Renee Ifill has always loved makeup and getting glammed up and during her days at Queen’s College would spend her pocket money on lipstick and eyelashes.
However, somewhere between QC and studying at the University of the West Indies for a degree in biology that glam side of her disappeared, “There was just too much work to be done . . . . I didn’t have time for make-up.”
After graduating and taking up a job teaching, she realized that: “I spent lot of money on items I underutilized and decided to learn about make-up then. It also helped me look presentable for work.”
In 2008, she started training with the then Majahri Image Consultants. With many of her friends overseas she used her summers to travel to Tampa Bay, Florida and Austin, Texas to be trained in bridal, glamour and airbrush make-up.
Renee said she had hands-on training with her new skill as “All my friends were getting married around the same time [I started learning] and asked if I could do their makeup, so I did.”
Ready to put her professional training to better business use, Renee started doing make-up part time as her love for teaching was foremost.
Next2Natural came after googling for names “But nothing seemed to match what I wanted or they sounded too severe. I was so frustrated, I started reading names on blushes and eyeshadows for ideas. My friends always said they just wanted to look natural. So there it was, Next2Natural.”
Renee’s signature look is a clean bronzed look, a face enhancer.
“We watch award shows and see the stars and we are struck by their beauty. No one feature slaps you in the face. The overall look works. I like an honest brow, a warm, even complexion and a blush that seems to come from within, rather than an all out assault on colour.”
She said among the common beauty mistakes women make is believing “That more is always better and often believe that more expensive is always better. Don’t get me wrong . . . it is alright to purchase your favourites but be open to cheaper alternatives with a good quality product.”
Renee tells women to trust their instints: “If it doesn’t feel right or look right don’t let an artist force you into their style. You won’t look good if you don’t feel good and you certainly won’t feel like smiling.”
Renee tells women who do it themselves everyday:?“Keep blotting sheets on hand to remove shine without adding layers and layers of powder to your makeup. I know most people love gloss but lipstick is so gorgeous and grown up. Also a good eyeliner will draw attention to your eyes and immediately open them up.”
She also advices to “Pick a good foundation. Have your foundation swatched on your cheek so that you can see whether it matches your skin before anyone is allowed to blend it away.
“Look at the colour and leave the store. Sometimes makeup is gorgeous under the lights of the store and in the natural light you realize it is not what you thought. Walk around, take a picture with your phone, really see what it looks like before you commit.”
Asked to pick one easy thing women can do to improve their natural beauty she said, “Take care of your skin. I know it isn’t some magic spell or a big secret but good make-up starts with good skin. Start and maintain a good skincare regime now which will serve you well in later years.”
For Renee and Next2Natural, “Every year I must be better than the last.”
“I never settle. Constant learning and consistent growth are the hallmark of a good artist and a professional in any field.”
“I don’t just make up faces, I make friends. There is nothing better than watching slouched shoulders pop up and seeing a woman winking at herself in the mirror. The right makeup can do that. It is the best feeling.”
