Casandra Smith Scott hopes to change the way we see makeup
Published:Monday | March 6, 2023 | 12:58 AMKrysta Anderson - Flair Writer
Casandra Smith Scott, the chief executive officer of and the artist at MakeupbyCas, is all about matching confidence from the foundation through the ‘less is more’ technique. Having spent over a decade in the field of cosmetology, her ultimate vision is to not only provide professional makeup services but to teach classes that will empower women to love the skin they are in as well.
“I am all about seeing how we can uplift each other as women. That’s the whole reason why I got into makeup in the first place. My specialty is beauty and bridal makeup. And in 2022, I started going heavy into teaching makeup classes with MakeupbyCas Beauty Academy,” the predominantly self-taught makeup artist told Flair. She went to HEART Academy and attended P Louis Makeup Academy online for certification. She also went to makeup artist’s Sam Fine’s master classes.
Her reason for taking the academic approach and imparting her wisdom in beauty stems from emancipating women from the constraints of laying it on ‘thick’. Smith Scott’s main focus is on finding cost-effective foundations that will give the right coverage. Another issue in the beauty world is that women aren’t aligning the types of makeup that work well with the various skin types.
“For my oily skin queens, powder is a must; translucent powder, powder foundations, and loose powders are really good. Using a good primer is ideal to control the oil under the makeup, as well as a good setting spray and paying attention to labels; if the foundation says radiant, it’s not for your oily skin.” For the dry skin queens, she recommends a good emollient moisturiser; it cannot do you wrong. Hydrating masks are amazing for dry skin persons as well.
She has discovered in her line of work that women are using too many products. “Less is more,” she simply stated.
Growing up, I was self-conscious, I was chubby and I had bad acne,” she explained. Frequenting her aunt’s beauty supply store for her skincare assistance, she always found herself wandering to the makeup counter. It was there that she developed a natural love for beauty. She found it fascinating and wanted to learn more.
Managing the store during the summer holidays, it was transformational to see how lipstick could elevate someone’s mood. It wasn’t just about looks; the store visits involved conversations as well. And the beautiful thing about makeup is that it does not discriminate. “I might not be able to find clothes that fit me properly, but I am always able to find and connect with makeup. It’s empowering; I love to see the smiles on women’s faces; that makes me smile too. Education is very important. And when a woman knows how to apply her makeup, she holds her head a little higher; she’s a lot more confident.”
When she graduated from university, she was able to attain a job. Practising on the side, she earned money by doing others’ makeup to make ends meet.
The first half of her decade-long career was shaky, to say the least, with the creative artist walking away from her career on several occasions, due to family tragedies and new beginnings. But at the end of the day, she always returned to her first love.
The latter half saw a great improvement in her craft. Her clientele has grown tremendously, and she has become an authority on the topic of makeup through her beauty academy, created last year. “Makeup makes me feel good and seeing the joy that it brought to my clients, I stuck with it. I found solace in makeup,” she added.
On Saturday, March 25, she will be hosting a ‘Makeup N Wine’ workshop, designed to bring wine lovers and makeup lovers all under one roof.