I also do microcurrent and love it! How do you keep your skin in such great condition when you’re always trying out new makeup and skincare products? My skin is very sensitive and some things don’t always work for it—the hard part of the job. Do you have any advice for that?
It can certainly get overwhelming with all the different skin care products out there because you see it on TikTok and you want to review all the different products! My main advice is to pay attention to what your skin needs and know your skin condition. For example, if you have super dry skin and you have eczema patches on your face or dry patches, you shouldn’t want to use something that dries out and treats acne. If you have acne, you don’t want to use something that is super greasy and will clog your pores. I would say just pay attention to the ingredients that are in the product you are using and what the product is actually used for. That will keep your skin in good condition since you don’t use products that will strip your skin of its natural oils and the like. Skin care and makeup also go hand in hand. You really need to take care of your skin so your makeup looks good and your foundation looks good.
Correct. I am always looking for skin care and makeup products that will also give me a light base. Do you have any major products that you use that help you get naturally glowing skin?
I have too much! As I said before, Charlotte Tilbury’s wands are very good. They come in as super, super pigmented and sometimes, you might think, “Oh my God, what have I done? I’ve put on too much product,” but they blend like magic. They are very buttery and very dewy. Those are great things. They are also very easy to use, even for beginners. I just discovered another new one: Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes Palette ($48). I used it yesterday actually. I’ve seen it all over TikTok. There are some really shimmery shades in there, and it really makes your eyes look wet and glowing. It’s so good. I really recommend that palette.
Let’s talk about your new Kiss Lashes holiday collaboration! How did this come together and what do you especially love about Kiss lash?
Kiss came to me about a year ago and said that they absolutely love my TikTok and my sexy look [I create]. They wanted to launch a holiday campaign, and I liked the idea. I’ve used Kiss my whole life. I’m obsessed with their lashes – they’re like the only lashes I use. I basically picked my favorite existing lashes and we tweaked them a bit. I renamed eyelashes, and I just love Kiss. They are a great brand to work with. There are lashes in the collection that are natural yet sexy, and there are lashes that are totally holiday glam and almost disco-like. It was exciting to be involved in the development of the packaging and it was also a great experience because I want to one day have my own makeup brand and it would be great to have this experience in my life. development of everything.
That’s another question I want to ask you! What would a Meredith Duxbury makeup line include?
I would love to have my own makeup brand. That is definitely something that is a big goal of mine. I think a Meredith makeup brand would be a combination of natural products and totally glamorous because I feel like a combination of the two. Someday I’ll be running errands and want to try some quick, easy products. Then, another day, I’ll want to do a glamorous, epic TikTok look. I want something easy for everyone [to use]. Whether you’re the glamorous type or the more natural type, I want products that everyone can love and use. It’s definitely something that I’d rather spend more time and think about, but that’s the general idea. I just wanted something that was super comprehensive and everyone could get their hands on it.
Are there any new makeup brands you’re really excited about right now?
Correct! Nimya is someone I really like. It’s NikkieTutorials’ new makeup brand, and I think she started out with just skin care products, but she just released her first eyeshadow palette. The colors of the brand name are very cool with oranges and blues. Its So her, and it’s incredibly inspiring to watch a creative like her grow, become great, and own this amazing brand of makeup. I’m so proud of her, and it’s inspiring to see that. Saie Beauty is another one. I fell in love Gel StarGlow ($28). It’s so good. That’s another recommendation that you must try! I’ve just seen them grow a lot in the last year, especially on TikTok. TikTok is crazy how it can sell out products in seconds. I also found Saie Starglow Gel on TikTok, so that brand has definitely skyrocketed over the past year.
Are there any makeup product launches in the past year that really stand out to you?
Yeah, I think clean beauty is a very important thing and in 2022, that’s what I think a lot of makeup brands are focusing on and realizing that it’s everyone’s top priority. I think Kosas is really good at that. They debuted with a platform this year called Revealer Skin Improvement Foundation ($42) and it’s for acne-prone skin. I don’t have acne-prone skin, but I love it because it has ingredients that are really good for your skin. I think their growth this year has been amazing and they market themselves very well. I think the packaging and everything about the brand is great—it really stood out for me this year. Then it became clear that Kiss Lashes stood out to me because I thought it was great that they wanted to launch their first influencer and I’m so grateful that I could be the first influencer to collaborate with them.
And what would you say about some of your career highlights this year?
I met Charlotte Tilbury, it was so inspiring. I admire her so much, and Sophia Tilbury is doing my makeup [was definitely a highlight]. Meet Alicia Keys, meet Halsey and do my makeup with her at her house and all the other amazing people I’ve met. I’ve also had a lot of opportunities to work with great brands like the Morphe Making You Blush collection campaign, which is so much fun. Same goes for Kiss Lashes, as we’ve talked about, and having a billboard in Times Square is crazy to me. My whole family came, and we stood there and watched, and I thought, “This is crazy when I’m on a billboard in Times Square!” I just remember that I really wanted to live in New York City, and here I was having a billboard in Times Square. I also met a lot of amazing friends and creators this year. It’s been such a successful year, and I’m very happy.
I’m excited to see what 2023 will bring you! I know you have some really cool collaborations underway. My final question is, What makeup look can we expect for the rest of your 25 Days of Christmas on TikTok?
I am very excited. I absolutely love Christmas. It’s one of my favorite holidays, and I love winter in general. It was fun and cozy. I really wanted to make a “my boyfriend do my Christmas makeover” video because he is so caring and loving this whole TikTok content and is very supportive of my cause. I also really love SFX makeup. It’s something I’ve been doing a lot for Halloween, so I thought I’d do a Grinch makeover with SFX. Then I wanted to style my hair like Cindy Lou, and I worked with a great hairstylist. His name is Erickson, and I think I’d like him to come and do all of Cindy Lou’s hair, and I’ll do the makeup. Then maybe I’ll just do some easy holiday glam looks. I think it’s something a lot of people want to see this time of year because I think it can overwhelm you. There are so many Christmas parties and events, and people can run out of ideas. Beginners might also think they need some tips and tricks on how to create a more glamorous look for the holiday party, so that’s what I’ll focus on. But I have papers and papers on ideas, so there are bound to be lots of great Christmas videos!
I’m excited to see what else will be in store for the rest of the month and obviously for 2023! I’ll be watching, so I’ll be watching them all.
Yes, it will be fun. Thank you very much for this opportunity. It’s been a pleasure talking about all of this with you!
