Artistic and skilled. Just two words that describe Michelle Mendoza and Cassandra Flores perfectly. These two have used makeup to transform their faces into a colorful canvas. 

Michelle Mendoza is a self-taught makeup artist who began doing makeup in 2017. She states that the quarantine has given her so much free time to create and practice plenty of makeup looks. “Quarantine has affected my makeup looks in a positive and negative way. It’s positive because I had so much time to practice and be creative but it also impacted my makeup looks in a negative way because I ran out of a lot of my favorite makeup, and I couldn’t really go out and purchase more.” Michelle expresses when asked about the effects of quarantine. 

Michelle definitely isn’t one to shy away from bold looks. She enjoys using bright colors in her makeup, with some of her favorite looks being the ones where she drew a sunset on her face and a monochrome red look. “I enjoy using bright colors when doing my makeup because it just makes my makeup so much more interesting to look at and it is much more fun to work with colors rather than neutrals.” 

From so many products to choose from, Michelle chooses the James Charles palette and false eyelashes as her favorite products. “The James Charles palette has such a variety of colors to work with. Eyelashes are also my favorite because they just complete every look.” 

Cassandra Flores also loves to blend her artistic skill in with her makeup looks. “I love to match my makeup to my outfits so I tend to go off the same color palette and I also like to incorporate shapes, prints, and nature that I see in my day to day life.” Cassandra tells Eagles Nest. She is also a self-taught makeup artist and dove into makeup after getting her first eye shadow palette from a family friend.

“During the beginning of quarantine, I had a lot of free time and practiced makeup looks but I got busy during the summer because I spent it virtually with Harvey Mudd College Upward Bound for online classes and a virtual internship.” Cassandra explained, when asked how being in quarantine has affected her makeup. 

Bright colors are something right up Cassandra’s alley, “I love any makeup involving red because it makes me feel powerful and confident but I think the most versatile color is pink because different shades of pink emit different types of energy. I can use it anywhere from an everyday professional look to a bold butterfly eye look.” Although Cassandra doesn’t have a favorite makeup look, she loves using beads and glitter. She says that whenever she uses them, she feels like a fairy. 

Finding cruelty-free makeup brands is crucial to her, “I shop for makeup cruelty-free because makeup is obviously not a necessity by any means, and if anyone can they totally should!” One of her favorite products would have to be the $9 Milani Rose Powder Blush. She claims that it lasts for a long time and works better than the expensive products she owns. 

Both Cassandra, and Michelle have shown that makeup can be so much more than skin deep.