Spotlight on: Makeup Guru Tara Williams

Tara Williams, a Senior Health Promotions major, is a not-so-secret makeup guru. With 1, 865 followers on Instagram and 475 on Snapchat, she’s developed a small fan following, with numbers only continuing to grow daily. With flawless beauty looks and creative outfit inspirations, it’s no wonder fans flock to see what she’s up to next.

When it came to makeup, Williams said she would wear eyeliner for her dance competitions at the age of 12 (too much eyeliner, she adds with an eyeroll), but didn’t really wear any through her high school years. She became interested in makeup at the age of 19 and it would later become a large love of hers. With different colors, brands, and fun new products, how could she not share something she loved with the world?

Kimberly Olivera: So let’s start off with the basics. What are your favorite beauty brands?

Tara Williams: Oh my god, there’s so many! It’s hard to decide on a specific few, but I would have to say definitely Anastasia Beverly Hills and MAC.

KO: What are your favorite beauty products?

TW: Primer, setting spray, concealer, mascara, bronzer, and ooo lipstick of course! These are the essentials.

KO: What would you say your daily basis products are? The products you can’t go without, that are must haves for you?

TW: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector ($29 at Ulta), Garnier Skin Renew anti-dark eyeroller ($13 at any drugstore), Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Haha, that’s it’s actual name, $23 at Sephora), Anastasia Beverly Hills Original Powder Contour Kit ($40 at Sephora), and Laura Mercier Translucent Powder ($38 at Sephora).

KO: What’s your current favorite lipstick?

TW: Stone by MAC with Snob by MAC to create an ombre effect. I really like the ombre look for lips and both of those lipsticks are about $15.

KO: Now that spring has started, new trends are going to flood the fashion/beauty world. We’re moving more into light, bright, and colors that pop for the new, blossoming season. What are your favorite spring colors for makeup?

TW: I would have to say light pinks, taupes, and creamy beiges. You can never go wrong with a natural, refreshed look.

KO: I completely agree. With so many beauty products constantly being used, it’s easy to run out. What do you do when you wake up one morning and have run out of your favorite eyeliner, but don’t have time to rush to the store before work or school? Do you have any life-saving beauty hacks?

TW: Yeah! I always have something up my sleeve for surprise situations like that. When I’ve run out of eyeliner, I’ve dipped a brush into my mascara and used that as a replacement.

I also have favorite beauty hacks to up your level of fabulous. For example, if you want to make your eyes appear larger, use a white or skin tone colored eyeliner pencil. It’s the same thing for wanting to make eyeshadow or eyeliner stand out. Just put a white base underneath.

For a tinted moisturizer, mix a powdered bronzer with a moisturizer or a cream based highlight and put it on your face. One of my favorites is the hack I use to make my lipstick stay on all day. I apply lipstick, then lay a tissue over my lips and dab it with powder brush. I then take it off, apply lipstick, and repeat the process. It makes your lipstick stay on longer and it’s easy.

KO: Those are some great beauty hacks! What are some beauty products that are similar and work just as great as yours for girls looking for a less expensive way of purchasing makeup?

TW: NYX eyebrow pencils are basically the same as the Anastasia Beverly Hills eyebrow pencils. Their contour kit is pretty good too! The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer is good too and can be found in any Walmart. Also the Maybelline Blushed Nudes are similar to the Naked 3 pallets.

We begin to reach the end of our interview and she smiles. Much the opposition of the cool, cosmetic perfect girl, Williams sits opposite of me without an ounce of makeup, which she claims she rarely does. I’ve caught her on a “chill” day. She looks very comfortable and feminine in a blue Duke hoodie and a perfectly-messy bun. She is full of energy, filled with laughter and a relaxed, friendly demeanor. She continues to look perfect, with green-blue intense eyes and fresh natural skin, proving that a girl can be just as fabulous without makeup.

KO: Final Question and it’s an obvious one, but one that needs to be asked nonetheless. Why do you love makeup and what does it represent for you?

TW: I love makeup because it’s experimental. There are so many different things to try and tricks to do. It’s a way to be creative and express myself. There’s also a huge makeup community out there and it’s a way of meeting new people based off of a common interest. It’s great to meet people who have the same love for something as you do.

Above: Tara's daily can't-go-without products.

The finished natural makeup look

#makeup #cosmetics #lipstick #MAC