Maxine Munson has been a freelance makeup artist for 15 years. From beauty department sales counters to international fashion weeks and fashion advertising, she’s worked with countless faces. One of those is her lovely mom, a willing student who Maxine has loved teaching and encouraging in her beauty routines. Maxine prides herself on her ability to create beautiful skin, and to teach others so they can feel more confident in their own application. Her recent mission? It’s what she calls ageless beauty.
“I am incredibly inspired by women who embrace themselves as they age, and I think the beauty industry often forgets about these women. I just can’t stand for that. I want to live in a world where we look to aging women as role models to aspire to.”
We asked Maxine to share what she loves about makeup, her top tips for timeless looks, and her favorite products for skin at every age.
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What got you into the world of beauty and makeup?
I was interested in fashion magazines at a young age, and in high school I would get my friends together to do photoshoots in my parents’ house. Makeup, hair, styling, photography, and creative direction were all things I enjoyed experimenting with. In my early twenties, I met a makeup artist who did my makeup and transformed me in the most natural way. I loved how I felt, and decided I wanted to learn how to make others feel like their best selves through makeup application. I traveled with her to Australia and she took me under her wing. We are still best friends today.
What’s your biggest goal for clients as a makeup artist and teacher?
My biggest goal originally was to make people feel good about themselves, but I have learned recently that this is a big ask of myself. At the end of the day, I cannot control how others might feel about themselves. My new goal is to inspire others to feel more confident in their approach to makeup application, get them excited to try new things, and enjoy the process instead of dreading it.
You have worked a lot with women in midlife and beyond. What are the main questions or concerns you find come up? How do you respond to them?
I have, but I want to work with them more! There are some fantastic mature models and I’ve had the privilege to work with quite a few. Often my mature clients want to learn how to make their skin have more luminosity, and are interested in new ways to wear their eye makeup. Eyes really change as we get older, and it’s important to not fight the shifts in shapes, but to learn how to work with them.
What do you mean by “ageless beauty”, a term you use in your workshops?
When working on titles for my classes for women in an older demographic, I played around with a few different words but ‘ageless’ sounded the most appropriate. It’s not really about age, but it’s a subtle nod to those who may be noticing changes in their skin and face and feel like they don’t know where they fit in the world of makeup.
What inspired you to work with women who want to rediscover beauty in their aging skin?
I am incredibly inspired by women who embrace themselves as they age, and I think the beauty industry often forgets about these women. I just can’t stand for that. I want to live in a world where we look to aging women as role models to aspire to. We are all going in that direction, so why not learn to embrace it and see the beauty in aging. I could talk about this topic all day.
What is a piece of encouragement you’d give your own mom in her beauty routine?
Keep it simple. Get a good mirror that you can see yourself in. Don’t be afraid to splurge on a good tinted moisturizer or piece of skincare. Wear whatever makes you feel good and throw out the rules!
What are your top makeup tips for timeless makeup and feeling confident in your makeup routine?
- Hydration and skin prep
- Tinted moisturizer as a foundation
- Tinted brow gel
- A multi-use product for lip and cheek stain
Any favorite products for midlife women and natural aging skin?
Nars Radiant Tinted Moisturizer ($42)
A great product for evening out skin tone. Use after skincare.
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate ($89)
This is a great product for bronzer and glow on cheek bones to give skin sun-kissed look. I also love it on the eyes for a hint of dimension.
First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer ($32)
Prepping cream with a champagne glow that radiates the skin.
Dr Jart Ceramidin Moisturizing Barrier Cream ($29)
This moisturizer works on any skin type and helps to strengthen skin so it holds onto moisture better. I love it!
Maxine Munson has worked with countless faces over the years in her journey as a professional makeup artist. She prides herself on her ability to create beautiful skin and to teach others so they can feel more confident in their own application. Maxine recently moved into a beautiful studio in downtown Vancouver, Canada, and has set up with a mission to teach and encourage others new ways of doing their own makeup. She has an array of offerings in her workshops, including natural makeup classes, eye definition classes, and even classes for mature women called ‘Ageless Beauty.’ She is working to fine tune her world one step at a time to make sure everyone feels included and excited to play.
Find her on Instagram and learn more about her workshops on her website.
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