55 Best Beauty Quotes
I’ve had the honour of interviewing some remarkable artists, celebs and makeup artists throughout my career. From fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan to pop stars Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and Gwen Stefani, each shared stories about their life philosophies, thoughts on beauty and fascinating stories. I remember Julia Child telling me in an elevator that she never went out on stage without her ‘lippies’. RuPaul knew the power of makeup from the moment he became the face of MAC’s Viva Glam. And even Tim McGraw learned an appreciation for the complexities of blending ingredients in a fragrance. Here are some of my favourite beauty quotes from past interviews and historical sayings I’ve loved.
“Everyone wants to be pretty. But to be amazing and special is about so much more than just your looks. It takes style, substance, kindness, and confidence. It takes understanding and then loving who you are. The world is a melting pot. Everybody’s got a story – becoming comfortable with your own is the challenge. Whether you are tall, small, a celebrity, or a sister, I want you to celebrate the qualities that make you unique” – Celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown
“A smile is the best makeup a girl can wear.” – Marilyn Monroe
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life.” – Coco Chanel
The fastest way for me to transform the look of a client in a department store changeroom is to change her lipstick colour.” – Michael Kors
“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” – Audrey Hepburn
“The most important thing to remember is that you can wear all the greatest clothes and all the great shoes, but you’ve got to have a good spirit on the inside. That’s what’s really going to make you look like you’re ready to rock the world.” – Alicia Keys
“Your face tells it all. What a pleasure it is to see life’s contentment harmoniously written there making it appear so happy…Over time our faces reflect who we are. They are an expression of ourselves, and reveal our personalities.” – Dr. Olivier Courtin-Clarins
“Beauty is sincerity. There are so many different ways someone can be beautiful.” – Taylor Swift
“What is my beauty secret? Sunscreen! It’s a recent discovery and now I can’t live without it – that and drinking lots of water and moisturizing.” – Sarah Jessica Parker
“Creativity is your best makeup skill. Don’t be afraid to experiment.” – Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath
“I would like to say to people, open your eyes and find beauty where you normally don’t expect it.” – Jean Paul Gaultier
“Beauty is being the best possible version of yourself, inside and out.” – Audrey Hepburn
“Anybody who can step out of the house with a pair of heels and some lipstick on their lips is my hero.” – RuPaul
“My work is not to offer perfumes people want. It is to create products that people would not even imagine could exist.” – Kilian Hennessy
“Makeup is like magic fairy dust – done right, it can change your entire persona in seconds. You could be a smoky-eyed vixen one night, a dewy, rosy-cheeked ingenue the next. The best part? The right tones can make you look so naturally flawless that no one will believe you didn’t wake up that way.” – Iman
“Don’t choose anything that’s two tones lighter than your natural lip tone, and make sure there’s a little pink in the hue so it doesn’t look too washed out.” – Charlotte Tilbury
“I love the look of lifeguards in the 1980s. I call it the Bondi Beach look. The lifeguards always had a little frost of their lips where the zinc wore off. There was just a tiny amount of shimmer on the lip. I grew up on Long Island so the closed we got to Bondi Beach was Jones Beach.” – Michael Kors
“My goal has always been to enhance natural beauty and bring out the best in every face – and that’s never changed.” – Pro makeup artist Lisa Eldrdige
“When I first started modelling, I didn’t wear makeup (my dad didn’t allow it) Then on one of my first jobs, I had to do my own makeup. I brought a little brush, an eyeshadow, a bottle of orangey foundation and my mom’s lipstick. I didn’t have a clue what to do with the stuff. Fortunately for me, Iman and Diane Dewitt were the other models. With their help and just observing their makeup and how they applied it, I got a general idea of where everything went and the ‘look’ I created that day was passable. (At least they let me on the set) I still can remember what it was like to feel intimidated by makeup” – Cindy Crawford
“The secret to a great beauty line is to combine the new and the unexpected with classics. I always go back to our foundation and base makeup. But I also love coming up with something new and exciting.” – Anna Sui
“Whitey Snyder, (Marilyn Monroe’s makeup artist) taught me how to apply foundation with the lightest touch and always to blend, blend, blend. He also taught me to apply makeup in natural light – always beside a window.” – actress Joan Collins
“My dad got us makeup lessons for Christmas when we were 14. He had a makeup artist teach us how to wear makeup. He wanted us look presentable. I thought it was really cool.” – Kim Kardashian
“I’m very much in love with Clarins. I have so many Clarins products. I’ve always felt they have a lot of integrity with their products and I get great results from them. I must have three different Clarins creams that I love. I love their cleanser, their face toner. I love them all.” – actress Linda Evans
“Good manners matter to me. My mother raised us in a strict British household until I was 8 years old. We were taught to care about others’ feelings and to be mindful.” – Mark Ronson
“My makeup takes me 20 minutes from start to finish. I have found what works for me – soft corals and pinks, camouflage foundation and big lashes. One beauty trick that makes a huge difference is false eyelashes. They make anyone look like a superstar. I use three pairs! They make my eyes more mesmerizing.” – iconic drag queen Lady Bunny
“Applying eyeliner is key if you wear glasses as it adds definition behind your lenses.” – Bobbi Brown
“I’m a girl who loves to get into a makeup chair. I could spend all day there. It’s my favourite part of video or photo shoots. I love the process of getting ready. It’s like playing house as a little girl – I’m still doing it.” – Gwen Stefani
“Never shake your nail polish bottle. That’s because it traps air inside, creating tiny pockets that cause bubbles in your manicure. Instead, roll the bottle horizontally between the palms of your hands.” Suzi Weiss-Fischmann
“I truly believe makeup is something that can help us when we need a boost. A little lipstick or a glowing complexion can totally transform the way we feel about ourselves.” – UK makeup artist Nina Westbury
“People always ask me what advice I’d give them about starting a beauty line. Don’t. It’s cutthroat. It’s overpopulated. The minute you get a great idea, someone will try to steal it. But if this doesn’t deter you and you’re still determined, my one piece of advice is patent everything.” – Joan Rivers
“Makeup is about balance. When the eye makes a statement, the lips should be quiet.” – Francois Nars
“My skincare regime is very simple. I think you have to wash your face, moisturize and use sunscreen. If you do those things two or three times a day, you’ll create good, healthy, long-lasting skin. The secret is being consistent. And finding products that work for your skin.” – Halle Berry
“Here’s the thing: life is a mystery. And it’s weird and scary and big, and unpredictable. And that’s why everyone is struggling to find themselves and ground themselves and find beauty within themselves.” Amanda Seifried
“I personally love pinky-nude glosses. I put them on all day. For evening, I like a dark smoky eye and a nude lip. It’s something I feel comfortable wearing. But it all depends on your colouring. You have to do what is right for you.” – Elizabeth Hurley
“I would definitely say my sisters and I are glamour girls. We love to wear makeup. I feel most comfortable having a full face on. I like to think of glam makeup as my accessory.” – Kim Kardashian
“Everybody’s skin is different which is why you often have to mix two foundation shades to get the perfect skin tone match. For light coverage, I apply with my fingers. For medium coverage, I use a brush. And for heavy coverage, I use a sponge.To get a couture makeup look, you need to blend shades and test in natural light.” Pro makeup artist Wendy Rowe.
“Makeup can give you the confidence to…change your job, move abroad, get a pay raise.” – Pro makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury
“I know how much time I put into creating a fragrance, sometimes years. Every fragrance has a story to tell. It can be incredible on you. My advice is to give a fragrance a chance. Smelling the cap of a fragrance bottle for two seconds isn’t enough time. You need to wear it for a couple of days and live with it.” – perfumer Bruno Jovanovic
“A natural makeup look is my favourite, one that gives the face a good, healthy and natural look. A touch of foundation, powder, and a light blush; eyeshadow blended or applied as an eyeliner, and some mascara. What’s important is every woman needs to feel her makeup is very distinctive and personal.” – Donatella Versace
“The single most important thing when creating a new beauty product is you have to start with ‘a need’. Any new product must fill a need. The challenge is coming up with something that is completely original. For example, an exotic dancer came into our shop looking for a product that would give her nipples a rosy tint. She needed something that was sweat proof and waterproof. We went home and started blending crushed rose petals and rose water. That is how Benetint was created.” – Jean Ford, Benefit co-founder
“As a man, it’s hard to get your arms around a fragrance. It has to be relatable and you have to feel comfortable using it. I didn’t know you could customize ingredients so much. Smells can take you to a time and place like music.” – Tim Graw
“I always thought for a long time that when a singer had her own perfume, she couldn’t do anything else. Her career was over. I now know that this is not true. When a fragrance company first approached me, I didn’t know I could do anything else for my fans except sing for them. When I met the perfumer, I said, ‘you touch consumers through fragrance notes, and I touch them through musical notes.’” – Celine Dion
“The key to applying false lashes easily is to allow the glue to get tacky for about 20 seconds before you apply the lashes. This makes it far easier to apply them exactly where you want them. It just takes a little practice.” – Gina Brooke, Madonna’s makeup artist
“Whatever you decide to do in life, make sure you enjoy what you do.” – Josh Flagg, star of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.
“I remember the day I discovered my love of makeup. It was Halloween when I was a child and I was given a set of greasepaint sticks to play with. I loved transforming my friends and family into amazing characters.” – pro makeup artist Lloyd Simmonds
“If you want to design really edgy makeup, go the editorial route. I spent 15 years creating outrageous makeup for European fashion magazines. But celebrity makeup isn’t about your creativity. It’s about what best flatters your client.” – LA-based makeup artist Joanna Schlip who has worked with Faith Hill, Eva Longoria and Christina Applegate.
“The biggest beauty mistake I see women making is not trying something new with makeup. You need to try a new colour or look for a full day to see how you feel about it and what reactions you get – not just one person. Cosmetics can become a security blanket and we can become stuck. Try something new for a full 24 hours.” – pro makeup artist Rebecca Restropo.
“It doesn’t make sense to get skin in shape with anti-aging products then hide it with heavy foundation. You want the glowing skin to show through sheer foundation. The days of using heavy foundation to hide flaws is over.” – Hollywood makeup artist Bruce Grayson who has worked as head of makeup for the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards.
“What is the key to success in the beauty industry? Never say ‘no’ and always have a smile on your face.” – Davis Factor, co-founder of Smashbox
“It’s people with passion for the product that can sell the dream of fragrance. Scent is the most intimate thing a person can wear – it creates a lasting connection.” – Vera Wang
“My grandmother taught me to listen to my heart. Always be guided by your heart. And she taught me to love magic. Magic is trés important to me. Take the Lady Million perfume bottle for example. When you look at it you first see bling-bling with the diamond bottle capped in gold. But you know the diamond also represents the arrival of light and gold refers to the coming of the Golden Age – a very positive evolution here on earth. There’s always a deeper meaning to it.” – Fashion designer Paco Rabanne.
“I was putting makeup on way before I should have. My mother never took out the trash without full makeup on. She wouldn’t! Now, I didn’t go fully made up to school, but I was in the theatre and I was dancing so makeup was a part of my life. I learned how to put makeup on very young.” Catherine Zeta-Jones
“Most women, when they ask me for beauty tips, aren’t prepared for my answer, which is, there is no magic beauty wand that can transform you and make you beautiful. It takes practice and what you see on RuPaul’s Drag Race is years and years of practice.” – RuPaul
“Prepping skin is really important. I’m on tv and film sets a lot and the first thing I do is send the actors for facials. I’ll send them home with hydrating masks and a full collection of skincare. I learned early on that giving actors facial massages helps you connect with talent and helps to create glowing skin. Makeup looks so much better on healthy skin.” Pro makeup artist Lucky Bromhead who did makeup for Schitt’s Creek
“If you are nervous trying new makeup colours, the easiest way to update your look is to change the texture of your products. If you normally wear a satin lipstick, try the same colour in matte or high shine textures. A change in texture can quickly update your makeup look.” – Pro makeup artist Dick Page
I hope you enjoyed these quotes. You honestly never know what a celebrity or artist will say when you walk into an interview. There are always surprises. What is your favourite beauty quote? (Tell me in a blog post comment below. I’d love to hear it.)
7 Comments
September Dee
August 15, 2024 at 11:17 amOh Dave you have met so many interesting people! I really enjoyed reading these quotes. There are quite a few great ones here, especially Coco and Audrey.
Angela Citrigno
August 15, 2024 at 10:39 amOne of my favourite beauty quotes is this one “Beauty is sincerity. There are so many different ways someone can be beautiful.” – Taylor Swift. Dave so many excellent beauty tips thank you for sharing. Basically love yourself 1st and the rest will follow. If you feel beautiful on the inside you’re way ahead of the crowd. Dave what’s your favourite quote? @959angela
Trisha Pedros
August 14, 2024 at 4:50 amWow, Dave! What an incredible catalog of quotes! You have met so many amazing people! Beauty article xx
Jamie Johnson
August 12, 2024 at 6:51 pmOh I LOVE these!! Thanks so much, Dave!! I cannot imagine all the beauty advice you’ve been given over the years. So happy you shared some good ones with us!! Thanks and have a great week!! xoxoJJ
@BaBy_J_55
Daniela Sborlini
August 12, 2024 at 10:40 amWow ! Love so many of these quotes.
@tserings
August 12, 2024 at 10:19 amWhat an incredibly inspiring collection of quotes Dave–and memories no doubt!!
Connie peixoto
August 12, 2024 at 8:04 amLove Bobbi Brown and Coco Chanel