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Top 25 Makeup Articles on Substack

Best Makeup Articles


Summer Beauty, Part III: Holy Grail Makeup Products

What's in my bag, you ask? Charm, wit, and the Merit Beauty Tinted Lip Oil
My three-part Summer Beauty Series concludes today with the article I was actually most excited to write about: makeup. I’ve mentioned before that the reason I’m not really a makeup girl is because I am not good at it (and that’s putting it delicately). Another reason I don’t really do a ton of makeup is I just don’t think I
Meghan Hughes ∙ 5 LIKES

Face Facts

I asked a pro makeup artist every beauty question I was too embarrassed to Google
If I have to think about my first encounter with makeup, I’d have to go back to 2008.
Giulia C. ∙ 25 LIKES
Julia Norberg's avatar
Julia Norberg
This was so good! I'm no makeup pro either and usually feel more comfortable in a less complicated makeup look, but learnt so much from these tips!
Sheila (of Ephemera)'s avatar
Sheila (of Ephemera)
What an excellent interview, Giulia! I also feel like make-up is dismissed as shallow and frivolous, but it can really be an empowering tool in communicating who we are.

A Tiny Sephora Haul

Plus daily makeup and mid-year thoughts about an annual beauty budget
I’m not sure if two items is enough to call something a haul, but I did make a run to Sephora in June, and I’m really happy with my purchases. I thought today we could do some catching up on beauty and budgeting—more of a bird’s eye view than a detailed rundown. Let’s start with Sephora.
Rose-Anne



Before Sephora, There Was This Place

A visit to one of my favorite historic sites in Los Angeles: The Hollywood Museum in the Max Factor Building.
Welcome to Celebrity Secret Weapon, a column about the imagemakers behind some of Hollywood’s most famous (and interesting) looks. Max Factor, the Polish-American businessman and beautician known for shaping the cosmetics industry as we now know it, had a major impact on Hollywood. And his great-grandson continues his legacy through his own almost 30-ye…
Kirbie Johnson ∙ 21 LIKES

In My Makeup Bag (currently)

beauty novice, simplicity expert.
I don’t know about you but my relationship with makeup has been on again, off again. It’s my least favorite part in my routine and most days I just go without it. As a teenager and young adult, though, in 2010-14, I was a makeup QUEEN. Smoky eye? Yes. Winged liquid liner? Absolutely. A Taylor Swift red lip? Next question.
Caroline Bentley Edwards ∙ 1 LIKES

The Beauty Industry Is Suddenly All-In On Gen X

After ignoring us for years
Hi WNVM-ers,
Cheryl Wischhover, Fawnia Soo Hoo, and Whatever Nevermind ∙ 56 LIKES
Kris Jackson's avatar
Kris Jackson
I love Rose Marie Swift (RMS is her brand) because she puts HER face out there. I don’t have many of her projects - just two lipsticks which I like.
Cheryl Shops's avatar
Cheryl Shops
As a Gen Xer with aging skin and money to spend, I appreciate the attention and product options. But as someone who works in the industry, I can almost guarantee you that brands have noticed a pattern with us but are *really* gearing up for the sales that the millennials (e.g. largest generation of consumers ever) will bring once their wrinkles kick in.
P.S. I love everything I’ve tried so far from Sarah Creal but the product and shade names are so cringe. And for Miracle Balm, you have to use the brush—it doesn’t work with fingers!

When To Throw Away Your Makeup

Is Your Makeup Expired? Here’s How to Tell (And What to Do)
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got at least a handful of makeup products that you’re just not too sure how long you’ve had them. So unsure…that a few of them could even be discontinued. But here’s the thing no one wants to admit - this very same makeup, could be expired.
Nina Ubhi ∙ 16 LIKES
Maly A's avatar
Maly A
BC (Before Covid LOL) 'expiration' was never a concern for me. Between 5 days in office and socializing on weekends, things got used and replenished regularly. Then.....the pandemic hit.....that dragged on...and on....and on..... :( A lot of things just didn't get used, hence never finished and one day I realized how much stuff I had that was purchased BC and was expired!!!! So I did a MAJOR purge and had to toss so much stuff in the bin! Sad - but necessary. I'm usually more forgiving with dry/powder based stuff than I am with creams/liquids.
Dee Sarma's avatar
Dee Sarma
You know if you think about it, it’s crazy how much we pay for mascara if we have to cycle them out every 3 months. Guess I’ll only be buying minis from now on.


Q&A: Talking K-Beauty Obsessions & FoodTok with Jamie Lee of Condé Nast’s Beauty Marketing Division

The Gen Z foodie spills her high-glam secrets, jaw-Botox curiosity, and the best places to eat and drink in town.
In this weekly Q&A series, friends of The Beauty Chat spill their routines, recs, and rituals—from their holy grail concealers to the podcast they always push. Think of it as your new favorite scroll: beauty picks, pop culture takes, and inspo you didn’t know you needed.
Allure magazine ∙ 7 LIKES


Danessa Myricks on the Brand That Community Built

After a major career pivot in her thirties, the fifty-two-year-old mother, makeup artist, educator and CEO is creating her legacy in the beauty industry. We talked to the multi-hyphenate about life-changing milestones, business during a global pandemic, and what it means to be a Black woman i…
CRWNMAG ∙ 1 LIKES

The Chef Bae-Approved Makeup Routine That *Actually* Stays On

Through sweat, flights, and 12-hour kitchen days, these are my fool-proof products I return to time and time again...you can thank me later.
If you cook for celebrities... you kind of have to look like one too. Or, at least fake it really well while sprinting through LAX on 2 hours of sleep and half a matcha.
Brooke Baevsky ∙ 14 LIKES
Jane Stricker's avatar
Jane Stricker
Become a model , you are exquisite. Easy to see with your DNA. Xxxxoooo Jane

Lipstick Warfare

From ancient queens to TikTok feens—lipstick has always been warpaint. #LIPSTICKGATE
My mom always told me: never leave the house without a little lipstick.
Emilie Hagen ∙ 109 LIKES
Emilie Hagen's avatar
Emilie Hagen
Wow not many Substack people wear lipstick....so who were the people DEMANDING THE UNREDACTED LIST?!!?!?! LOLOL
Jenifer Miller's avatar
Jenifer Miller
And once again folks, she’s done it. Could have easily sent out links to lipsticks when asked but instead, had us all waiting with bated breath, and delivered this amazing piece about lipstick. Lipstick of all things. The history and symbolism of it are my favorite parts. This just shows your talent and ability to deep dive and take your readers (and viewers…insta live 😜) on amazing journeys about literally anything and everything. Thank you Emilie for making anything you write about interesting and fun. 👄 💄

Over 40 Makeup Bag Summer Capsule

Recently I did a refresh for my everyday makeup bag on camera, here are the products, video, and thoughts beyond the video.
A mom friend and I were chatting by the pool while our kids were playing and I mentioned how I felt like my YouTube channel has been on life support for the last few years.
Serein Wu ∙ 2 LIKES

LOVELY
Jul 8

New Beauty I've Tried and Liked

All of the makeup, skincare and fragrances I've been obsessed with lately
Over the past few months, I’ve gotten back to my roots as a beauty lover. Way back in the day, it was the first thing I blogged about that wasn’t like a journal entry or an essay. I had horrible acne…
DeAndrea Douglas ∙ 5 LIKES


Face First: The New Frontier of Regulative Beauty is Here

Why the beauty industry’s next wave is nervous system regulation and why creators + brands who lead with care will own the future.
I used to think not wearing makeup was a flex. I thought if I show up with just lashes, brows, and a little gloss that meant I was confident and secure. And to be clear: there’s power in that too (shoutout Alicia Keys) but somewhere along the line, I confused low maintenance with mental stability. What I’ve grown to accept about myself is that doing my …
DonYé Taylor ∙ 38 LIKES
Jordan Miller's avatar
Jordan Miller
As a WFH girly this is so true. I have fallen into the trap of low maintenance looks and not doing makeup simply because I’m at home — my spirit can feel it. I’m slowly trying to integrate gussying up back into my routine but it’s so much harder now than when I was in my 20s 😓
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms's avatar
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms
Smart analysis here and very well written! 🔥🔥

"Is It 'Giving Up' To Accept What I Look Like?"

Read my latest Ask Ugly column!
The next installment of Ask Ugly, my monthly beauty advice column for the Guardian, is here!
Jessica DeFino ∙ 216 LIKES
Therry Neilsen-Steinhardt's avatar
Therry Neilsen-Steinhardt
Don't forget that the ENCHANTING Natasha Rostov in Tolstoy's War and Peace is said to "let herself go" (Russian for giving up on societal expectations for beautiful young women) when she marries Pierre and devotes herself to her family and children. She ends up quite happily!

30 cult, coveted, effective products industry people use p.2 — makeup

We worship at the altar of Luminous Silk
Welcome to part two of ‘cult, coveted effective products industry people use’.
Emily Morello ∙ 317 LIKES
Zara Wong's avatar
Zara Wong
Devoured this. My notes on this —
- Vicky Tsai of Tatcha told me she also uses NARS Creamy concealer. Also NARS complexion products are meant to be used with fingers only, no brushes, so it looks perfect when tapped on.
- Love Westman drops, it’s the closest to Kosas’ discontinued tinted face oil which I loved.
- Also love the Chanel Les Beiges Water tint
- RMS Living Luminizer is so underrated.
- Chanel Baume is iconic it’s true
- Kevyn Aucoin’s tubing mascara is iconic. But also, I love the original Japanese brand that did this first.
Kate Whalen's avatar
Kate Whalen
Desperately needed this as I’m doing my own makeup for my Caribbean wedding in a few months. Thank you for your service!! <3

Streamline Your Skincare: Declutter Like a Pro

A step-by-step guide to decluttering your beauty stash and creating a calming space.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever bought a new serum, only to realize you already had two (or three) at home. I’ve been there! Beauty clutter can sneak up quickly, but with a little organization, you’ll feel more in control and enjoy what you use.
Nikki ∙ 12 LIKES
Michelle Smith's avatar
Michelle Smith
I do one thing right. I have a currently using tray! Admittedly I tend to hoard products “just in case”
I am currently dumping 10 bottles of hair oil that were gifted to me but have si ce expires. I couldn’t make it through them all and when they were gifted, I really should’ve just said no I have enough already.

My eight-item makeup routine

...and a routine that takes less than eight minutes.
When I was growing up, I remember my mom once telling me that the point of makeup wasn’t to look like a different person, but just to look like a better version of yourself. That’s become a core part of my approach to beauty, especially as I’ve gotten older: I want to look like myself and also feel confident and comfortable in my own skin, but I also kn…
Christine Amorose Merrill ∙ 5 LIKES

27 Beauty Items That I Repurchase Again & Again (& Again)

Like the shampoo I've been in a 13 year relationship with....
As a teenager, I’d start AOL chatrooms and brand them as spaces for like-minded 13-year-olds to chat about ‘fashion, beauty & boys’. I was always going to end up here, wasn’t I?! Fashion we’ve got covered by the bucketload around these parts, although seeing as I’m 17 years in with my (now) husband, I haven’t got much to add to the boys’ topic.
Anna Newton ∙ 187 LIKES
Sheyda's avatar
Sheyda
Hi Anna, I'm really interested in trying the Makeup By Mario Soft Sculpt Skin Enhancer. How do you apply it? Do you use a brush, and if so, which one? Or do you use your fingers? Do you apply it over or under the foundation or tinted moisturizer? Thanks!
Angie Uh's avatar
Angie Uh
I pretty much have loved anything that I’ve tried from Oribe! I’ve been using their gold dry shampoo and super shine cream for years. Have you tried the La Roche Posay hydrating cleanser? It’s so gentle but gets you squeaky clean…so much better than any high or low ones I’ve tried!