Lets Talk about Makeup - Kayla Hagey

Hey Guys, today is the first in my new series 'Lets talk about Makeup'. Basically the idea behind the series is to talk all things makeup with women from all walks of life and different levels of experience and expertise. What I love about Makeup is it is such a personal thing and each individual has their own favourite products, brands and application techniques. There are no rights or wrongs with makeup! Its just about being free to express your individuality and creativity. I wanted to bring you interviews with women I look up to and admire. The first interview in the series is with YouTube Beauty influencer Kayla Hagey.  

I was beyond excited when Kayla Hagey one of my favourite YouTubers  agreed to an interview for the blog. I have been a massive fan of Kayla since I first fell in love with makeup last year. It was a breath of fresh air when I discovered her channel as she is a very pale girl like myself and instead of piling on fake tan she embraces her natural skin tone and enhances it with complimentary products. Kayla also shares my love for bright, bold eye looks and unlike a lot of YouTubers isn't afraid to experiment with fresh, edgy looks.

Do you watch other YouTube Beauty influencers? If so who?

I don’t really watch other beauty videos on YouTube as much as I used to but when I get the time I really like watching videos from people like Samantha Ravndahl, Jkissa, Melissa Alatorre, Jessica Haze (mirrorsandhaze), Mallory1712,  and Tati (Glamlifeguru)!

What is your favourite Makeup look on yourself?

My favorite makeup look on myself is any bright colored eyeshadow with nude lips. My favorite eyeshadow color to wear is orange, so probably that :)

If you could only use 1 makeup brand forever, what brand would you choose?

Kat Von D! It’s the only brand that I know I could find something I love for every category - face, eyes, lips, etc. Her foundation, eyeshadows, and lipsticks are some of my favorites.

You can only take 3 Makeup items on holiday with you...what 3 would you choose?

Oh man, this is like picking my favorite children…I would take my OFRA Cosmetics Absolute Cover foundation, ABH Chocolate Brow Powder duo, and Pasadena liquid lipstick by OFRA. I feel like I look naked without brows and lips!

What made you start your YouTube channel? Do you have any tips for someone starting a channel?

I started my channel about 3 years ago when I was in college. I was actually procrastinating studying one day and I decided to look up how to do a smokey eye because my roommate had just bought the Naked palette and I thought it was so pretty but I didn’t really know how to do eyeshadow. After I watched one tutorial I got sucked into the YouTube vortex and ended up watching like 30 different makeup tutorials. I remember watching Promise Phan’s videos where she transforms herself into different characters and celebrities and I really wanted to try that on myself, so I ordered some cheap makeup online and started practicing. A few months later I started my YouTube channel just to have something creative to do in the time that I wasn’t studying, in class, or at work. I started it just for fun and never would have thought I would actually gain any kind of following! My tips for someone starting a YouTube channel are to BE YOURSELF and don’t be afraid to let your personality show through - no matter what your channel is about, people come for the skill but stay for the personality.  Also I’d say to post at least one video a week even if you feel like you aren’t gaining any traction - it will pay off to be consistent. And always listen to your viewers, no matter how many you have, and create videos that you know they want to see! 

What is your skincare routine?

I’m always trying new skincare products so my routine changes up from time to time. But as of right now, I usually use a makeup remover wipe and then wash my face with the OFRA Vitamin C cleanser and a Clarisonic. Once or twice a week I’ll exfoliate with the Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub to get rid of any dead/dry skin patches.  I try to remember to use a toner every night and when I do remember I use either the Pixi Glow Tonic or the Derma E toner.  And lastly, for moisturizer, I actually really love using just a few drops of the Pixi Rose Oil! It smells so good and makes my skin feel so soft. I have pretty sensitive skin so I can’t do many masks or anything like that too often. 

What would you be doing if you weren't a YouTuber?

If I wasn’t doing YouTube, I would be SO BORED. I have so much fun with it. But job-wise, I would probably either be doing something in the Psychology field or English field - like copyrighting, editing, etc. 

Any good makeup hacks? tips?

I have a couple hacks/tips I can think of! If you need your foundation to stay in place extra long, wet your beauty blender with your setting spray instead of water! Also, if you’re all out of concealer, you can mix your favorite foundation with a bit of loose powder and it’ll turn into a thick, concealer-like consistency. 

What products do you think are worth spending a bit more on?

Skin care and foundation! Basically anything that goes on the face. I’m really prone to breakouts and I’ve found that when I use better quality (thus more expensive) skin care & foundation, my skin looks and feels a lot better.  As far as eyeshadows, lipsticks, mascaras, etc. - I think you can find great quality for a lower price. 

What are your favourite Makeup brushes? either brand or individual brushes.

I can’t do my makeup without my Smith Cosmetics brushes. I’ve had them for about a year and a half and I feel like they’ve made me much better at makeup! Specifically, their blending brushes: 230, 232, 247, & 235. I also use the Cozzette s180 every day - it’s the perfect little blending brush.  I think Real Techniques has some great brushes, too, and I use them every day as well. I mostly use their face brushes, like the Blush Brush, Multi Task brush, Expert Face Brush, etc.

What was the last makeup item you purchased?

The last makeup product I purchased that I can remember is the Kat Von D Metal Matte palette. I’m trying not to spend much on makeup but I just had to get that one!

You recently got married. Your makeup was beautiful! What tips do you have for brides who are doing their own makeup like yourself or MUA's who are doing bridal makeup?

Thank you! :) I was really nervous to do my own bridal makeup because I was worried my foundation would crease before the ceremony, my lipstick would fade, etc…but it actually lasted really well. I would say to make sure you’re using a long-lasting foundation, but first moisturize and prime the face REALLY well. Also make sure you’re using a powder that does not cause flash back in photos! 

Favourite eyeshadow palette?

I can’t pick just one! When I think of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, all of my colorful ones come to mind…I LOVE the Sugarpill Pro Palette. Their shadows are so smooth and pigmented and they have so many fun colors. I also really like the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca palette. As for neutrals, I reach for the Kat Von D Shade + Light eye palette a lot, as well as my customized Makeup Geek Z palette

You are always experimenting with different looks and a range of colours (one of the reasons I love you so much!) Where do you get your inspiration from?

Aw thanks!! I get inspiration mostly from the people I follow on Instagram! If I can’t think of anything to do, I’ll scroll through my feed and look at the colors people are using, the techniques, the shapes/placement of their eyeshadow, etc.  I follow a ton of really talented people that aren’t afraid to create out-of-the-box looks and I always find inspiration from them. I also get inspired from nature, sometimes. If I’m going for a walk I’ll look at the trees, leaves, flowers, anything really for inspiration. I feel like there are so many beautiful color combinations in nature that would look awesome as eyeshadow! 

You always take such beautiful pictures of your makeup. Do you have any tips on taking good pictures? 

I honestly still feel like my pictures aren’t quite perfect! I would say lighting is the most important thing, though. If you have natural lighting, great! That’s probably best. I don’t have good natural light in my makeup room, though, so I use two soft boxes and a ring light to get evenly lit photos of my makeup. I would say to also make sure you have a nice camera (I use a Canon T6i) but I have some friends that just use their iPhone to take their makeup photos and they look AMAZING. So just use whatever you can make work!

If you were given the opportunity to create one makeup item what would it be?

An eyeshadow palette! I would LOVE to create one. I’d make the top row crazy bright colors and the bottom row more neutral warm colors

Best drugstore product/products?

I’d say my favorite drugstore products probably all come from NYX! I love their brow mascara, soft matte lip creams, liquid suede lipsticks, stay matte foundation, and HD concealer!

I really hope you enjoyed Kayla's interview! On the blog next week will be an interview with Nicci Auld, a girl from my hometown who's passion for makeup  and creativity is a massive inspiration to me. I cant wait for you to read her interview.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Kayla for agreeing to this interview, she is a total sweetheart and I highly recommend checking her channel out.

You can subscribe to Kayla's YouTube Channel Here.

Thirtyandmakeupmad

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