied the foundation with a sponge in a very gentle stippling (tapping) motion rather than with a swiping motion as that would’ve made the dry patches more noticeable. Stippling versus swiping is key for achieving coverage without disturbing the skin beneath. (This is also a great technique for any one with rosacea or with acne who wants to conceal redness without causing more irritation.)

From there, I stippled on a lightweight undereye concealer, and used cream products to add a healthy flush to the cheeks. I followed up with a setting spray rather than powder.

Products I used:

Skin Prep (in this order!):

• Sonia Roselli Beauty Water Elixir

• Sonia Roselli Beauty Water Oil (one or two small pumps is all you need)

• Sonia Roselli Beauty Water Balm

Complexion:

• Tom Ford Flawless Face Foundation (Unfortunately this item is discontinued, but can still be found online on Amazon, eBay, Poshmark, etc.!)

• Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Under Eye Concealer 

Cheek:

• Honest Beauty Creme Cheek + Lip, Peony Pink 

• NARS Cosmetics The Multiple, Copacabana

Setting: 

• Melanie Mills Super Lite Long-Lasting Setting Spray (This stuff is like glue!)

Please feel free to send any and all beauty and makeup-related questions my way and I’ll be sure to answer them in future editions of The Beauty Highlight! And as always, I’m available for in-person makeup services and personalized makeup lessons. Please feel free to reach out at [email protected]; I would love to work with you!

**Please note that I am part of several affiliate programs and while the links above may result in a small commission, the products I recommend are in no way influenced by this. Please let me know if you have any questions about this!