Underneath It All: A Look Into the Skincare and Makeup Routines of Spark Models
March 29, 2019 / Spark Magazine
Maintaining a skincare and makeup routine is no easy task, especially when you throw in the balancing act of juggling school, orgs, and other responsibilities that demand your attention. Oftentimes, the overwhelming selection of products available for your face makes the process stressful and unappealing, leading many people to abandon the search for products altogether. However, it is likely that once a consistent routine is established, your skin will benefit from this repeated cycle. Rather than reacting harshly to different products that are randomly introduced all the time, the presence of a routine can give your skin a strong and healthy foundation. That’s why I sat down with some of the women whose faces commonly grace the pages of Spark Magazine and who have established their own routines for taking care of their skin. Here follows my conversations with Spark models: Anna Strother, Lindsey Ehlers, Shelby Scott, Erika Takovich and Mijolae Wright.
Spark Magazine: Why did you decide to model for Spark?
Anna Strother: I think I decided to model for Spark because [being] behind a camera makes me feel good about myself and very confident. I already did hair and makeup for them, and so I wanted to also do modeling. [I didn’t do much modeling] growing up. I mean a little bit, but it wasn't a big deal, you know. But I always felt comfortable behind the camera and so I thought might as well.
SM: Careerwise, what are your goals? Do you want to focus on modeling and see if you could do it like professionally at some point?
AS: No not at all, if someone came up to me and they were like “Anna, I'm going to offer you $1 million to model,” then I would do it. But also I'm kind of short so that wouldn’t really happen... it’s just a hobby.
SM: Can you take me through your skincare routine?
AS: My skin is not particularly oily or dry so I don't really need to intensely wash it a lot. As often as I shower that's as often as I wash my face. And then for face wash, I use Clean and Clear and it has benzoyl peroxide... it has 10% of that and I use that in the shower. Then whenever I don't take a shower but my face is dirty or it has makeup [on it] or something I use micellar water by Biore. It's for combination skin and it has baking soda that's apparently good for skin. After I wash my face or I use the micellar water. I always use Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer and it has salicylic acid in it to prevent acne but then it's also a moisturizer.
SM: Can you also take me through your makeup routine?
AS: My makeup routine is kind of intricate because [I’m a] makeup artist. I start with a primer and I have two different kinds of primer, one is for pores and then one is just for all over the face. Then I go [in] with foundation and I use a dewy foundation because matte foundations make my face look cakey. Then I use concealer if I need it. The primer is Nyx, the foundation is Maybelline Fit Me foundation, and then the concealer is Nyx. I use a lot of drugs store makeup to save money, but when it comes to eyeshadow I get more high-end brands. After I do concealer, I usually do blush and then highlighter and sometimes bronzer if I'm feeling like it. The highlighter is Anastasia Glow Kit, the blush is Anastasia Blush Trio, and the bronzer is the cocoa one by Too Faced. If I want to do eye shadow, then I usually use Anastasia's pallets because I have almost all of them and then that just depends on the day and what I'm wearing. But if I don't want to do eye shadow, then I pretty much just finish up and use Nyx Setting Spray.
Spark Magazine: Why did you decide to model for Spark?
Lindsey Ehlers: So I've been modeling since I was in high school, but that was all just me and older photographers and people who just kind of told me what to do. I never got to be part of an organization where I have a say in what I do and input in the creative aspect of it. So I think that's what I really like about Spark, how everybody's kind of on the same level.
SM: Careerwise, what are your goals? Did you want to focus on modeling and see if you could do it like professionally at some point?
LE: My major is advertising and advertising, I think, really goes along well with modeling because I have modeled for JCPenney and Francescas and gotten to see myself in advertisements before. Now I'm studying the other side of it where I’m not working with the creatives and producing the ads I'm working on the strategy behind ads. So I think my major does correlate with modeling. I would go professional if I could, but I want to keep it on the side and I want to keep having fun with it and making money with it but not [letting it] take over a career or education.
SM: Can you take me through your skincare routine?
LE: I always wash my face; I use CeraVe and it's just a salicylic acid gentle cleanser for every day. Then I have two different moisturizers, in the morning I put on a Lush [moisturizer] called Imperialis and it's for oily and dry skin types because my skin's both oily and dry. That balances it out and it works really well. Then at night, I put it on this mixture of coconut oil and tea tree oil and I put in this little jar and mix it together. The coconut oil moisturizes and the tea tree oil reduces redness/helps with acne and all of that, and that really works well too.
SM: Can you also take me through your makeup routine?
LE: I don't wear that much makeup every day. If I do, I'll wear concealer from Well People. I like Well People just because it's a very clean brand and they only put good materials into their products, they're not using harmful chemicals for your skin. I wear Well People concealer and foundation, I don't really wear the foundation that much though. Then I always do my eyebrows. My eyebrows are my favorite thing to do and so I always make sure to fill them in at least with like a powder or a pencil. I really like the Anastasia pencil but what I've been using right now is just from European Wax Center because that's where I get [my eyebrows] waxed and they filled them in for me one time with a certain color so I bought that color in the powder.
Spark Magazine: Why did you decide to model for Spark?
Shelby Scott: I [wanted] another platform to practice modeling and increase my portfolio and it helps a lot with my confidence. I kind of feel like “It” whenever I’m modeling and I heard it was really good here at UT so I wanted to be a part of it. I started getting interested in [modeling] my freshman year in high school mainly because of those [ads] that they have on the radio and they're like “Do you want to model or do you want to be on Disney Channel? Just call this number!” I called it and then I realized that I really actually want[ed] to do this... so I researched things that [were legit] and then I started getting really involved in [modeling] and it really helped with my confidence as a young teen.
SM: Careerwise, what are your goals? Did you want to focus on modeling and see if you could do it like professionally at some point?
SS: [My major] is completely different because I don't want to put all of my energy in one thing because it [might] not work out. I'm doing international business because another passion of mine is philanthropy and non-profit work. That's what I want to do around the world with my business degree and maybe [model] on the side or if I have an opportunity to go all in, (modeling and acting) then I would and see where it goes.
SM: Can you take me through your skincare routine?
SS: Yes! It's really not complicated. I take my showers at night, simple water, and then I put bio oil on [my face]. It really moisturizes it and keeps it clear and then I wake up and my face is really smooth. Then I just simply put water on a washcloth and smudge it on my face.
SM: Can you also take me through your makeup routine?
SS: In high school, I would wear makeup every single day. In college, I started not doing that and realized that my natural beauty is something, so if I do want to wear makeup I usually just put on some mascara and lip gloss. Fenty lip gloss I go towards every day because it's just so simple and pretty. For mascara, I use a simple Sephora brand, [L'Oreal Lash Paradise].
Spark Magazine: Why did you decide to model for Spark?
Erika Takovich: I've always been into taking pictures and I went through a whole phase of loving makeup and fashion and stuff like that. I honestly don't even know how I decided to do this, I just thought you know this is cool. I'm also in advertising like Lindsey, so [modeling] is a creative thing that I like to do. It's more like a hobby than anything. Modeling is a nice combo of what I like.
SM: Can you take me through your skincare routine?
ET: In the morning I just literally wake up and put water on my face. If I decide to really deep clean my face I’ll use the Neutrogena Deep Cleansing Wash that has these beads in it. I also use Sephora samples of this Japanese line [called Tatcha], it's a really nice skin care line but it’s like a hundred bucks for the tubs so I just get samples and I literally just fell in love with the samples. I use a blue hydrating gel and that's pretty much all.
SM: Can you also take me through your makeup routine?
ET: For makeup, I don't really use or wear makeup to school or on a daily basis, but if I do, I'll use Fit Me by Maybelline. Then for mascara, I use a Mexican mascara and I also use Moscow Mule as a really natural plumper for my eyelashes. Then for my eyebrows, I use Anastasia Brow Wiz.
Spark Magazine: Why did you decide to model for Spark?
Mijolae Wright: I was in a hot tub... and one of my friends asked me “Why are you not a model?” And he made me promise him to audition for Spark! (laughs) I met all my best friends through Spark.
SM: Careerwise, what are your goals?
MW: I’m doing something completely different because I'm a math major! [But with modeling] I'm half a vessel to people so other people can use me to express their creative vision, but at the same time, I'm kind of being creative too.
SM: Can you take me through your skincare routine?
MW: I wash my face for one minute with baby soap and then I put on either a Differin (a lighter retinol dose that's over the counter), a BHA (Beta hydroxy acid), an AHA (Alpha hydroxy acids) or nothing. Then I put on a really thick moisturizing cream and then an ascorbic acid oil serum to close it off. The BHA, the AHA and the ascorbic acid are from the Ordinary. The moisturizing cream is GNC because I really just wanted something really bare bones and simple. If I want something super hydrating from Amazon I use the Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream. It's really, really, really good. I just don't use it as much anymore because winter time means heavier moisturizer and that's something I use during the summer months because it's lighter.
SM: Can you also take me through your makeup routine?
MW: For makeup, if it's not a party I try not to do too much. Maybe two very small dots of Fenty Beauty foundation or Short Tarte Shape Tape concealer, which will soon be exchanged for Fenty Beauty concealer once it runs out. Glossier Cloud Paint for blush, and then Maybelline Fit Me Powder. For some contour, I’ll use the Sleek Beauty Kit and then Becca Opal highlighter. •
Written by: Mai Geller
Photographed by: Erin Eubanks
HMU by: Mariam Ali and Amber Bray
Featuring: Anna Strother, Lindsey Ehlers, Shelby Scott, Erika Takovich, & Mijolae Wright
Mai Geller is a sophomore at the University of Texas double majoring in Plan II Honors and Accounting. She is a member of the Spark Writing Team in addition to Spark Online. In her spare time, you can find her listening to Leandra Medine’s podcast “Monocycle” or stalking the Instagram account of John Mulaney’s french bulldog, Petunia.
Photographed by: Erin Eubanks
HMU by: Mariam Ali and Amber Bray
Featuring: Anna Strother, Lindsey Ehlers, Shelby Scott, Erika Takovich, & Mijolae Wright
Mai Geller is a sophomore at the University of Texas double majoring in Plan II Honors and Accounting. She is a member of the Spark Writing Team in addition to Spark Online. In her spare time, you can find her listening to Leandra Medine’s podcast “Monocycle” or stalking the Instagram account of John Mulaney’s french bulldog, Petunia.