Ashunta Sheriff

Makeup Artist & Beauty Expert • www.ashuntasheriffonline.com

Philosophy on Beauty and Makeup

My philosophy on beauty and makeup is, I don’t believe in rules. I am kind of known as the no rules girl. I don’t believe that beauty has any rules. I believe that beauty is something that is infinite and beyond just the exterior. I think beauty really comes from the inside and when people’s insides feel really good they seem to look even better. Look at Michelle Obama for example - she is glowing and looking gorgeous. Her skin looks radiant, and her hair is so shiny. She has a wonderful energy and I feel that there is so much happiness within her. I feel like that is the essence of beauty to me - inner happiness -and that is what exudes through the face, the soul and the eyes.

If someone says blue eye shadow is out, I am using it. If someone says, red lipstick is not hot I am putting it on. I don’t adhere to industry trends and rules because I feel like when you don’t adhere, you actually become a trendsetter and you are not so worried about what’s the in thing to do. So I just do what makes my client feel or look their best.

I always believe that hair stylist, makeup, and wardrobe people – or glam squad as the currently call us- are kind of like the modern day Shaman because we not only transform our clients to look gorgeous on a red carpet or magazine but we also transform their insides. We are the ones who see them cry right before they hit the red carpet. We are the ones who come around the and pray with them. I realized that was my responsibility to the universe when the Creator gave me this gift because I believe we are all gifted with different things and I tapped into it, thank God. I literally woke up one day and said to myself, “I need to become a makeup artist.”

What sparked your interest in skin care?

I started taking workshops and started realizing how much more you can achieve with makeup when skin care is made essential for the client. I had different cases were people had rosacea or they had eczema. That is when I started researching beyond basic skin care, especially with my clients who had acne and they were celebrities. It started becoming really important to me to know what I should use, what I should not use, and what ingredients were in products. My interest in skin care came from a need for my clients.

Skin care plays an important role in the wellness of a person. When you are dealing with different types of skin situations whether it is eczema, acne, or rosacea, it is coming from somewhere else. I started actually going beyond just basic skin care and started to go holistic in my approach. I would go to Whole Foods and go through the Whole Body Care section, read a bunch of things, and talk to the experts there who are so amazing. I started putting together my own research and I really have done really well in terms of having knowledge about what works best for different skin situations.

Celebrity Clientele

I have been working with a high profile client, Alicia Keys, for over six years. Before Proactive, it was really tough. She said it was ironic because her face is how she sells her music. She said it is something you can’t help but be humbled by it. When I saw that she dealt with it like such a champion, it just made me want to pursue what was the best thing to use on her. In the early stages I wanted to do a great job, I wanted her to look pretty. But it started going beyond that – I wanted to actually help heal her skin. We started searching out products to find out what people are allergic to such as soy complexes, certain peptides, high levels of Vitamin C, or mica - some things that you don’t know you are allergic to.

What are parabens?

Parabens are the fillers that a used to preserve the make up, but also deadly over time. It has been found that it actually puts toxins into your pores, and then once it gets into your pores it goes to your bloodstream over long periods of time wearing certain makeup. However, it [parabens] is definitely not offering you anything good. So if you can find makeup or skincare that is paraben free, toxic free, oil free – and when I say oils I mean no mineral oils but natural oils like avocado and almond – then you will see a complete difference sometimes in your skin. Mineral Makeup is truly a great way to use products that are paraben and oil free from Cover Girl Queen Collection to Mary Kay that offer tons of fantastic mineral options for all skin tones.

Water Works

I will tell my clients that their skin is extremely dry because they do not drink water. I usually start by telling them to drink one glass and build it up every week with a glass until they are at eight. And they usually are doing it and they see the difference in eight weeks. I have had clients literally say their skin feels so much better. A lot of times it is a mind set with people.

Beauty Challenges with Ethnic Skin

What I find to be the most challenging with ethnic skin is finding the right shade foundation and the right shade concealor. It’s definitely better in the market with all the different brands that are out there. The Queen collection, Iman, Smash Box, Makeup Forever, or MAC, have been really doing well with ethnic complexions. However, it is not always on point for everyone. I am always mixing things together to work for a woman’s complexion. African American women are actually a huge entity in the makeup industry. We deserve to get more options.

Facials are important, and women of color don’t realize that. There are different at home things you can do to get your skin looking refreshed, revived, hydrated, and it doesn’t always have to be at an actual spa. So I often tell clients that if they can’t get the facial, try alternatives. If they have a steam room in their gym go sit in it, take a lemon in and rub some all over you to drain the pores and detoxify. Afterwards, put a great serum on. If you are afraid or do not know what type of serum to use, just get some organic fresh pressed almond oil from Whole foods. If you have normal skin, not oily, that would be more than enough to rehydrate you with your pores open.

Must-Have Products

Ojon Tawaka “The Ball”
Ojon Rare Harvest Tawaka Rejuvenating Lip Kit
Carol’s Daughter Serums
Purlisse
Soft and Beautiful Body Lotion
Soft and Beautiful Polish
Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover
Mary Kay Primer