We’re back with another themed week on the site: Beauty Week. This semester, Her Campus FSU has created themed weeks dedicated to exclusive content we believe all of our readers should have access to. Keep up on the site for the next few days as we tackle everything from the best beauty brands to follow to the much-debated brazilian. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this.
Name: Joseph Chiarenza
Year: Junior
Major: Retail Merchandising
Activities: Makeup Artist, Drag Queen, Starbucks Manager
Photo By: Annie Grafe
This honey found time in his busy schedule to sit down with me and give me the scoop on everything makeup, drag and Kylie!
Her Campus (HC): How did you get started with makeup and what were some of your first products?
Joseph Chiarenza (JC): I remember when I was like four or five I use to watch my mom get ready all the time. I was fascinated. One day we were getting ready to go to a family dinner and I grabbed my paint brushes and I started putting them all over my face like I was pretending to do my makeup. They came in and were like, “What are you doing?” and I was like, “My makeup!” So, I’ve always been inclined to it. The first product I bought myself was a MAC Concealer when I was 13. I saved up my babysitting money. It was this really thick MAC Concealer and I hid it in my sock drawer so my mom wouldn’t find it. I’ve never been low budget; go big or go home. I didn’t even try drug store makeup until I was in, like, high school.
HC: Do you have any makeup tips for FSU?
JC: Blend! You can never be too blended. If you’ve blended, blend again. Don’t fill in the front of your eyebrows-those should be softer. Winged liner should start from the bottom of your lid and should follow your natural eye line. Bring your foundation down to your neck! And if you have a problem with your makeup lasting, set your face with hairspray! It’s like an old “drag tip.”
HC: Do you have any skin care tips?
JC: I have this facial cleansing brush from a company I work with called Vanity Planet. It’s called “Spin for Perfect Skin.” I used to have a Clairisonic and it was just so expensive and really harsh on my skin. So, you can only use it once a day and it dies all the time, but the one that I have is way more gentle, but just as effective. And it’s only 30 dollars when you use my coupon code “BadBoosh” at checkout. It literally changed my skin. I also love a good spot treatment, and The Body Shop’s tea tree oil line is perfect.
Photo By: Annie Grafe
HC: Your major is retail merchandising, so what do you want to do with that?
JC: I came into college thinking I wanted to be a stylist or a buyer for Macy’s or something, but that was before I really wore makeup or like anything more than foundation and concealer. I find I want to apply what I’m learning with fashion and clothing more into the makeup side. I want to maybe work for Urban Decay or MAC doing some kind of branding, marketing or product development.
HC: What are some things you’re involved with in school?
JC: I work at Starbucks Dirac about 30 hours a week and I’m taking five classes and a lab. I also do drag shows at the Union and I’m pretty involved with the Pride Student Union.
HC: How do you manage everything?
JC: I’m so determined and I know what I want done and I know how I want to achieve it. I think the end success is what motivates me. So, I like to think of YouTube, Instagram and clients as stepping-stones. It’s all about time management. It’s cool, though, because I’m in charge of myself.
HC: When and how did you meet Kylie Jenner?
JC: Oh my goodness, well, it was the best experience in my life. She’s my biggest makeup and fashion muse and I just love her. I loved her lipstick shade, so I started to wear it and people told me I looked like Kylie Jenner. And I was like, “Yeah I do, I do look like Kylie!” So, I started hash-tagging everything “Kylie Jenner” and tweeting at her. I just wanted her to notice me and then, one day, I got an email from her PR saying, “Hi, Joseph, Kylie would really love it if you attended this event. Just let me know and I’ll add you to the list.” It was her “lip kit” launch in L.A. and I got the email 2 months before she’d even announced the launch. I had to keep quiet about it. I was dead-set on going. So, I flew out to L.A. My parents still thought it was fake, but I get to the event. I step out of the car and paparazzi start taking pictures of me and I knew it was real. Kylie walked into the event, late of course, and I literally felt like I couldn’t breathe. She came up to me and was like, “Hi! I’m Kylie.” and I’m like, “I know!” She starts telling me she loves me and I melted. She was so cool and so nice. She gave me all the lip kits and sends me the new ones when they come out. Caitlyn Jenner asked to speak to me as well and she was so cool and nice too. I got to take a picture with Kris Jenner. I even went to lunch the next day with Kylie. It’s so cool, I’m like best friends with Kylie Jenner. She’s opening the Sugar Factory in Orlando and I get see her then, I’m so excited! If anything bad happens, I’m just like “Well… Kylie Jenner loves me.”
Photo By: Annie Grafe
If you can’t catch Joseph at Starbucks Dirac, you’ll definitely be able to find him on YouTube and Instagram!