If you’re serious about modern makeup trends you have probably encountered the work of Cecilie A. Olsen. This prolific makeup artist uses the name GlitterGirlC to publish in-depth tutorials and inspiring images on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, Sigma Beauty and other sites. Her YouTube videos routinely generates tens of thousands of views. The most popular has more than 4 million!
Olsen started blogging at GlitterGirlC.com in November 2011. Today her site features thousands of photographs along with hundreds of tutorials, tips, and product reviews.
Catching the Makeup Bug
YQ: Could you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
GlitterGirlC: My name is Cecilie. I’m 24 years old and I come from Norway.
When I first meet people I’m very shy, but when I get to know them, they would probably describe me as kind, positive and a little crazy.
Makeup is my main passion and work, but in my spare time I love dancing, watching series and watching other makeup channels on YouTube.
YQ: How long have you been doing makeup, and how did you get started?
GlitterGirlC: I started getting into makeup four years ago when I stumbled upon some makeup tutorials on YouTube. I was fascinated by how much more you could do with makeup, beyond just wearing a simple, brown, everyday look.
I’ve always been a creative person, so the tutorials challenged my artistic side. I bought a cheap H&M palette with lots of colorful shadows in it and started practicing.
After a few months I saw that people uploaded their makeup looks to beauty-oriented websites and I started uploading mine too, just for fun. I wanted to see if people actually liked the looks I created.
I was so glad when people liked them. That encouraged me to start my blog, then myFacebook page, my Instagram page and eventually my YouTube channel.
Evolving a Personal Style
YQ: Who are some people who have inspired you throughout your career?
GlitterGirlC: The first people who inspired me and got me interested in more creative makeup were JulieG713, Pixiwoo and MakeupGeekTV on YouTube. I practiced technique by recreating their looks.
Then I was inspired by members of the makeup communities I joined, especially Veronica, who blogs at bowsandcurseys.com. She creates looks that are super-colorful, creative and beautiful.
Today all these ladies – and many more – still inspire me. For example, I love the detailed, creative and spectacular looks by Tal Peleg!
YQ: What kind of makeup do you use?
GlitterGirlC: I love using very colorful makeup, especially when I’m creating a character.
For my more wearable looks, I like using bronze, gold or rose-gold eyeshadows.
My typical makeup look has lots of colorful, matte shadows in it along with a few shimmers, lots of glitter and some fun rhinestones.
YQ: What colors do you like to work with?
GlitterGirlC: I like using every color of the rainbow, and I especially like to put them all together!
My favorite color combinations are blue and purple, yellow and purple, and pink and green. On my lips I love using purple or berry lipsticks.
Hits and Misses
YQ: You said you had many crazy makeup stages in your life. Looking back, what was your least successful design?
GlitterGirlC: That would have to be a look I did on Christmas Eve three years ago.
I wanted to use red for Christmas, so I used a shimmery red in the middle of my lid and then black all around the rest of the eye. I looked like a scared alien! My family and I laughed about it all evening. Unfortunately I deleted the photos. They would be fun to look at today!
YQ: What three looks you are most proud of?
GlitterGirlC: I like the Cheshire Cat design because I like the color combination. I think the shape I created was quite creative, and I love the way the pink and purple lashes match the rest of the makeup. The whole look is very complete and put together!
I’m proud of my Powerpuff Girls look and my Minions look too. When I first sat down and started doing them I thought I wouldn’t get a good result. I spent hours, however, and was happily surprised by the results.
Goofy and Ghoulish
YQ: If you could choose to be any Disney character, which one would you be and why?
GlitterGirlC: I think I would like to be Goofy! He has always been my favorite, though I don’t exactly know why. When I was little I always wanted Goofy stickers, Goofy stuffed animals, and all that stuff. It might be because I love characters who are funny, goofy and cute.
Tigger is my favorite Winnie the Pooh character. Maybe there’s a pattern there.
I’m not very funny myself, so I think I would want to be Goofy so I could experience that quality.
YQ: Can you share three suggestions for perfect and spooky Halloween makeup looks?
GlitterGirlC: I was a witch every year for Halloween, so I guess I can start with that. For an easy witch makeup look, I’d go for a shimmery, dark-purple eyeshadow on the lid and in the crease; a thick, black winged-out liner; maybe some false lashes, and black lips. You can take a black pencil eyeliner and use it as a lip liner.
The black pencil liner is handy if you’re going as a cat, too. Use it to draw a cute little cat nose at the tip of your own nose, then draw three whiskers on each side of the nose. Of course you’ll use the liner to draw the cat eye too: wing your eyeliner out. Add lots of mascara and false lashes, and finish the look with pink lip gloss.
Doll makeup is always perfect for Halloween. I would use pink eyeshadow on the eyes, but you can of course use any color you’d like. Apply black eyeliner along the upper lash-line, and use a white pencil liner along the lower lash-line and waterline. Apply some false lashes underneath the white on your lower lash line. This will make the eyes look bigger. Place a pink blush on the apples of your cheeks and use a black liquid liner to create freckles. Then take a red or pink lipstick and apply it only to the center of your lips.
YQ: Where do you see yourself as a makeup artist in five years?
GlitterGirlC: I hope I will still be doing makeup tutorials on YouTube. That’s a dream job as far as I’m concerned, so I hope I can continue doing it.