Behind the Blush: Dariia Day on Beauty and Well-Being's Inseparable Bond

“From a young age, I always believed I would become a fashion makeup artist. I’ve always been very ambitious and I never gave up. My journey wasn’t easy. I arrived in Paris at age 19, without speaking French, without knowing anyone, and without even knowing where I would stay. It took time and a lot of resilience to get to where I am today. Things began to shift after about a year in Paris, during which I did a lot of shoots and tests and built my portfolio.

One day, my school in Hollywood told me I had been selected as student of the year, meaning I was invited to Milan to meet an agent and shoot with incredible photographers. That experience enormously inspired me and gave me the confidence boost I needed.

And during that trip, something incredible happened – I received a call from Dior to work as a makeup artist on their upcoming campaign with Emily Weiss. It was my first major campaign. After that, I worked on an event with Maria Giulia Maramotti, who then booked me for all the Vogue shoots with Max Mara.

My portfolio became really solid, I signed with my first agency, and my career really started to took off.”

“The Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara is one of my favourite mascaras, in both black and brown.

The BabyBlade brow pencil from Victoria Beckham Beauty – naturally defined, structured brows bring balance to the face, without appearing too heavy. I especially love the shades intended for blondes.

The Lip Balm from Augustinus Bader – an excellent hydrating balm that I take with me everywhere.

The Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon in shade Pampas – I use it on both the lips and cheeks for a fresh, creamy flush.

The Oh My Cream Skincare Tinted Cream SPF20 – for those more important days or when I want to even out my complexion slightly. I love that it also includes sun protection.

The Concealer Pen with TFC8® by Victoria Beckham Beauty – I love using concealer, just to correct the areas that need a bit of coverage.

And the Brightening Eye Gel from Tata Harper, which I use as daily eye care, but also as a highlighter for a touch of light.”

“I love the bath and body oils from Susanne Kaufmann. Since my pregnancy, I’ve also been using Talm’s Mega Oil. For my face, in winter I use The Rich Cream from Augustinus Bader, the Radiance Serum from Oden and, more recently, the Quinque Eye Contour Mask for an extra boost of hydration around the eyes.”

“For makeup, I always like to keep a fresh, luminous finish, so it doesn’t change much. When I love a product and it aligns with my vision of beauty, I stick with it. In winter though, I use richer creams and balms.”

“I like to dedicate at least 15% of the time I spend with my clients to skincare, and I perform a facial massage using my hands and beauty tools to de-puff and hydrate the skin, boost radiance and encourage relaxation. I often apply eye masks and a rich lip balm – sometimes a lip scrub if needed. For me, this is the key to perfectly prepped skin, especially before an important event.”

“I would say concealer. Many people still rely mainly on foundation, when full face coverage is often not necessary, since the skin is already beautiful. With concealer, you can correct specific zones, where needed, and keep the rest of the skin looking fresh and natural.”

Follow Dariia on Instagram at @dariiaday.