Within the Industry

Ingredients

Adeline and I talked a little bit about how she chooses products to work with, and If she knew of any particular harmful Ingredients to look out for:

"I would say that in regards to ingredients that are harmful, we've never really been taught like the details of whether or not a certain ingredient might be cancerous or lead to like long term health issues. We are more so educated on how certain products are going to affect your client. So, for example, with makeup, when I have a client in my chair, the main thing that I'm asking is: do they have any like silicon or latex allergies, because silicon could be found in like foundations... The one ingredient that I found to be irritating to people with sensitive skin is the ingredient talc, which is a lot of time found in press powders when it comes to makeup... For cosmetology, some products that we look out for like are in shampoos and conditioners... There are sulphates, which are an aggressive cleansing ingredient, but they end up stripping the natural oils from your hair and over time. Once it strips the natural oils, it will eventually dry out your hair. This imbalance of Ph for your hair could cause dryness, frizziness, and hair to break over time. So you want to avoid sulphates. Then other products that you kind of want to avoid that you could like look for are like dimethicone, which is a type of silicon and a lot of times that's found in shampoo and conditioner too."

We also talked a little bit about the difference between professional and shelf products with regards to the presence of sulfates, dimethicone, or other harmful ingredients.

"...And I think that's why we also educate clients like when you're buying products a lot of times these you know, these toxic ingredients or toxic chemicals, a lot of times they are found in like the cheaper stuff. I'd say a lot of professional lines don't really have a lot of those ingredients in there."

Product Inclusivity

I asked Adeline on her opinion regarding the Inclusivity of cosmetic products on the market, and how that has changed within the last ten years:

"I would say, since I am in the beauty industry, it's always been priority for me to find and carry products that cater to all skin tones. Honestly within the past couple of years, I'd say there is a lot more availability of products that cater to all skin tones, some new product lines really tend t0 0ffer a lot more than what maybe product lines in the past have in the past, I'd say. Sometimes you would struggle to find darker skin tones, because maybe they would have darker skin colors. But sometimes there would be like a missing undertone, or you know something that didn't match perfectly, or catered to every single undertone out there."

We also discussed hair products as well:

"I do think that most product lines have a curly line within their product line. But I do notice that a lot of times when I have clients come to me. It's not necessarily the products aren't available, but it's more so that they don't know how to access them, or where to find them.. it's important to educate [consumers] on what is best for their hair types, too."

Social Media and Beauty Trends

Finally, we discussed Adeline's opinion on the top beauty trends of the moment:

"For makeup I'd still say it's kind of what it has been like. A lot of the dewy skin, cream blush, fluffy eyebrows, and lip gloss that still tends to be on the more natural side. And then for hair like haircuts right now, like a modern shag, is very in style. You're starting to see like more curtain things like shorter variations of that. The other one that's coming back is Rachel from friends."

"And then for your colors, I would say, like coppers, or even like red browns, are kind of in style. You still have, like your lived in color like bronze and balliages. And then some people are starting to do more like block coloring. which you do like the heavy contrasting colors like in strategically place them that way. They could show at different times, depending on how you part your hair. But yeah, I feel like those are. Oh, and Hayley Bieber Brown Probably people. eah, Hayley Beaver Brown. A lot of blondes are starting to go more of that color. But that's a very specific one right now. Yeah."

I also asked her what she thinks of trends in general:

"I do think it depends on the person themselves, with their self image. because, even though beauty trends are always changing it doesn't mean you have to change with the trend. You should be doing what makes you feel more comfortable, and you should always pick what makes you feel your best, and makes you feel the most like yourself and the most confident. S0 0nce again, beauty trends are meant to change. I think they come with good intention, but It's so Important to remember what makes you feel the most like yourself. I think that's very important in the beauty industry."

We are so appreciative to Adeline for sharing her ideas. It's Important to remember that some trends can serve to enhance confidence and Inspire others to make positive changes or try different things!

Full Transcript

Sophia Yu: Hi Adeline! Can you introduce yourself? And then also, if you feel comfortable, maybe giving like your background and cosmetology like, how long have you worked in the industry and in general? What has your professional journey looked like?

Adeline: Yeah. So i'm Adeline, Sophia's cousin! I started off going to makeup school, where I became a certified makeup artist, and that was 9 years ago. And then, after make up school, I had gone to Cosmetology school. So I am a licensed cosmetologist for 8 years now and then to start off my career I started off with makeup as a freelance makeup artist, and I now specialize in bridal makeup. So I do a lot of on location weddings on the weekends, but during the week i'm a full time hairstylist and I work at a salon where I do haircuts color services.

The main thing I specialize in is our hand tight extensions and tape and extensions as well. I've done editorial photo shoots, and that has with some of those photo shoots I've gotten published in magazines, and then I also had an opportunity to go to New York fashion week. But that's a little bit more of like a creative outlet within the industry, but fun things I've gotten to experience and d0 0n this side as well.

Sophia Yu: Thank you so much for sharing, and so, I guess, like based on your experience as a cosmetologist and working in the field. What do you look for in the ingredients of hair and makeup products for personal and or professional use. And I guess to add on like, Are there any ingredients that you know to be harmful and generally watch out for. And if so, do you know why they're harmful?

Adeline: So this is kind of more like from my personal experience, and how I apply it to my job. I would say that in regards to like ingredients that are harmful. we've never really been taught like the details of whether or not a certain ingredient might be cancerous or lead to like long term health issues, or something like that. We are more so like educated on like how certain products are going to affect your job, or how they're going to affect your client. So, for example, like with makeup when I have a client in my chair, the main thing that I'm asking is, do they have any like silicon or latex allergies, because silicon could be found in like foundations. They could also be found in Primers latex allergy a lot of times it's for like lash glue, if you're doing like theatrical or Halloween makeup.

So you need to be very aware of allergies through experience and over time. The one ingredient that I found to be irritating to people with sensitive skin especially is the ingredient talc, which is a lot of time found in press powders when it comes to makeup. And I notice if somebody has sensitive skin, sometimes talc might be listed as like the first ingredient, and a lot of times if they have a reaction to that, it'll just kind of be like a rash, or like little bumps that up here on their face. So you kind of have to be cautious not to buy products that have that ingredient. And then for cosmetology, and like for hair some products that we look out for like in shampoos and conditioners a lot of times. There are sulphates. And so for sulphates that's just like an aggressive like cleansing ingredient. But what it does is it end up shipping like the natural oils from your hair. and over time, once it strips the natural oils, it will eventually just lead to like drying out your hair, and that feel like cause, like an imbalance of Ph for your hair, which could cause like dryness, frizziness like hair to break over time. So you want to avoid sulphates and then other products that you kind of want to avoid that you could like look for are like dimethicone, which is like a type of silicon and a lot of times that's found in shampoo and conditioner, too. So what it does is at first use a new shampoo, and you're like, oh, this is great, my hair so soft. But then eventually it creates like this build up, and this barrier that prevents like natural oils, or like any kind of moisture from entering the hair shaft. which will once again lead to like, dryness. 

Sophia Yu: That's really informative. And I definitely can see how like I feel like it's probably like the cheaper shampoos and conditioners, too, that might have more of the sulfate right?

Adeline Perez: And I think that's why we also educate clients like when you're buying products a lot of times these like you know, these toxic pr0 0r ingredients or toxic chemicals a lot of times they are found in like the cheaper stuff. I'd say a lot of professional lines don't really have a lot of those ingredients in there. I'm not saying all of them, probably because i'm sure there are some. But another thing I just saw on Tiktok was my mom actually sent it to me, was the chemical benzene. I think it's called being used in dry shampoo. So there was like a doctor saying that that's in a lot of dry shampoos, especially in cheaper brands that you might find that, like at Walgreens or Target. 

Sophia Yu: Do you notice like a difference in maybe the amount of products available available for women of darker skin tones compared to those of like lighter skin tones?

Adeline Perez: so I would say, since I am in the beauty industry it's always been like a priority for me to find and carry products that cater to all skin tones honestly within the past couple of years, I'd say there is a lot more availability like, or you're able to find more products easily. That cater to all skin tones, some new product lines really tend t0 0ffer a lot more than what maybe product lines in the past have in the past, i'd say. Sometimes you would struggle to find darker skin tones, because maybe they would have darker skin colors. But sometimes there would be like a missing undertone, or you know something that didn't match perfectly, or catered to every single undertone out there. From my experience, one time had a client, who she was very, very fair-skinned, and she was very nervous.You know that I wouldn't have a product like a foundation color that would match her skin being so like, because she said she had a custom order foundation for even the fairer skin types, and luckily I had something that color much to her just fine, but i'd say on the lightest side, on the darkest side. It might be a little bit more difficult to find that, but there usually always is like a big availability for like those middle tones.

Sophia Yu: That's really good to hear. I can definitely see that happening.

Adeline Perez: I know, like Fenty Beauty really expanded their range. And I feel like that's the first one I remember of like on social media being like encouraging more brands to be more inclusive and stuff. So you know, other makeup lines started to prioritize that as well, which I think is important. And then with Curly here, too. I would say that like from the pro professional product lines that I use, I do think that most product lines have a curly line within their product line. But I do notice that a lot of times when I have curly haired clients come to me. It's maybe not that the products aren't available, but it's more so that they don't know how to access them, or where to find them, or you know which ones will help them for whatever problem they're having. So I think a lot of like professional product lines do care to curly here and have like special products for them as well. But sometimes you just have to educate them on like what is best for their hair types, too.

Sophia Yu: What do you consider to be like some of the biggest makeup and or like hair trends at the moment? 

Adeline Perez: Yeah. So for makeup i'd still say it's kind of what it has been like. A lot of the dewy skin and and cream blush and fluffy eyebrows. And then for hair like haircuts right now, like a modern shag, is very in style. You're starting to see like more curtain things or shorter variations of that. The other one that's coming back is Rachel from friends.

Sophia Yu: Do you think that beauty trends can be harmful t0 0ne's self image? And if so, can you think of any examples of trends that you personally think could be harmful.

Adeline Perez: So with this one, I I guess my perspective on it. I don't know if it's because i'm in the bit, but your industry. But, like. I guess the question is like our beauty trends harmful. I personally think that beauty trends. I mean, they're trends. They change over time. You know they're they're meant to change. New things are meant to come in, and sometimes one might inspire somebody to try something new, or they're meant to be empowering. But I do think it kind of more just depends on, like the person themselves, with their self image because, even though beauty trends are always changing it doesn't mean you have to change with the trend ultimately. If you try, and you don't like it like you should be doing what makes you feel more comfortable, and you should always pick what makes you feel your best, and makes you feel the most like yourself and the most confident. S0 0nce again, like beauty trends are meant to change. I think they come with good intention. I don't necessarily think at least when I think of like haircuts and hair color, or make up. But I don't think they are meant to be harmful. It's more so. Just the importance of remembering like what makes you feel the most like yourself? I think that's very important in the beauty industry.