Meet Kendell Cotta, ARDELL’S Beauty of the Week. Kendell is Imaginative, Inviting, Loving and is sharing her beauty secrets with us!
AR:
Tell us about yourself?
KC:
I’m Makeup Artist represented by The Rex Agency located in Los Angeles. I grew up in a small town in Northern California outside of the Bay Area and started my career in San Francisco. Then that lead me to living in New York where I started the freelance portion of my career to currently residing in Los Angeles. I’ve always been an artist and honestly never saw makeup artistry in my future just more of something I always really enjoyed. I apprenticed to be a tattoo artist in and out of high school and took college art classes while attending community college for business. While I was in college, I applied for a job at a local Sephora with always having a personal interest in makeup. I was terrible at the cash register, so they threw me into doing makeup with clients which is where I found my passion and love for it. I had a quick transition into becoming an educator at Sephora where I traveled and helped other artists grow in different cities. To then freelancing for brands while building my book to being signed with an agency in a sum of the last 10 years.
AR:
Describe your earliest beauty memory.
KC:
I think my earliest beauty memory was always since I was a baby to my early teens rummaging through my mom or grandmas Este Lauder makeup and always playing with it or stealing their samples when I wasn’t supposed to. I had an uncle’s girlfriend who recognized my love for it before I even did and always would gift me her colorful pallets and such.
AR:
Who had the biggest beauty influence on you growing up?
KC:
Growing up I’d say the biggest beauty influence was the internet. During my middle school / high school years it was peak of the internet with Myspace, Tumblr, and especially YouTube. There was no specific person for me until I realized my passion for makeup and by that time my first influence was of course Kevyn Aucoin and his Making Faces book.
AR:
What is something that you no longer believe about beauty that you once did?
KC:
I used to believe that beauty was about the makeup look and the glam and everything just being beautiful, perfect and all over the top but now I believe it’s just about balance, being creative and keeping it authentic. There are no rules in beauty, it’s makeup it’s supposed to be fun and be an addition to feeling beautiful.
AR:
How do you define beauty today?
KC:
Authentic.
AR:
Do you have any favorite beauty practices that you swear by?
KC:
Less is always more. I know it’s so cliché but it’s true. Being able to add more into a look is always easier than to take away. Most of the time with the end result you end up being happier than an initial thought of more, and if it’s not enough then decide after to bump up certain things with a final finished look!
“It’s all about skin for me, your makeup will always look beautiful with great skin and skin prep.” – Kendell Cotta
AR:
When do you feel most beautiful?
KC:
I feel most beautiful when I feel most like my authentic happy self. To me it doesn’t necessarily come down to a looks thing, but an internal thing and comes through in confidence. I’ve always struggled with acne so for me having clear beautiful skin is when I truly feel my best.
AR:
What’s your go-to makeup or skin care routine?
KC:
My go to makeup / skincare routine is keeping everything extremely simple and natural. It’s all about skin for me, your makeup will always look beautiful with great skin and skin prep. For myself, it’s using a good daily cleanser, using an AHA toner, followed by serums for whatever skin concerns, using a cold rose quartz roller in the mornings, then applying moisturizer with sunscreen and an eye serum and eye cream. I’ll also do ice rolling when I have breakouts / most days in general.
AR:
What is your favorite beauty trend right now?
KC:
My favorite beauty trend lately that I hope is forever here to stay is glowy skin. Again, I’m all about skin and I love letting natural normal skin shine through and just accentuating it.
AR:
What is the best beauty tip you’ve ever discovered?
KC:
Ice rolling or ice masking has been my new favorite beauty tip. It’s amazing for inflammation, breakouts, de puffing, etc. and plus it makes you feel great!
AR:
Do you listen to music when you get ready? If so, who is on your playlist?
KC:
I honestly don’t listen to music while getting ready because it distracts me and takes me so much longer and I’m always rushing to get somewhere on time.
AR:
What would someone never guess about you?
KC:
Maybe that I ride a motorcycle or am an artist too.
AR:
What's next for you?
KC:
I really want to just continue growing as an artist in my industry. I love my career and am so grateful where I’m at and its always constantly evolving and changing. There’s so much I want to work on and have many short-term goals and long-term goals I want to achieve. I just make it a habit to check in with myself often if the path I’m on is going in the direction of things I’m working towards and if I’m missing something, to find out what that piece is to get me back on that track.
AR:
In addition to making people feel beautiful, how do you like to spend your free time?
KC:
On my free time I love to travel, adventure somewhere new, ride my motorcycle, spend time at art museums or with friends finding new restaurants to go to or wine bars to try.
AR:
What is one of your favorite inspirational quotes?
KC:
“What’s meant for you will sometimes feel scary, risky, and new. Easy and calm doesn’t always mean you’re going the right way.”
RAPID-FIRE: ARDELL BEAUTY QUESTIONS
AR:
What are your favorite ARDELL lash styles? Why?
KC:
My all-time favorite lashes are the 3D individual ones. I LOVE them so much because I can build my own lash whether I want them natural and fuller or dramatic and fluffy depending on the full and length.
AR:
What keeps you coming back to ARDELL lashes?
KC:
I love Ardell because they have endless styles and are truly amazing quality lashes. There are so many types of lengths, cuts, colors, fullness, etc. and I can always find any lash that fits any kind of makeup look and eye shape I’m building.
AR:
What is the trick for the perfect ARDELL lash application?
KC:
My favorite tip is to always use a mascara tight lining brush and fill the top and bottom lashes with the smallest amount of mascara to hide the lash completely so there’s no glue shine.
AR:
Best ARDELL lash style for an everyday look
KC:
My favorite styles for an everyday look are any of the Naked lashes or to take the Wispies and cut them in halves and use them at the ends of your lashes to create a half lash.
AR:
Best ARDELL lash style for an all-out Glam look
KC:
My favorite styles for glam looks are the Faux Mink sets, whether it’s a natural glam or an all-out glam look.
AR:
Mascara on top of ARDELL Lashes or Nah?
KC:
Yes always, pinch those lashes together!
AR:
What other ARDELL products do you use + love?
KC:
I love the brow dyes from Ardell! I use them on myself because my brows are so blonde. I can dye them from home darker and it helps them look nice and full.
AR:
What is your go-to DUO lash glue formula?
KC:
I use the latex free one always just to be on the safe side. It also works amazingly.
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