Beauty guru MrsMakeup reveals how she overcame low self-esteem

Having safely delivered the all-in-one beauty staple, albeit six months late due to the pandemic, the 37-year-old is focusing on the arrival of her much-longed for baby girl.

“I am having two babies,” laughs the businesswomen who is mum to Max, 11, Hugo, nine, and one-year-old Gio.

“Starting a brand in the middle of a pandemic was terrifying it has meant it has been the longest journey with some incredible lows, but it ended up being a blessing. The sales spoke for themselves and now I am finally getting to launch this product after so many months of waiting.”

Since the inception of Mrs Glam in March 2020, the range has spanned everything from false lashes to lip products and a host of beauty accessories.

For the Dubliner who lives in Meath with her family and now has over 150,000 Instagram followers, there has been no linear path to success.

“Life is not perfect, you dip in and out of doing really well and everyone is on your side and then you start to get these negative comments or trolls coming at you. It is a constant learning curve. Even now, speaking about another pregnancy and a launch, all positive news, there is always a very low percentage of people that are not happy for you. They may be unhappy in their own lives and they are going to direct it your way.”

But Michelle is resolute in building her brand, and has come far in both her personal and professional life.

“The journey of life is a long road and from being bullied as a 14-year-old right through to being a very content and happy 37-year-old, those last 20 years have been a journey and you learn and you grow in a world that is mayhem.

“I didn’t have social media when I was fourteen so if someone had been mean to me I could switch off and I was going home to a good house where I could speak about how I felt with my parents. Social pressure online now is a little bit scary for young people and I was lucky.”

It’s clear Michelle who will soon be a mum to two under two has her hands full, but she wouldn’t have it any other way

“Gio just turned one and please god she will be here soon. I love kids and babies, their innocence and their purity. I love motherhood from start to finish, the good days and the bad days, and the bad days are few.

“They are my best friends and I adore them and to have success now with the business means that I can give them a better life and that means everything.”

That very same success has been cultivated because of Michelle’s integrity to her trade.

“I think people really trust my word and trust what I say when it comes to makeup because I have been a makeup artist for so many years. I am very lucky that I have such an honest relationship with my audience.

“I have been approached by nearly every Irish brand and even big brands in the UK to work with them or make a product and there was always something a little amiss for me, whether it was the quality or standard or the ethics of the brand I didn’t get into bed with anyone.”

For Michelle who has worked with everyone from Nadine Coyle to Rosanna Davison, there is magic in makeup.

“I don’t think I come across as all that confident, I think I come across as a little insecure but the power of makeup for most people is phenomenal. There is low self-esteem around women in general, we are always judging ourselves, always questioning ourselves I suffer with low self-esteem I don’t know a woman really that doesn’t. But when you put something on whether it’s a lipstick or eyeshadow, it gives you this boost and it is very, very powerful.”

And advice for those looking to follow her into the make-up industry?

“There is a little element of have no expectations and you won’t be disappointed. If you expect something to happen for you overnight and it doesn’t, you are going to be woefully disappointed.

"I have been a makep artist for 20 years, I have been booked for jobs and cancelled, and then witnessed people book another artist. Being a good person and loving what I do has given me the hunger to keep growing.”

• Magnificent palette, €36.95 is available from mrsglam.com and bperfectcosmetics.com