Hi and welcome to the GIRLBRAVE podcast. Today. We are going to be doing makeup with Elsa. I love Elsa's Instagram page. She is such a creative artist. And today she's going to walk me through how to do a makeup look, so let's get to it.

Well, hi, Elsa. How are you?

I'm good. How are you?

I'm great. I've been looking forward to talking to you for weeks now. Actually the first time I saw what you were doing on Instagram, I knew right then and there that I wanted to have you on the show. So I'm so excited today. So let's hear first a little bit about you. How old are you and what grade are you going into?

I'm going into my freshman year, this year in high school.

How does that feel? Are you nervous about it?

I'm not as nervous cause it's going to be online for the first semester, but I don't know how we're going to do so my classes online.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Has COVID affected a lot of your life or have you gotten used to it? Like what, how does it feel?

I've kind of gotten used to it and accepted the fact that it's doing more good than harm staying in our houses. And it is kind of hard not being able to hang out with my friends as much, but I'd rather stay safe than take the risk.

Yeah. Agreed. All right. So like I said, I've been following your Instagram page @Makeup.by.elsak and absolutely love your creativity and everything that you're doing there. When did you first start experimenting with makeup?

I started last winter in like February. I think I got my favorite palette, the James Charles palette last November. So that's kind of when I started experimenting. 

What's the James Charles palette like? Why do you like that the most?

Because it's really pigmented and it has a bunch of colors and I like to experiment with like rainbow colors and a bunch of colorful, bright colors. That's kinda what I like about it.

How do you come up with your ideas? Where do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, and I assume that they all come up with mine by myself.

And then how often do you get to where the artistic creations you make out in public? Do you go out, wear them out a lot or to school?

I no, I never wear my creations out of the house to school. I don't wear very much makeup and I just kinda started doing these like more bigger, like, looks recently and I haven't worn any of them.

What have you learned about yourself after doing these creations? All these makeup creations.

I've learned that I'm a little bit more talented than I thought I was and I've definitely grown a lot. I was looking back at my old makeup looks. I did like a year ago and I've improved a lot. So I've learned that I can, if I like keep trying and don't give up, I can just like get a lot better at it. I mean, that kind of goes for everyone.

It's probably interesting to see the progression over time as you photograph your looks.

Yeah, it is very interesting. 

And do you do any videos as well or is it just Instagram posts?

I posted two videos on my Instagram, but I've never posted anything on like YouTube or anything.

Do you plan on doing that in the future or just keeping it on the Instagram?

If I get, if I kind of take off on Instagram, I might start a YouTube channel for my makeup look.

Have you had any self doubt or anything while you posting the images that you think, oh gosh, if someone going to say something about this and like, how do you talk yourself into just posting it anyway?

I don't worry about the comments I'm going to get. I worry more about how's this going to look on my feed? Like if I do a makeup, look in the eyeliners, kind of like all over the place. I get a little nervous about that, but I never really get nervous about what people are going to comment.

If there was another girl, your age out there that was doing something similar or wanted to share her artwork with the world, but was too nervous, too shy. Do you have any advice that you would give her to help her out?

If you feel very strongly in what you're doing, like makeup, don't worry about what other people think. Just go for your dream because there'll be plenty of people out there that will be very inspired by you. And maybe some that are not so much, but just keep going.

Do you have a daily mantra or a saying that you tell yourself that just gives yourself the confidence to keep going and keep trying?

I don't really have a saying, but I love doing makeup so much that I just kinda, I don't know. I just think keep going. cuz it makes me happy.

Yeah, it's, it's, it's something that , it's inspiration that comes inside and you enjoy doing it. So you don't have to worry about all the other stuff out there.

Yeah.

That's great. Do you also draw or paint? I mean, you're such a great artist.

Thank you. Um, I love to paint with like acrylic paints on a canvas. I actually have one back there. You can see it.

Is it the one with the leaf?

Yeah.

Very cool. So how often do you find yourself painting?

Maybe, well depends on how many canvases I have. I'm kind of running low. So I'm trying not to use them all in one time frame, but maybe like once every two weeks. So not too much. Cause I'm kind of busy with makeup.

Do you ever watch any of the makeup shows that are on Netflix and stuff?

I've seen Glow Up. I've watched a couple episodes of that and are like that. And I have seen like a bunch of YouTube videos, people doing that.

Are there any makeup looks on Glow Up? I've been watching it myself that you want to try, like prosthetics or what new ideas do you have in your head for the new makeup looks?

I tried prosthetics ones. I don't, I don't think that's really my thing, but um, I just like the cool modern looks that they have on that show. It kinda gives me like inspiration to make that look into something like my own style.

And who are your favorite makeup artists to watch on YouTube?

James Charles. And there's this girl that got kind of famous off of the app called tik tok. Um, her name is Avani. She does a bunch of cool makeup looks that I really like.

Spell her name or her her handle.

Um, it's I think it's just Avani her name A V A N I.

Very cool. So are you also posting a lot of your looks on tik-tok?

No, I don't have to tik tok at the moment.

Well, this podcast is called GIRLBRAVE. And so I love to ask my guests what their definition of being brave is. And do you think you are brave?

My definition of being brave is to go forward without looking back, not overthinking about what you're doing and just kind of going for it! And I do think I can be brave. I don't really care too much about what people think or I'm working on that and I'm definitely getting better.

I love that, well today you are going to show us one of your looks that I absolutely love from Instagram and I brought some of my pallets with me. I don't know how much pigment are in it, but I would love for you to show me your look and, we could do it together.

You take the lead.

So first I just kind start with the base. I use some foundation to like, make it like ready, know like my blank canvas. And what kind of foundation do you like to use? I use this Maybelline New York up to 24 Hour Stay.

I put my foundation, I with my fingers. Is it better to use a beauty blender?

It just depends on what works best for you. I've tried fingers. Sometimes. I like to put my concealer on with fingers, but with foundation, I like to use a beauty blender brush.

And what's your skin routine at night?

It's not very, I don't do a lot, but I just wash my face with this CeraVe cleanser and then I use my moisturizer. That's also CeraVe. That's definitely my favorite skin care brand. I used to have eczema, so it really helped with my eczema. I went to my dermatologist and that's how I started using it.

And how did you come up with this look and does it have a name?

I didn't really name it. I got, I didn't completely copy it off of someone else. I saw it. I looked like it on Instagram and that's what inspired me, but I don't really have a name for it.

It reminds me of a painting. I can't remember the name of the artist that it reminds me of. I need to look that up. Do you know by chance?

I don't know, but it's kinda like pop already. Alright, so now I'm gonna grab my palette, the James Charles palette.

That's huge.

Look at my palette. HA HA HA

So first I started with the color social boy. It's like a light kind of green color and I start patting it up all of my eyebrow right here and I make sure it's blended into my skin. Well, so it doesn't look too blocky and I stop when it's right above my eye.

Okay. Yours is looking so good. Mine is looking like I got hit by a car. HA HA

It's okay. Actually it does look a little weird at first. Okay. And now, uh, once you're done, I grab a different brush and I'm going to get like kind of a light reddish color or any kind of red you have. I'm using the color on the James Charles palette called rusted. And I just kinda leave a little space in between the green and I just start going right there like that. I started moving it. I do this.

How did you come up with using green up here and then pink down here, a light red down here?

That's kinda how it was on the picture that I saw. Some of the other little details. I made different and you get an orange color and I'm using the one called 518 on James Charles palette. And you go right above the red in between red in the green.

How often do you find yourself coming up with playing with the makeup and coming up with new ideas?

Sometimes I get ideas when I'm like trying to fall asleep, that can't fall asleep or in the shower. When it comes to me, I write it down in the notes app and my phone and then I just go to it later if I can't find a makeup look.

My last guest did a makeup challenge with her brother. Would you ever, have you ever done that? Had your brother do your makeup for you?

No. I don't know if I would trust him. I have done makeup challenges with my friend where we both blindfold each other and we do the other person's makeup. Now I'm going to move on to the eyeshadow mix and I get like bright blue color. And I'm just trying to make the same shape as the other eye. Oh, sorry. You just got on one eye...

Oh, I can take it off. That's right. Why would we put the same color on both eyes? Okay. Were you an artist on paper before you started doing makeup?

Yeah, I was. I wouldn't call myself an artist. I liked to draw a lot.

(That's an artist.)

If there was one new palette that you want to get, what would it be?

We, I don't know the exact name. That's like a glow in the dark palette, rather colors.

Who makes it?

I think it's Morphe. I'm not sure.

Have you ever thought about making your own makeup?

I haven't. You just bought that into my mind.

If you could produce one piece of makeup, like you came out with your own Elsa line, what piece of makeup would you want to with?

Either lipstick or like, not lipstick or like paint like this or eye shadow? Probably like a little mini palette. Did you have a friend who was making lip glass that you were trying on? Yeah, this, um, none of us in school with me named Natalie. She asked me if she could make me some glasses for me to review her.

That's cool.

Yeah, that was really nice. Um, and now we're going to do eyeliner and I start by just doing a little wing, but I don't go all the way. I just make a line. 

Okay.

So I want this book to be a little abstract.

Do you think you want to be a makeup artist when you grow up?

I've been thinking about that a lot because I also love fashion and I've been wanting to be a fashion designer when I grow up, for like, since I was like fifth grade. So I don't know yet.

Whatever you decide you'll be able to do.

Yeah. I'm just gonna meet too little like slant thing right there.

Mine looks terrible. I love it though. Yours, yours is good. I think your palette might be a little bit better than mine, but I'm going with it. I'm not afraid. So what's your next makeup look that you've got brewing in your head?

I don't know yet. I might do some looking on Pinterest. I think my favorite one I've done is the dragon one. I don't know how you saw that one online.

Well, this has been so much fun. How do you think I did?

I think you actually did really good. It looks good.

Thank you for walking me through it. Well, you are amazing. I really appreciate it. Thank you again and have a great day.

Thank you. Bye.

Thanks for joining us on the GIRLBRAVE podcast. Go to PincurlGirls.com to hear more interviews with inspiring girls. And if you want to get on our daily texts list, go ahead and click the encouraging text tab at the top. We'll see you next time. Bye.