In the Words of Makeup Artist Marianne Fidel, an Interview with SO Magazine

This article originally appeared in So Magazine Australia on 26 March 2015

Have you ever come across the hashtag #livebeautifully before?

SO… if you answered either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ here is your chance to explore the notion a little more with makeup artist Marianne Fidel

1) First of all, tell us a bit about yourself Marianne.

I grew up in Sydney in the Hills District. After high school I studied Event Management at Kenvale College then did my Commerce degree at Macquarie University with an Accounting major.

I then worked in a professional services firm for a couple of years and am currently finishing off my studies to become a Chartered Accountant.

My other passions reside in my love for music, sport/fitness (I’ve recently taken up dragonboat racing), fashion, baking (l Iove making cake pops!) and catching up with friends and family.

2) How did you make your way into the world of professional makeup?

To be honest I think my journey into the makeup industry grew quite organically over the years.

Since my early childhood I’ve always loved art; making things, drawing, painting … I loved it all! And in my senior years, I really took a liking to business studies and knew that I’d endeavour to work in something business-related.

Now when I look back, I think studying at Kenvale (a hospitality, tourism and event management college) really opened my eyes to the beauty of the service industry and the ability to make a difference through the little details.

Beyond the pretty folded napkins and majestic hotel entrances, I saw firsthand the difference that being well-presented and having a joyful spirit of service can have in uplifting the mood and inspiring others in an unspoken way.

As I progressed through working in cosmetics/fragrances and also through venturing into the corporate world as an accountant, I saw how this joyful attitude can be translated through all types of environments.

Whether in a work, social or family environment, I realised thatpresentation and beauty has a powerful role to play in personal and professional leadership.

That’s why it’s not just about the makeup for me. It’s about a holistic approach and a healthy attitude to using cosmetics to bring out the best in oneself and others.

Over time, without me even noticing it, family and friends started asking me for makeup and style advice. It was in helping to educate other women in this area  – and seeing how much they felt empowered by this knowledge – that I realised how much joy this gave me to see them happier and more confident.

It was from here that I decided that I wanted to be part of that journey for more women on a practical level; whether it be for a special day/occasion, or to help with educating and implementing a particular makeup routine specific to their needs and environment.

I finally took up and completed a professional makeup course and have now set up my own business and am loving it!

3) The notion of what is considered ‘beautiful’ often changes throughout time and across different cultures, yet the concept of ‘beauty’ itself is timeless and universal. Why do you think that is?

An explanation I can think of (and am adopting from the work of the All.u.re Workshop) is that it comes down to the difference between viewing beauty from an objective vs. subjective lens.

There are certain things in this world that are objectively beautiful like a sunset, beautiful flowers and the dignity and beauty of every person. Then there is the subjective level whereby different countries, cultures, different times in history and even personal tastes that can set the criteria for what is considered to be “beautiful”.

I think it’s so important to understand this difference because too often we can compare even our unique beauty (which is objective) under a subjective viewpoint which can give us complexes with unrealistic solutions.

4) What message about beauty do you want to convey to this generation of women, young and old alike?

I think these days we are bombarded with so many different messages of what is and isn’t beautiful. But like I mentioned before, I want to help women discover and appreciate the reality of their own personal beauty.

Beauty isn’t just what you put on in the morning. Beauty fundamentally radiates from within from a wholesome and healthy way of life.

I’d really like to help break down stereotypes like “wearing makeup makes you superficial” or “not wearing makeup means you don’t care about your appearance”. Both are generalisations and I don’t believe either of them are true.

Even as a makeup artist, I don’t think that there’s a right or wrong answer to how much/little makeup someone should wear on a daily basis. It comes down to personal choice and circumstances.

Through my work as a makeup artist, my goal is to help women find the balance between the two extremes.

A good guide could be to endeavour to have our exteriors  reflect on our interior beauty and refinement.

5) Lastly, any hot tips on what trends and colours are in, now that the cooler weather is starting to set in across Australia?

Before going into makeup trends my first advice would be to take care of your skin. The foundation of any makeup is always healthy skin.

As the weather gets cooler our skin is prone to getting more dry due to a number of reasons like being exposed to cold, dry air, taking more hot showers and baths, and not wearing as much sun protection (SPF products) where the sun can be just as damaging in the winter as it is in the summer. Be sure to moisturise morning and evening and take advantage of the extra hydration that serums and night masks can provide.

In terms of what’s trending in the makeup world at the moment. Definitely more of the nude palettes! That’s through the eyes, lips and even nails. Other trending colours are cool mauves and violets.

For more tips on makeup and beauty, get in touch with Marianne Fidel on Facebook, Instagram or via email. She’d love to hear from you!