12 Mar From mean girl to bestie
Fifteen years ago I met one of my best friends. Now, given that it is The Boy and my meet-cute anniversary next week you could be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a mushy post about true love, but… well, no, actually it is.
The love of a makeup artist. 
Fifteen years ago, almost to the day, I was nervously arriving at a coffee shop in Leduc. After a brief flirtation with trying to learn to do makeup myself for my clients (it was like an elephant learning to paint- they can do it and maybe the results will be interesting, but it should probably not be your go-to for delicate detail work) I had decided that it was time to up my game and start working with a makeup artist for my boudoir shoots. Easier said than done, however; finding someone reliable, friendly, mature, and skilled, was difficult enough that I was almost ready to give the elephant another shot. But just as I was ready to give up, I found Michelle (on the equivalent of an online dating site for photographers, models, and makeup artists) and we arranged to have coffee.
Driving to the coffee shop I was terrified- no, certain- that she was going to be One Of Those Girls. You know- a grownup version of the mean girls from highschool who were perfectly put together and had zero time for geeky tomboys like me. I was sure she’d take one look at me and be like “Um, no. This (pause for dramatic once-over) is not going to work.” And then I walked in the door and her smile was so genuine, and she was so fun and easygoing… it was love at first sight.
Over the past fifteen years Michelle has become one of my dearest friends, and her warm personality and incredible skill are the foundation stone upon which all the incredible transformations at the studio are built. She is the best cheerleader you could ever want, genuine and kind, and helps every woman who has the good fortune to end up in her chair feel relaxed, beautiful, and ready for their shoot. She has a fun-loving “let’s try it!” streak that makes her a delight to travel with and a truly inspiring dedication to growth in all areas of her life. Over the time I’ve known her she has been getting steadily cooler, stronger, clearer in what she wants out of life, and more driven to get it. She’s also been aging backwards, so I think maybe she’s a witch? Which I’m totally into.
We have now crossed the globe together multiple times, hosted more than a dozen retreats all over the world, changed the lives of hundreds of women, and gotten into ALL kinds of crazy (and often nude) hijinks. She’s become a talented model, so much more confident and boldly sexy than the first time I dragged her in front of the camera in Puerto Rico, and her brilliantly creative brain comes up with fabulous styled photoshoot ideas that are incredibly fun to execute. More than that, though, she is an inspiration to me every day, and makes me want to be a better version of myself. She always has my back, no matter what- from that first insane leap of faith that was the inaugural Puerto Rico Fearless Retreat, to inadvertently but lovingly hosting me in her basement when I had Covid, she is the best friend a girl could ask for… and then a whole lot more she’d never have been greedy enough to think of wanting.
In the past few years she’s finally started offering makeup classes– teaching women like me not only how to pass unnoticed in a sea of Those Girls, but more importantly how to have FUN wearing makeup. In a sea of enthusiastic influencers Tik-Toking their way to fame, she is committed to real connection with real people and creating the kind of hands-on learning opportunities many of us never got as teenagers (and that still more of us need to update as we become Ladies of a Certain Age, lol). Watching her career progress and the number of lives she impacts grow is a beautiful thing.
Choosing the photos for this post was next to impossible, and after ten or so hours dredging hard drives there are still more to find; I have photos of Michelle all over the world, in every possible state of dress and undress. This is just a little sample.
If you know Michelle (or even if you don’t yet), make sure to comment and tell her how fabulous she is!
(Also, clickbait but true – the last photo is the most fabulous AND the most scandalous. I dare you to swipe through and tell me I’m wrong.)
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