By Kaytlyn Poberznick
Sherida Edwards, creator and owner of She’s Gold, is a professional makeup artist and skincare consultant.
She helps clients find products to best suit their skin type and gives tips and tricks to apply makeup properly.
“I’ve been in the beauty industry since I was 13 years old as a cosmetician for Shoppers Drug Mart. I became a lead makeup artist at a really high-end salon when I was 17 on Whyte Ave called Perugia. I always had my hand in beauty basically my whole life,” said Edwards.
Edwards was inspired by her mom to get into the beauty world.
“My mom, since we came to Canada from the UK when I was really young, got straight into the beauty business. I was always just so blown away at how she could remember all of these facts about all of these different products. I never thought I could do it, but now it’s been like twenty years and I never looked back,” said Edwards.
The beauty world has taken a turn for the better since Edwards began her journey. Makeup brands have expanded their products to reach every skin tone and not just focus their marketing towards white-skinned people.
“Being in the industry for so long, since I was a little girl, I remember looking at products like Maybelline, Covergirl, and L’Oreal and never saw a black girl or anybody of any other ethnicity on their marketing. There was no colour for us,” said Edwards.
Supplied photo.
When trying to find proper foundation shades to match their skin tone, Edwards mom had to order exclusive black makeup for black skin or darker skin tones, until one brand stepped up and embraced all complexions.
“There was one called Nicara back in the day. But honestly growing up I think Cover FX before they left Shoppers Drug Mart, had a beautiful shade range because it was one of the most inclusive lines that I had ever seen so early on. But of course, they went exclusive to Sephora a few years ago,” said Edwards.
“One of my favourite lines for every skin tone, from the lightest to the darkest, would probably be Vasanti Cosmetics. They have a great [shade range], but they appreciate undertones, which is huge because a lot of brands can have all these different shades, but if the undertones aren’t right it means nothing to us. Vasanti Cosmetics is Canadian and female-owned and they really took into consideration undertones and darker skin,” said Edwards.
Edwards has done campaign work for Vasanti and some ambassador work for brands in the UK.
It’s hard to avoid dry skin especially in the midst of winter. Edwards believes that it all begins with the health of your skin to make sure makeup applies nicely without cracks.
“We live in such an abusive climate where it literally dehydrates your skin from the outside in. You need to make sure your skin is hydrated first and foremost before you even pick up any type of makeup,” said Edwards.
She recommends the brand Embryolisse to her clients as a moisturizer and primer. It works with all skin types whether it be oily or dry and it gives a beautiful finish for under makeup.
“Make sure that your skin is hydrated, healthy, you’ve washed it [and] applied some type of cream or moisturizer on it because before we even get started with makeup. I feel like skincare is key. You need to hydrate that skin and if you don’t you need a good primer,” said Edwards.
SPF is by far one of the most important parts of any skincare routine, but for lots of dark skins, white-cast becomes a huge issue.
“It is very hard and very frustrating for a lot of my darker-skinned clients. They actually are reluctant to wear sunscreen because of that issue, but I found personally the one that works for everybody, it doesn’t matter how dark you are, is the Neutrogena SPF 50,” said Edwards.
Edwards clients struggle a lot with hyperpigmentation and find that a lot of their concerns are around discoloration.
“Vitamin C is like a whirlwind right now, everybody has a vitamin C serum. I can’t keep them on my shelves because vitamin C does wonders for brightening the skin and helping to break up the melanin. It helps to re-brighten skin so we start there,” said Edwards.
“Makeup Revolution has the best eyeshadow palette I’ve ever used, but now they just dropped their skincare [line], with 20 per cent vitamin C, so I’m thinking that’s gonna be like a big big hit.”
A big reminder Edwards gives her clients is that if vitamin C is a part of their morning routine to make sure they use a minimum SPF of 30 with it.
Sherida Edwards is active on Instagram and can be kept up with @shesgoldaf.
