Story and photographs by Lia Crowe

鈥淚 love the quote from makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin that says, 鈥楨very woman is beautiful, we just need to show them how to bring it out.鈥� It feeds my soul when doing makeup 鈥� even when I do simple things to accentuate someone鈥檚 features 鈥� to see how it can change the way they see themselves for the positive. It feeds me to help them see what everybody else sees.鈥�

There鈥檚 a soundtrack of birdsongs in the background as I meet makeup artist Trish Monkhouse at her Metchosin home on a sunny morning to chat about style and her journey to becoming a makeup artist. I also wanted to get some makeup and beauty tips that every woman should know 鈥� myself included.

Trish is 10 years into doing makeup full time, but says that actually, 鈥淚鈥檝e been doing it my entire life. I was very much focussed on art at school; it was in my blood. But I also have always wanted to help people. A lot of people have said to me that I have a gift of keeping people at ease. People are very vulnerable when sitting in your makeup chair and I take that very seriously. I鈥檝e learned to listen to people and read their body language to understand what they鈥檙e not saying.鈥�

The West Shore is also in Trish鈥檚 blood. She鈥檚 a fourth-generation West Shore resident 鈥� her family was one of the original homesteading families in the area. She grew up here and bought her first home here.

鈥淚t has a different peaceful and removed feeling. It鈥檚 got a little bit of everything 鈥� you can get everything you need but still have that remote relaxation as well. It鈥檚 like a vacation area and a city.鈥�

Asked to describe her style, she jokes, 鈥淪occer mom.鈥� (But since she鈥檚 the mother of three busy teenagers this is likely pretty accurate!)

Beyond this, Trish loves that these days so much is accepted when it comes to fashion and personal style 鈥� 鈥淟ike a 45-year-old can have a Mohawk [hair style] and not be looked at weird!鈥�

Now for the beauty tips, and I ask Trish what every woman should know when it comes to beauty.

鈥淢y biggest thing is skincare and serums. Whenever I鈥檓 doing makeup I focus on getting 鈥榯he canvas鈥� looking really good and then you need less makeup. People need to hydrate deeper and serums do that.鈥�

What products should every woman have to bring out their best?

鈥淎 good serum and moisturizer, a lip conditioner, eyebrow gel, an eyelash curler, mascara and a little tint on the lip and cheek.鈥�

Is there something she wishes women would stop doing?

鈥淐omparing themselves to others. I really highly recommend getting together with a professional makeup artist to find out what works. There are so many makeup tutorials online, but they aren鈥檛 real. What works for that person online may not work for you, so don鈥檛 compare and get discouraged. If you learn to do it right for your face, it鈥檚 something you will have forever.鈥� WS WS