How To Complete Your Head-To-Toe Look With Beauty Expert Maria Schlichting
“Look good, feel good” is a statement that I live by. This doesn’t just apply to my wardrobe; it means I’m making certain that my entire appearance looks good head to toe. And guess what, friends? That includes my skincare and makeup routine. But, where do you start? I called my dear friend and beauty expert Maria Schlichting to get the skinny on everything we need to know to look our best!
AW: What led you to the world of beauty as a career?
MS: Makeup and beauty are areas I’ve always been interested in. I had a long career in sales out of college, working for Kellogg. After nine years, I had some awesome sales experience but I was ready for a change. As I was pursuing jobs in the pharmaceutical field, the economy was struggling and I lost my job. That’s when I went to work at Nordstrom. I loved the store and thought I would gain some skin care/makeup experience while I looked for something else, but I quickly found out I didn’t need to look for anything else, because this was the exact job I was looking for, building relationships and selling cosmetics!
AW: I’m so happy you did because that is how we met! After working with so many different lines, which products have you found to be your absolute faves?
MS: I’ve always loved the Laura Mercier caviar sticks. They are easy to use for a quick eye look and never smudge. The Perfect Foundation by LimeLife is the best foundation I’ve ever used. It looks airbrushed and lasts all day! I love a “glowy” look and the Flawless Filter by Charlotte Tilbury gives the perfect amount of glow while being age appropriate. Also, I can’t forget the St. Tropez Bronzing Water Face Mist! It’s a light self-tanning mist that you spray on your face and décolleté area, after your serum and before your moisturizer.
AW: Since we’re all “at home” for the time being, what is the most important thing we can do for our skin?
MS: Keep it hydrated and keep taking care of it! It’s easy to think, “Oh, no one is going to see me” or “I’ve lost track of time,” but you’ll be glad you did. When your skin is dehydrated, fine lines show that much more and no one is getting in for any treatments during this time! Stress can be a trigger for a breakout too, so make sure you are exfoliating regularly as well.
AW: Is there an easy skincare and makeup routine that anyone can do at home?
MS: Yes! We should all have a good cleanser, an anti-aging serum, a lighter-weight moisturizer for day and a richer one to use at night. We lose moisture when we sleep, and it’s important to get a little extra hydration at night. Everyone needs a good eye cream as well and ideally, an eye serum to target fine lines and darkness. Remember, serums go on first, then moisturizer!
For every day, I would fill in my brows, use a little concealer, which can also be used to brighten eyelids and as an eye base, curl lashes, add some bronzer for warmth and also use it as a quick eye crease color and add a little blush for some brightness to cheeks. And a little lip gloss always makes me feel better!
AW: What are your top three skin care products?
MS: The M-61 PowerGlow® peels from bluemercury®, a quick, one-minute exfoliating peel pad with glycolic and salicylic acid that makes your skin look like you just had the best facial of your life! They exfoliate without being overly drying, which is hard to find in a peel, in my opinion. I also like One Drop Wonder from LimeLife’s skincare line; it targets spots, scars, fine lines, hydration, you name it. Facial oils are so great for the skin, even oil-prone skin! They naturally help balance your skin’s natural oils and they can make a huge difference in tone and texture. Last thing isn’t a product but a tool, a gua cha. It is a tool and technique practiced in Chinese medicine that helps promote collagen production, loosen lymphatic fluid, help prevent acne, and it visibly lifts the skin. It’s used with facial oil, so I use mine with the ODW I mentioned above.
AW: What’s the most important thing that you have learned about skin care?
MS: Many cleansers are not makeup removers, so just washing your face doesn’t always break down and remove your makeup. It’s important to remove your makeup and then wash your face as well. Otherwise, the makeup stays on your face, and when you put on your skincare, it is not penetrating and able to really work.
AW: Do you have any beauty secrets that you can share with us?
MS: I love the tightline technique! I like to call it the $20 eyelift! Lining the root of your lashes on your upper lash line makes your lashes look fuller and instantly lifts and opens your whole eye! Unless you’re doing a smoky eye, try not to use a heavy eyeliner on your lower lash line. It often just draws attention to any darkness already under the eye.
Don’t use too light a concealer under your eye. It’s okay to use a lighter color as a brightener, but you want to use something with more of a peach undertone to camouflage any blue or purple shades in under-eye circles. Don’t use too much concealer under the eye either. That can often settle in those fine lines we all have and accentuate them. ■
Follow along with Maria on Instagram @mariaelanaschlichting for weekly tips and tricks on how to put your best face forward!
Written by: Abby Wood
Abby Wood is a wardrobe stylist and style blogger in Kansas City, and her education in design plus retail experience make her an expert in fit, fabric, style and trends. Her professional experience in fashion began with an apprenticeship with a bridal designer, shifted to creating and showing her own line, moving up to management and training at a retail level and now professional styling as an independent consultant. Abby loves to help individuals develop and evolve their own sense of style.
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