The last post in my Virginia Tech Beauty Celebs series spotlights Sierra and Taylor Olson, Hokie twins with a passion for beauty. Though Sierra and Taylor share their love for makeup, fashion and design, they have unique styles as well as tips and tricks. Keep reading for an insight into their individual perspectives!
Tell me about yourselves.
Sierra: I’m a freshman university studies major, and I’m hoping to eventually have a fashion merchandising and design major with a business minor. I enjoy drawing and doing photoshoots with my friends.
Taylor: I’m also a freshman and currently undecided, although I’m looking to pursue a major in interior design, fashion merchandising or business. My goal is to eventually create a design business with my sister. I’m very much into anything fashion, and I spend a lot of time lifting.
Where did your love for beauty start?
Sierra: My love for beauty started in middle school when I first began making my own decisions on what to wear. I experimented with different styles all the time. I can remember going to the mall with my best friends and trying on all of the dresses in Macy’s and having mini photoshoots in the dressing rooms. In middle school, I also began wearing makeup. I would spend hours in the bathroom messing around with different products until I figured out how to use them. Sometimes Taylor and I would give each other makeovers and take photos of each other with our mom’s old camera. We would get pretty creative and hang up a bed sheet on the door frame as the backdrop and set up lights around the room!
Taylor: My love for beauty started in middle school when I began experimenting late at night with eyeliner and eyeshadow. It was my goal to perfect my eyeliner, since I had heard everyone struggles with it.
What are some similarities and differences in the way that you two do your makeup?
Sierra: I would say we do our eyebrows differently. Mine are thicker, and hers are thinner. Our wings are also different shapes. I also like to overdraw my lips, and she does not! I would say our eyeshadow techniques and face makeup is pretty much the same. I like to describe my style as more minimalistic and monotone. I like to play with shape. I would say Taylor’s style is more “street” and colorful than mine.
Taylor: My makeup is much more natural and neutral. Sierra’s makeup is much more extreme, and I’ve noticed that she tries new looks very often. I, on the other hand, usually stick to a couple of my favorite looks and just try to enhance my natural face. Unless I’m going out, of course!
Do you feel like makeup has shaped the way you view beauty?
Sierra: Makeup has shaped the way I view beauty in that you can alter yourself to be whoever you want. Makeup allows me to have fun with different styles and looks without any permanent changes, and I think that opens me up to a wide variety of styles I would have never known about before. I believe beauty is nothing but your perspective. You can find beauty in anything, as long as you look at it with the right mindset.
Taylor: Makeup has definitely shaped the way I see beauty because I see just how people can change their look so easily with just a couple products and brushes!
If you could give college women 3 essential beauty tips, what would they be?
Sierra: First, try not to spend money on beauty services. I have saved a ton of money on doing these things myself, including waxing my own brows by using tweezers, scissors and wax strips from the grocery store; doing my own french nails with white nail polish, acetone and a paint brush; and whitening my teeth with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Second, highlighter is not just for the face! I put highlighter on my ears, shoulders and collarbones. It adds a subtle touch that puts together your whole look. Lastly, baby products are amazing. Baby oil is an amazing face moisturizer to use before you apply your makeup. It allows your makeup to glide on smoothly while adding a nice natural shine. Baby lotion is also an amazing lotion! It’s gentle on all types of skin while providing just the right amount of moisture.
Taylor: My first tip is, as a base for your makeup, use a small amount of baby oil. It works like Cover FX Drops and helps make products blend easily. Second, use eyeshadow primer on your brows before you apply brow product, whether it be gel, pencil or powder. It helps them stay fresh and clean-looking all day. And my last tip is to use hot water to rinse your beauty blender before you apply your face makeup. The heat helps open your pores to create a smooth and flawless look.
Name your top 5 ride-or-die makeup products.
Sierra:
- L’Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation – This is the best full coverage drugstore foundation that does not streak or come off. It stays on all day and keeps your face matte.
- Revlon PhotoReady Concealer – This concealer is so creamy and buildable. It works wonders with a concealer brush to perfect your wings, lipstick and brows.
- Kat Von D Tattoo Liner – I have never found a liquid eyeliner as perfect as this one. The color is extremely pigmented and non-streaky, the tip is sharp yet easy to use and it never smudges!
- Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colassal Mascara – Ever since I began wearing makeup, this has been my favorite mascara. It stays on forever and is so easy to build. The shape of the brush is the perfect size, and it’s so easy to fix mistakes with it.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer – This brow pencil goes on so smoothly and is easy to blend with the spooly on the other end. It’s just enough pigment with the perfectly shaped pencil to make your brows super sharp!
Taylor:
- Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
- Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in1 Foundation + Concealer
- Coty Airspun Translucent Face Powder
- Eylure Brow Palette
- Anything Tarte Cosmetics!
To see Sierra and Taylor’s love for beauty in action, check out their Instagram accounts @sierranicoleolson and @taylornoelleolson.