Why You’ll Never Hear Me Say, “You’re Doing It Wrong”

Not long ago, a simply lovely lady sat across from me during her makeup lesson and sheepishly apologized for the contents of her makeup bag:

“I know it’s probably all wrong,” she said, with a touch of embarrassment. “I just got this stuff but I have no idea how to use it.”

She wasn’t the first person to say that to me. Not even close.

I immediately got excited, mainly for her but if I’m honest, a little bit was for me (sidenote: half the time, these lessons are just an excuse for me to talk a client’s ear off about my true passion…don’t worry, we still get around to doing all the stuff).

Here’s what I told her—and what I’ll tell you, too: Makeup is an art, and most of us were never taught how to do it.

We fumbled our way through our teenage years with glittery eyeshadow and mismatched foundation, copying looks from magazines or YouTube that didn’t really suit us.

We started hearing words like contour and baking and undertone thrown around like everyone’s supposed to know exactly what they mean. And if you didn’t? Well, suddenly it felt like we were useless at makeup.

Yes, most of us had to figure it out as we went along.

But here’s the beautiful thing: it’s never too late to learn.

A makeup lesson isn’t about fixing you—it’s about expanding your skill set.

It’s about discovering techniques that actually work for you now, your evolving skin, your features, and your lifestyle. It’s about replacing confusion with confidence, and maybe even finding a little joy in the art.

That’s why I don’t do harsh critiques or unrealistic expectations. I meet you exactly where you are. Whether you’re learning how to blend your eyeshadow, wondering what brush actually does what, or trying to make sense of what all those beauty influencers are even talking about, I break it down in normal-person terms.

No judgment, no pressure, no Tik Tok style tutorials that feel made for 20-year olds with model features and perfect skin.

Here, we keep it real. Because we are real life women doing all the real life things. Makeup should fit in our lives, not the other way around.

When we sit down together, we don’t chase perfection. We chase confidence, comfort, and individual style.

It’s practical, it’s personal, and—honestly—it’s fun.

Because makeup doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a massive kit. You don’t need to change your whole face. And you definitely don’t need to apologize.

So, if you’ve ever walked away from a makeup counter feeling worse than when you walked in...

Or nodded along while someone explained a 10-step routine you knew you’d never do...

Or felt too shy to ask what a makeup primer actually does…

You are exactly the kind of person I created these lessons for.

When we meet in my home in Wanaka (with good coffee and even better lighting), we start with you—your skin, your features, your comfort zone. You bring your products, and I bring the know-how. Together, we figure out what works for your life.

You’re not here to impress me or anyone else. You’re here to feel more confident walking out the door—whether that means mastering a five-minute routine that fits between school drop-offs and your morning latte, or finally figuring out what all the fuss is about cream blush (spoiler: it’s magic!).

And no, you’ll never hear me say, “you’re doing it wrong.”

What you will hear is: “Let’s tweak this bit,” or “Try this, I think you’ll love it,” or “Honestly? That’s already great. We’re just polishing what’s already there.”

Because makeup shouldn’t make you feel small. The only rule is that it should feel like you.