What Is Authentic Beauty?

Today, I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 2 of Chris Scott’s Virtual Blog Tour. Chris’ book, Face With a Heart: Mastering Authentic Beauty Makeup is celebrating its big Amazon launch next week on June 2nd.

CHRIS SCOTT, M.A. is the creator of San Francisco-based Makeup Gourmet®. Over his nearly 30-year career, in addition to doing makeup for top models from every corner of the planet, he has also had the honor of working for legends like Paul McCartney, US Vice President Al Gore, Shirley Temple Black, Maya Angelou and Olympic Gold medalists Oksana Baiul and Kristi Yamaguchi. He was the creator and host of the TV show Makeup Gourmet from 2008 to 2010, he was a leading Chanel Beauté national artist for over two decades, and is also the creator and guest teacher of Fashion Makeup at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He created his unique Makeup Gourmet line to ensure his clients and the public have access to high-quality, ethically produced, ‘green’ makeup and skincare with a low-carbon footprint. Chris is also the author of the wonderfully visual “how to” book, Face with a Heart: Mastering Authentic Beauty Makeup (2014), as well as Cosmetic Counter Survival Guide: How to Buy the Right Skin Care and Makeup (2003).

Yesterday, Chris visited Andrew Mondia’s blog, Pear-Shaped View – where they talked about how beauty is for everyone, inner beauty, and seeing yourself through the eyes of others.

Today, I’d like to share a recent interview where I asked Chris a few questions on the meaning of authentic beauty and how it differs from classic beauty – and what is key in helping women see their own beauty.

Based on his many years of experience as a make-up artist, here’s what Chris Scott had to say.

***************

TINA: In your book, you talk a lot about “authentic beauty.” Can you define what you mean by this – and why it’s important for a woman to connect to it?

CHRIS:  My specialty is beauty makeup. The word “beauty” carries with it so many preconceptions. I use “authentic” to differentiate between makeup as a tool to be beautiful (which I do not believe) and makeup to help others (and ourselves) see our true selves better, whatever our mood may be.

If you choose to use makeup, it is important to have a healthy relationship with makeup. By discovering how makeup can truly show us in our very best light, we embrace more of who we are and less of what we don’t want others to see.

TINA:  What would you say to a woman who doesn’t believe she’s beautiful? And how would you help her see it?

CHRIS:  The first thing I would say is don’t use makeup to feel beautiful. Self-esteem and self-awareness are unavoidable issues with something as delicate as our appearance.  Nothing reads more untrue as trying to be someone we are not. What I figured out is how to connect makeup with a person’s anatomy, not change their anatomy. When you connect makeup with your anatomy instead of distorting it, (and I know this sounds corny) you see your smile more easily.

TINA:  What is the difference between “classic beauty make-up” and “authentic beauty make-up?” And what are the benefits of each?

CHRIS:  Classic beauty makeup is a method that falls in line with the mindset of “Let me go put my face on.” It assumes we look better with makeup. The energy of the application is that you are putting something on your face and so that is what it looks like, something on your face.

Authentic beauty makeup is my self-created method of makeup application that tries every step of the way to not get in the way of the face. Rather, authentic beauty makeup connects and lives within your face so that you are seen better and your makeup fits you perfectly.

As far as the benefits of each go, it is really about two mindsets. Classic is what we have known and are shown when buying makeup. It tends to be heavier and requires less precision, thus may be easier for some to apply. Authentic makeup uses all the same makeup (except for correctors, an integral element for authentic makeup), only in a much more highly integrated and specific way.  Regardless of the intensity of your look, natural, professional, or dramatic, authentic beauty makeup never gets in the way of your face; rather it celebrates your face.

***************

I hope you enjoyed this brief interview with Chris Scott and that you’ll check out his book, Face With a Heart: Mastering Authentic Beauty Makeup during his big Amazon launch on June 2^nd.  When you buy the book during the launch, you’ll receive dozens of free gifts from Chris, and his friends and colleagues.

AND, if you sign up for a launch reminder, you’ll get a free pass to Chris’ 3-Day Telesummit –The Keys to Feeling Authentically Beautiful” – which begins on May 26^th and runs through May 28^th, 2015, with a fabulous panel of internationally-renowned image experts.
To get your free pass to the telesummit and to receive a reminder about the book, please visit: Face with a Heart

* If you’re reading this after the telesummit is over, you can find out how to access the MP3 replays at the link above.

You can also catch more of Chris’ Virtual Blog Tour, by visiting him tomorrow on Callie Carling’s Cancer Goddess blog at – where they will talk about how light affects the way we look, and regaining confidence through authentic beauty.

Feel free to share your questions or comments about Chris’ book or about his work – and we’ll pass them along.

Here’s to connecting with your authentic beauty!