Today I am excited to welcome Mallory Reid (Finnegan) here to the blog for a little Q&A guest post! Mallory is a wife, mom, middle school special education teacher and beauty expert specializing in makeup for weddings and special occasions. With the tight New York Covid restrictions now being lifted and masks slowly making a disappearance, both in day-to-day life and even now at weddings, many of us are heading out into public again with full faces showing for the first time in over a year! Whether you’re a bride-to-be, bridesmaid, wedding guest or vendor about to be heading to one or likely a handful of weddings this year, or if you’re just looking for makeup tips for transitioning back to the mask-less/full-face makeup life, this post is absolutely for you! Thank you for being here! If this post was helpful and you’d like to weigh in on questions to ask for future guest posts I have lined up, please leave me a comment or send an email letting me know. Your feedback and input means the world to me! And if you’d like to be a guest post, send me an email and I would love to connect! Now on that note, let’s get to it!
Hi Mallory! Thank you so much for being here! Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to finding your passion with makeup?
Hi Dawn, and those of you reading this blog! I kind of stubbled upon this path due to my love of makeup and always wanting to play! In high school, the only place to get high-end makeup in Buffalo was MAC, and I sure spent a lot of time and money there. Eventually more stores popped up (i.e. Sephora), my love to try products just grew! In high school, I would do all my friends’ makeup for dances, which led into everyone’s makeup in college. My makeup career really started when a friend of mine was getting married and wanted me to do her makeup. I thought she was crazy! Thank you to my friend Bethany though, because here I am 10 years later with schedule that is booked solid, and I couldn’t be happier!
We are officially now into summer, which means heat and humidity and yep, sweat. When one is preparing to wear makeup for a special occasion or even an everyday outing, what are some things to keep in mind as far as coverage to ensure all day wear? (For example: Light or heavy application? Using certain must have products? Etc).
We do get some very humid days in Buffalo! Whether you wear a light or heavy application, there are a few things you can do to help it last!
Wear a primer. Find one that works for your skin type. Primer will help with longevity, preventing your makeup from settling in your pores, and address skin concerns you have before putting makeup on.
Set you face/t-zone with a setting powder. I think in the summer, this step is crucial. It will help set your makeup so it doesn’t slip and slide. I use a very light application. If you are very dry, you can skip this step.
Finish your look with a setting spray. This will help lock your makeup in place and prolong the wear! Again, there are so many varieties to address your specific concerns.
Is there a correct or ideal order of lotion & makeup application?
It is important to learn what works for you, but I always make sure to do my skin care routine every morning! Your makeup application can follow immediately or hours later, but a hydrated face will make your skin look smoother and brighter. If your face is dry, your makeup can look cakey or dull.
As for makeup application, I complete in this way (if I’m doing a full face):
Eyes (any mistakes you can wipe away without affecting the foundation)
Primer
Foundation
Concealer
Setting Powder
Contour/Bronzer
Blush
Highlight
Setting Spray
What do you feel is a product everyone must have (regardless of brand or makeup coverage preferences)? (For example, sunscreen, face lotion, mascara, good brushes, etc)
Hopefully I can name a few things here!
A sunscreen is a necessity! I now wear it EVERY day, regardless of what I am doing (even in the winter you are still getting sun). If you want your skin to look its best, we want to make sure we are taking care of it, and preventing aging in the best way we can! Using a sunscreen will help!!
A moisturizer is so important! Your skin should be hydrated! If your skin is dry, your makeup will not look its best! A moisturizer will allow your skin to look hydrated, plump and ready for makeup!
** I am not an esthetician, but skincare is SO important if you want your makeup to look good and last!!
Mascara – whether wearing no makeup, a small amount, or a full face, it makes a huge difference
Concealer – you can use it to cover up dark circles and imperfections. It can also be used to help even out skin.
Do you have a favorite product you, yourself, can’t live without? And if so, why?
Skincare – Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream. It is so hydrating and beautiful! (Do you sense a pattern here-I think hydration is very important!) This product is bit of a thick moisturizer. During the winter (I am dry), I use both am and pm. During the summer months when I have more normal skin, I use at night. This can be used as a primer though and will give you a beautiful glow!
Makeup – The brand will change as new launches come out, but I always need a good foundation and bronzer! Right now, my favorite foundations are Makeup Forever Reboot (light coverage for a light makeup day, and Dior Airflash for special occasions). My favorite bronzer for awhile has been the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer.
What do you feel is the biggest benefit of hiring a professional makeup artist vs someone doing their own makeup for a special occasion?
Reason #1: Photo Ready Faces-whether you want a natural or dramatic look, a MUA knows how to apply the correct amount of product that will look great in pictures, but also in person! A MUA knows how to enhance correct features while down playing others. Also, natural look requires more than people think. You may not wear a lot of makeup, but what you see in the mirror is much different than a camera lens. These pictures last forever!
Reason #2: Quality products that will last! A MUA knows what products will last, and what will not. They know how to prep your skin and apply in a way that will keep your makeup lasting all day! The products use, and they way they are applied matter!
Reason #3: Invest in yourself! You most likely made the decision to hire a professional photographer, hairdresser, etc. Hire someone that makes you feel your absolute best. You do not want to stress about looking your absolute best, so hire someone that can do it for you!
Can you explain the importance of a finishing spray? Do you feel it’s for special occasions only or something everyone should keep in their makeup bag even for everyday use?
I think of a finishing spray or setting spray as “hairspray for the face”. I think it is very important to use for special occasions. It will prolong your makeup up to 16 hours and make everything look like it’s a part of your skin. I don’t necessarily use this every day. If my makeup doesn’t last all day and night on a normal day, I’m fine with it. If you are someone who wants their makeup to last as long as possible and not move, this is an important step. This is a personal preference, but it will make your makeup stay looking fresh!
What are your thoughts on eyelash extensions vs fake lashes - especially for brides on their wedding day?
I am a fake lashes girl all the way! Eyelash extensions are nice to have day to day I’m sure, but I think fake lashes photograph so beautifully. Sometimes eyelash extensions are so sparse looking and they don’t show up well, or they are way too thick and you can’t see the eyeshadow. There are also many times they look great, but I think a fake lash always completes a look!
For those who might not have a lot of time to get ready do you have any tips for looking one’s best on a daily basis with minimal time required?
A quick way to make yourself look evened out and brightened in a quick way is adding a little foundation to your moisturizer and putting on with your hands! From there, add a bit of blush and mascara, and you’re all set! I would also need to add a bit of bronzer to warm my face up!
A quick eye look if you wanted to wear some eyeshadow is putting your bronzer in your eye crease with a fluffy crease brush, then patting a highlighter on your lid! Voila!
We all the know the importance of two things: using sunscreen and washing our faces. Do you have products you recommend in these areas? Or tips to ensure long term health of ones skin?
I think seeing an esthetician for your specific needs is SO important! Even if you can’t go all the time, go a few times a year. They can give suggestions and recommendations that address your needs, keep your skin healthy, and tailor a plan for YOU!
For myself, I have a few different serums/treatments I use based on my needs.
A few essentials that everyone needs are:
Cleanser – if you are washing your face and it feels tight, your cleanser is too harsh. I use the brands Tatcha (I use a few different ones), Youth to the People, and Farmacy. A good drugstore brand is CeraVe.
Eye cream – there are many out there, that have different purposes. I have found that hydrating eye creams are best for me. My favorites are Biossance Squalane and Marine Algae eye cream and Olehenriksen Wrinkle Blur Eye Gel Crème. I have tried many and these I really like!
Moisturizer – there are so many options!!! I have favorites, but you really should look for one to address your skin concerns! A few brands I like are Tatcha, First Aid Beauty, and Youth to the People.
Sunscreen – SO SO important. Make this a part of your everyday morning routine!! I love the Super goop Unseen Sunscreen. It is weightless, and it smoothes the skin! It is also a makeup primer as well! It has SPF 40, and it is a clean brand at Sephora.
Do you offer classes in makeup application/education, and if so, can you tell us a little more about what this experience is like? (One-on-one, party-style, virtual, etc)
YES!!! I really enjoy doing makeup classes. They are usually party style, but I will do one on one! It’s a great get together with friends too! Bonus- if you host a party with more than 4 people, you are free!
A week or two before the party I send out a suggestions list. These contain drugstore and high end itens in every category of makeup if you are missing something! Again, they are just suggestions if you need something new!
The day of the party, I come with individual LED mirrors, beauty sponges and PowerPoints. We go through the PowerPoint step by step and apply makeup together! I am there to assist with any help that is needed etc. You then keep the sponge and PowerPoint (I have been told the PowerPoint is super helpful when practicing on your own).
Where can people follow you on social media or reach out to you for additional questions and booking opportunities?
My Instagram has so much information on makeup! Come check it out for all my makeup tips and tricks, favorite products, and product reviews!
IG: @makeup.my.mal
Facebook: www.facebook.com/malloryreidmakeup
For Bookings:
Email: makeupbymal@ yahoo.com
Phone number: 716-863-6955
If anyone has any questions, please reach out! I hope this was helpful for many of you, but don’t hesitate to reach out with specific questions! Make sure to follow my IG for the most information! Thank you so much Dawn! This was fun!
