Welcome!
Hi! I’m glad you’re here.
I’ve always been into blogging. Years ago, I had a blog called Beauty According to Ale—a comical, slightly unhinged take on the fashion and beauty world, filled with skincare reviews, makeup breakdowns, and my unsolicited thoughts on the beauty industry at large. It was fun while it lasted.
I didn’t know what angle to take with the Beauty Journal section of this site. Should I constantly plug my products? If you ask a marketing pro, they’d say “Obviously, you’d be dumb not to.” And honestly? They’re right.
Buuut I also know how annoying that is. And truthfully—beauty is more than what you put on your skin.
Somewhere, the marketing and PR gods are shrieking, probably sending smoke signals like, ‘Ale, what the hell is this? CTRL. ALT. DELETE!’ But whatever, they’ll live.
I’ve been in the beauty industry for 19 years now. I went to CMU and trained under some really cool pros. My makeup style is: Minimalist, skincare-heavy, and all about enhancing—not masking. I’m not a fan of fake lashes. No hate, it’s just not my aesthetic. If I’m doing your makeup, you’re getting fresh, effortless skin—not full-on glam.
That wasn’t always easy. The bridal world is Glam Central. Some brides want the whole shebang—baking, contouring, lashes that could double as wings. And honestly? Good for them! Do you, babe! It’s just not me.
I stepped away from the makeup world for a bit, only taking the occasional bridal gig. My real focus became formulating. Formulating is my world. When I’m not having random dreams about my dogs in tiny white bathrobes on a private jet, I’m dreaming about formulas and design. No idea what that says about me—probably something a psychologist with a minor in dream analysis could unpack.
But anyway, you get it. I love to formulate. I even carry a formula journal in my purse. Normal behaviour, I’m aware. But my ideas happen so fast that if I don’t write them down immediately, they’re gone. And if you know me, you know my phone is always on 15%—so, pen and paper it is!
Formula journal? Check. Makeup? Check..
I also love beauty. Always have. Ever since my dad bought me Kevyn Aucoin’s Making Faces when I was 11 years old. That book was everything. My sister and I would lock ourselves in the bathroom, raiding her Kaboodle and our mom’s makeup bag, following the step-by-step breakdown for Julia Roberts’ smokey eye to a tee. It was one of my favourite looks on her. She’d agree.
As my beauty career evolved, I had one thing working against me: a brutal lack of confidence. It swallowed me whole. Despite my creativity, despite Barb Alexander looking me dead in the eye and saying, “You’re going places, kid,” my lack of confidence whispered louder than any compliment ever could.
You learn pretty damn fast that the beauty world is not for the faint of heart. You need thick skin. You need to be able to take critique, let it roll off, and leave it there—not carry it around with you everywhere. Because when your makeup kit is already heavy, who needs the extra weight?
You need to believe in your skills, your abilities, and champion yourself. No one’s going to do it for you.
And yet, beauty is more than skill. It’s also how we feel, what we experience, what’s happening in the world. The way global events, pop culture, and our own personal histories shape how we see ourselves. I want to talk about that too. There are things I’ve experienced that might help someone. Or maybe no one. But at least I’ll know I put it out there.
And don’t worry—there will still be get-the-look breakdowns, beauty recommendations, and all that good stuff. But I’ve now come to realize that when things feel good on the inside, everything on the outside just looks even better.
Anyway, I’ll wrap this up with an unsolicited beauty tip from a veteran crier——because hey, might as well make the most of it!
After crying, take a second to figure out your blush placement. Seriously—look in the mirror and see where you’re naturally flushed. That’s where your blush should go.
This is why you should always carry a lipstick, a cream, or gel blush and your favourite concealer. Go to the bathroom, take a deep breath, cry a little more if needed, then lightly tap blush onto the areas where you’re already pink.
Now, instead of slapping concealer everywhere, do this: Dab a little on the back of your hand, pick it up with your brush, and softly blend it onto your skin—even a little over the blush. This helps everything melt together seamlessly, so you look naturally flushed—soft, diffused, effortless, not like you just rage-cried in a public restroom.
Blend, blend, blend—until it’s beautifully seamless, no harsh lines. Like something out of a Renaissance painting. And look, I know I said I wouldn’t constantly plug my products—but technically, a few spritzes of Florés Hydrating Essence Mist on top? I mean… do what you want. But also… 😉
Stay inspired,
Ale