Maddie, Makeup Artist - Real Skin Stories

Growing up, Maddie, a real 47 Skin customer, had always loved makeup and dreamed of becoming a makeup artist, but when her skin suddenly changed around the age of 17, her confidence changed with it. What started as unexpected breakouts, dark marks and pigmentation quickly became something she thought about constantly. Even though makeup had once been something creative and fun for her, it started to feel more like something she relied on to hide behind.

But, after discovering 47 Skin through a friend, she began using the Serum consistently and quickly noticed changes in her skin. Over time, the redness and dry patches started to calm down, her skin became smoother and makeup sat better on her face. But the biggest change wasn’t just physical - it was how she felt within herself.

Now, Maddie feels confident both with and without makeup. It no longer feels like something she needs to hide behind, but something she genuinely enjoys again. As a makeup artist, her own journey has also helped her better understand her clients and support others struggling with the same insecurities she once experienced.

Q&A

When did your skin journey begin, and what was happening in your life at the time?
My skin started changing when I was around 17 or 18 during my last years at school. I was going through a lot of stress at the time and my skin suddenly broke out with dark marks, pigmentation and blemishes. I’d never struggled with my skin before that, so it completely knocked my confidence because it felt like everyone else had already grown out of skin problems by then.

How did your skin struggles affect your confidence day to day?
I became obsessed with covering my skin. I’d wake up much earlier every morning to do my makeup before school, carry a makeup bag around with me and constantly check my reflection between classes. I felt like everyone was looking at my skin all the time, even though most people probably weren’t. Some days I genuinely didn’t even want to leave the house.

How did your relationship with makeup change during that time?
I’ve always loved makeup, but when my skin got bad it stopped feeling creative or fun. It became something I relied on to hide myself. I felt like I needed makeup to leave the house and I’d use heavy layers just to try and cover every mark and blemish. It completely changed my relationship with makeup for a while.

As an aspiring makeup artist, did your skin ever affect your confidence professionally?
Definitely. I worried people would think I wasn’t professional or hygienic because I had bad skin. I always felt pressure to look “perfect” as a makeup artist and I was scared clients would judge me. It made me overthink a lot, especially being so close to people’s faces all day.

Was there a particular moment that really stayed with you from that time?
I remember going into school one day without makeup because I had a drama performance later on. One of my friends casually commented that they didn’t realize my skin was “that bad.” They didn’t mean it maliciously at all, but I remember feeling absolutely crushed by it. It just confirmed every insecurity I already had in my head.

How did you first hear about 47 Skin?
One of my friends recommended it to me after she’d had really severe breakouts herself. At first, I didn’t think it would work for me because my skin concerns were different, but I was so desperate at that point that I decided to try it anyway after speaking to my mom.

What changes did you start noticing in your skin after using 47 Skin?
The biggest thing was that my skin started calming down. The marks began fading, my dry patches improved and my skin became much smoother overall. My makeup started sitting so much better too because my skin felt more hydrated and healthy underneath.

How has your relationship with makeup changed now?
Now I genuinely enjoy makeup again. I use it because I love it, not because I feel like I have to hide behind it. I don’t feel the need to pile on heavy layers anymore and I focus much more on skin prep and enhancing my features instead of covering every imperfection.

What’s life like for you now compared to before?
I can leave the house without makeup now and feel confident in myself, which I never thought I’d be able to do before. I don’t wake up and immediately think about my skin anymore. It’s not the first thing on my mind, and that’s honestly changed everything for me.

How has your own skin journey helped you as a makeup artist?
It’s helped me understand my clients so much more. Because I’ve struggled with dry skin, texture, pigmentation and blemishes myself, I know how emotional it can be. I now focus a lot on skincare and prep alongside makeup because I know how much of a difference it makes to someone’s confidence.

What would you say to someone currently struggling with their skin?
I’d say I completely understand how hard it feels right now, but it really can get better. Your skin doesn’t define who you are. Makeup should feel fun and creative, not something you feel forced to rely on to hide yourself.