Interview – Meet Maya Goldenberg – Eco-Beauty Professional – of Mayagoldenberg.com

1. Tell us a little about yourself:

My hometown is Montreal and growing up in a place where the weather is so cold (-40 with windchill in the dead of winter) for six months out of the year meant I spent a lot of my childhood doing arts and crafts indoors with my mum who hails from a warm country and hates the cold and skating and skiing with my Canadian born dad, an avid winter sports aficionado. As a result, I’m a true mix of artsy and tomboy all rolled into one!

Doing make up backstage for actress Rachelle Lefevre at George Strombolopoulos Tonight, April 2014

The main motivation I have as an eco-beauty professional is to share my love of beauty and nature and encourage people to see that living beautifully and healthily, means living in harmony with nature.

2. What made you start blogging and what’s the story behind MayaGoldenberg.com?

People always ask me for advice and about what I use on my skin so I wanted to share my discoveries of the natural world of skincare and make-up , beauty advice as well as showcase my bridal and creative/fashion work and that is why I started blogging!

3. Can you remember the moment when you realized that makeup is your passion? If yes, tell us more…

My mother is an artist and always encouraged us to make things and create art.

My great aunt on my mother’s side, gave me a set of fancy watercolour pencils for my 12th birthday and I remember thinking, why not try and draw on my skin with them? So I would sit in the bathroom and try using these on my lips, eyes like you would make-up, because I was too young to wear make-up and was only allowed to wear bronzer at the time.

Make-up is a natural extension of the arts and crafts I grew up with as a child and so has always been a passion of mine.

4. If you had to make it, how would your list of 5 most important makeup products look like?

My old list would have looked messy: an artsy collage of photos of my top five favourite products, including expensive bronzer and cheap mascara, b/c I have sensitive eyes and think it’s important to change your mascara often.

These days, it would be a tidy list written in purple pen and it would include healthy, organic alternatives that actually work and maybe a recipe for you for my healthy, all natural, bronzing powder!

5. Do you have favourite brands in makeup products?

I do. My current favourite is Sappho Cosmetics and I am a brand ambassador and sell these products to my clients.

I am obsessed with the foundation, blush, bronzer and black, blue and pink eyeshadows from this line, which is saying a LOT, because I am a product of the 90’s and really like my neutrals!

6. Do you personally prefer classic makeup styles or enjoy following trends?

I think a good make-up artist should be able to do both without judgement!

Bridal make up by Toronto makeup artist Maya Goldenberg, Eco-beauty Professional

7. Please give us your 5 main tips for the the girls out there trying to find their “look”.

1. have fun and try different things until you see what feels ‘right’ for you…that day! I love copying pics from magazines that I like or celebs on Pinterest!
2. erase and start again until you feel comfortable- i think a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, will always look and act more beautifully.
3. When buying new make-up to try different looks, read the labels and if you can, scan the products with the EWG app (it’s free!) or the Think Dirty App (also free) to evaluate their safety and make sure your make-up isn’t full of poisonous, carcinogenic toxins. Read my blog for more advice on eco-beauty and DIY products you can make at home!
4. Sharing is caring: if you find something organic that works, let your friends know and help those around you make healthier choices about their make-up and skincare.
5. host a make-up swap! invite your girlfriends (moms and daughters, so you can raid their make-up too!) for a make-up bag swap- party! This will reduce the amount of products you buy when you get bored and let you try out different things! Just like a clothing swap- only different. For hygiene’s sake, disinfect products with alcoohol and clean brushes with brush cleaner before using.

8. What are your favorite makeup websites/blogs?

I don’t actually follow many make-up websites or blogs. I spend a lot of time reading fashion, bridal, art and photography magazines, watching movies, checking out museums and art galleries and find inspiration just people watching in the parc near my house or in my neighborhood.

I do like Style.com, Refinery29 and StyleMePretty. I might be addicted to Pinterest too, but who isn’t?!

9. A message to your fans.

Make your face a green space: Keep healthy and stay beautiful, reduce, reuse and recycle.