Love, Lashes, and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life

by Mally Roncal

Overview

From A-list celebrity makeup artist and Mally Beauty founder Mally Roncal comes an inspirational guide to living a gorgeous life inside and out, with step-by-step beauty lessons and personal stories about how inner strength, a positive outlook, and plenty of mascara can empower and uplift women at every age.
 
Celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal has a message she wants to share with the whole world: What makes you different makes you beautiful! It’s the mantra that inspires her work with A-list clients (who include Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, Mary J. Blige, and Kelly Osbourne) and every single “bulletproof” item in her Mally Beauty cosmetics line. With her warm, generous spirit, infectious energy, and deeply rooted belief that with a positive outlook and a couple of genius makeup tricks every woman can be gorgois inside and out, Mally has created a legion of fans, a.k.a. Mallynistas, who faithfully tune in whenever she appears on QVC and follow her on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
 
In Love, Lashes, and Lipstick, Mally tells her own story of growing up as the daughter of two Filipino doctors; smuggling blue eyeliner into her Catholic school; breaking into the business (with giant platform heels and bleached blond hair) in New York; jetting around the world with megastars; meeting her soul mate when she was least expecting it; and gradually building a full, joyous life running her own business and raising three young girls.
 
Along with her wise and hilarious life lessons, Mally shares the secrets to all her signature looks with easy, step-by-step instructions and gorgeous illustrations. Want to master Beyoncé’s and JLo’s sexy glow, or the ultimate smoky eye? Need to look polished but fierce for a big day at work, or fake eight hours of sleep when you only got four? As Mally would say, “It’s all here, my loves! Come and get it!”

Praise for Love, Lashes, and Lipstick
 
“The beauty book you’ve been waiting for forever.”—The Huffington Post
 
“Mally Roncal’s new book is full of beauty wisdom. . . . If you’re a makeup junkie, you’ll want to get your hands on it ASAP.”—Allure
 
“A beauty lover’s must-read.”—StyleBistro

“The most important thing we learn from Mally (aside from everything you ever wanted to know about false eyelashes) is how to have fun, how to be a wonderful, beautiful, love-filled person, and how to enjoy life. Had this book come along earlier, I might have had a better life (and better lashes).”—Isaac Mizrahi
 
“Mally Roncal’s approach to makeup is exemplified by her personality: smart, sexy, fun, and beautiful. I really dig this woman!”—RuPaul
 
“Mally’s gift, aside from creating beautiful makeup, is her incredible generosity of spirit. She shares tools for feeling beautiful inside and out. Mally’s family is the center of her universe, and her heart is big enough to enfold each and every friend, client, and customer within that family. Kudos to my dear friend on this amazing book! Within it are the tools for achieving true beauty.”—Tracy Reese
 
“Mally isn’t just a beauty expert—she’s a spirited cheerleader for women everywhere. Within the first twenty minutes of reading her new book, I found myself in stitches, then tears, then stitches again.”—Amy Synnott, executive editor, InStyle

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804178235
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/23/2014
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal is the founder and president of the Mally Beauty cosmetics line, a QVC star, and a columnist at Redbook. The daughter of an ob-gyn mother and clinical psychiatrist father, Mally planned to study dermatology but ultimately earned a degree in fine art and entered the fashion industry. One of the most sought-after makeup artists in the industry, with a client list that includes such stars as Beyoncé and Celine Dion, she has been featured in The New York Times, People, O: The Oprah Magazine, Allure, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping and has appeared on Today, The View, Rachael Ray, The Wendy Williams Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Read an Excerpt

chapter 1

My Chanel Training Heels

My mom called me her miracle baby. Doctors had told her she couldn’t have a child, but one day she woke up and said to my father, “I’m pregnant.” He didn’t believe her, but here I am, proof that she was right. As usual.

Mommy was fabulous in every way. She was an ob-gyn who had delivered more than one thousand babies over her career and was the director of the Medical/Surgical Unit at the Middletown Psychiatric Center in New York. She wore designer clothes under her white doctor’s coat and the highest heels to the office. And she never went out without her “face” on.

Just before I turned one, Mommy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her doctors gave her six months to live.

She knew we were not going to have a lot of time together, and I understand now that she vowed not to go anywhere until she was sure I would be okay on my own. Even with this disease hanging over our heads like a dark cloud, she lived as if the sun was shining bright every day, and we made more memories in the too-­few years we had together than most people do in a hundred. To say we were close is an understatement; our bond was indescribable. As far back as I can remember, she did all she could, all the time, to make sure I would be ready for what life was going to throw at me, even if we did some things just a little early. She wanted me to be prepared for anything.

I can still hear her pronouncements—­born in the Philippines, she never quite conquered the V’s and F’s of English, except when she said “love.”

Whenever I left the house:

“Always wear your lipstick!”

“Okay, Mommy, but I’m like ten years old!”

“Whateber, Melissa! That’s no excuse!” (And, yes, I always wear lipstick when I go out!)

Whenever I met a boy that I liked:

“Ip a boy likes you, he will call you. You won’t hab to call him.” (Call me old-­fashioned, but that’s what I believe to this day. And when it’s the right time, I will tell my girls the same thing.)

Whenever I met someone new:

“Always look them in the eye. Shake their hand pirmly and remember their name. And call them by it!” (And I do. Every time.)

Whenever I lost weight:

“Take your clothes to the tailor and hab them pitted. That way, there is no room to gain weight again!” (We both did that. And ended up having to buy new clothes. I don’t go to the tailor as often now. I have “fat” jeans and “skinny” jeans.)

On why I had so many “uncles” and no aunts:

“Don’t worry about it, honey. Love is the same eberywhere and with eberyone.”

And one of my favorites:

“Always work hard, be humble, pray to God, and have pun in everything that you do. Lipe is too sweet and too precious to waste. Honor God in ebery moment of your existence.” (And, yes, I do this. Every single day.)

Then there was the day that she called me into her room and said:

“Honey, I hab to break the news to you. You are neber going to grow ober pibe peet tall. [Translation: You are never going to grow over five feet tall.] I want you to put on these Chanel heels and practice running up and down the stairs.”

Really? I was in the fourth grade.

But, sure enough, while all the other kids were outside playing, I was hut-­hutting it up and down two flights in black pumps with four-­inch heels. I might have thought it was a little crazy, but, to be honest, I loved it too. And you know what? Today I can walk in heels the way other women walk in ballet flats.

And, for the record, I’m five one and three-­quarters.

My mom was always passionate about doing what she wanted today. Not knowing exactly how long she had to live made her live every single day as if it were her last. Because she never wanted to miss a moment with me, her miracle baby, I was always a part of her little adventures. There was the time that she decided, “Let’s go to Europe,” and the next day we were all on a plane to Paris.

Or the time she crept into my room at the butt crack of dawn and whispered, “Melissa! Let’s go out bepore Daddy wakes up! We’ll go to Cartier and buy all our priends watches!” (We ended up at Louis Vuitton and got everyone purses.)

Then there was the day that changed the direction of my life—­the day my obsession with makeup began.

“Anak [anak means ‘my child’ in Tagalog, one of the official languages of the Philippines], I was thinking that maybe we should go to Saks and get you a makeober!”

A makeover? I was in sixth grade!

“You’re old enoup now that you should be wearing makeup! Let’s habe someone teach you how! We’ll have pun!”

Now, do I think twelve-­year-­olds should be wearing a full face of makeup? No. When my girls start wearing makeup, it will be some lip gloss and mascara when they’re in eighth grade. But Mommy didn’t want to miss out on this rite of passage for a mother and daughter.

We ended up sitting on the stools at the Elizabeth Arden counter at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. A handsome, very fabulous, very made-­up man came over to us.

“Hellllllloooooo, dahlings!!!! Well, aren’t you gorgeous? What can I do for you today? Do we need a little something?”

Mommy and I beamed at him. He was fierceness personified!

“Yes, my love,” Mommy said. “This is my daughter, Melissa. She needs a makeober. Can you teach us how to give her the perpect face she needs?”

“Well, of course, dahlings! This is what I’m here for!”

He stood back, put his hand under my chin, and turned my face from side to side, studying it, then went to work. I can only describe what happened next as a whirlwind of deliciousness. His fingers were flying like Edward Scissorhands’s as powders and creams and brushes came at me from every direction. The scent of Eight Hour Cream filled the air, and even now when I smell it I remember that day. Mommy just smiled and smiled. I was in heaven. There was something about being surrounded by all the products and brushes and the hustle and bustle and perfumes of the cosmetics floor. I watched him carefully considering his choices as he selected the colors to apply to my face. I so envied his creativity. I knew that someday I wanted to be able to touch people the way he did.

When Mr. Fabulous Makeup Artist was through, he stood back and admired his work: foundation, powder, purple and pink eye shadow, black eyeliner, mascara, hot-­pink blush, candy-­pink lipstick—­the works. (Remember, this was the early eighties.) I looked at Mommy; she had tears of happiness in her eyes.

“She’s perpect! We’ll take it all!”

Best. Day. Ever.

Mommy was preparing me. Teaching me. She understood that every moment is precious, and by living in the moment she was getting me ready for the future, her way, with the things that mattered to her. Of course, it wasn’t just about clothes or high heels or boys. It was about life and kindness, work ethic and faith. It’s not always easy—­in fact, it’s impossible—­to be prepared for everything, but you can do your best to be ready for any situation, any issue, big or little.

Skin-­Care How-­To

One of the most important beauty lessons my mom taught me was how to take care of my skin. Of course, we both spent too many hours baking in the sun, coated in Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil, SPF zero. Who knew that the beautiful golden tan I had at sixteen meant sun spots when I was forty? Here are two simple but effective skin-­care routines that will work for you, regardless of your age or your (past!) bad habits.

Skin Care a.m.

1. Okay, this may sound cray cray, but do not wash your face in the morning. Nighttime is when your skin regenerates and repairs itself, so washing in the morning undoes all those benefits and can dry you out. Just splash on a little warm water and pat your face dry (that’s what I do), or, if you must (but you really shouldn’t need to if you cleanse your face properly before you go to bed), use a very mild moisturizing cleanser.

2. If you’re using a serum, now’s the time to apply it. Use one that addresses your skin-­care concerns, whether it’s dryness, brightening, oil control, or anti-­aging.

3. Apply a moisturizer with SPF. Every day. Especially if you’re using a retinol product at night. If it’s raining, snowing, cloudy—­even if you don’t go outside. And don’t forget your neck (front and back), chest, and ears! If you use a moisturizer and a sun protection product, use your SPF first.

4. Tap on a little eye cream under your eye, using your ring finger (it has the lightest touch). You don’t need more than a pea-­sized amount for both eyes.

5. Apply makeup primer to seal in all your skin-­care goodness and prepare your face for makeup.

6. Smooth on some lip balm.

Skin Care p.m.

1. The most important thing you can do for your skin is to CLEANSE. I cannot stress this enough! No matter what time it is or how tired I am, I never go to bed with makeup on my skin. EVER. It’s my most important beauty rule, and I never break it.

2. Apply eye cream. The skin around your eyes is one of the first places to show signs of aging.

3. Follow with a moisturizer. If you want serious anti-­aging action, look for something containing retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A proven to even out skin tone and to smooth wrinkles.

4.Don’t forget a neck cream. Like your eyes, your neck shows signs of aging quickly.

5. Don’t forget lip balm.

More Is More

You know how everyone is always talking about “Less is more”? Well, that may be true of some things: sugar in your coffee, powder on your face, self-tanner.

But for me, not so much. At least not when it comes to life. Maybe it’s because we never knew exactly when my mother’s last day was going to be. So you know what? We chose “more.” My assistant Gabrielle once said, “You like to take every single minute of the day and suck every single second out of it!” (I promise, she meant it in a good way!) And it’s true. We have so few minutes in this life. Suck them dry. Make the most out of them. Take a spontaneous trip to the park with your kids. Run after the ice cream truck. Treat yourself to a pedicure. Carve out an hour for exercise class, and even if you detest it and you’re crying through those leg lifts, get what you came for. Throw a luau-­themed party in the middle of October (grass skirts, coconuts, and all) for no reason other than it’s Tuesday. Say yes. And if that just means chillin’ in front of your TV and eating popcorn one day, no problem! Do it with passion and love, every single second of it.

Take a moment. Take the time!

have already begun trying to spread that love to my babies. This year, my dad, my stepmother, Fely, my husband, Phil, and I took our three girls to an assisted-­living facility to bring Valentine cards to the residents. I could feel my daughters’ apprehension at first, but after some gentle coaxing they went around the room, handing out cards. I saw one of them sitting with a white-­haired lady in a wheelchair; the woman was slurring so much that I knew my daughter couldn’t understand what she was saying. As I walked over to them, I heard my daughter say to the woman, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Miss Fran. You’re beautiful.” It was one of the proudest moments of my life!

I find myself gravitating toward people who share my parents’ philosophy. Take Céline Dion, whose makeup I did for the first time in 2001. She has the same gracious, generous spirit, and she really reminds me of my mom in so many ways, right down to her love of shoes. Even though she’s been blessed with huge talent and commercial success, she never forgets the little girl inside her who just wanted to be a singer. I’ve never seen a celebrity connect so personally with everyone around her, whether she’s performing for thousands or hanging out in the green room. She taught me how important it is to respect your children’s need for routine and security, and I still thank her for it. When we were working on a video shoot, even if it was going to go all night, we would take our break at her son’s bedtime so she could tuck him in. In our house, one of us is always there to tuck the girls in. If it’s me, I sing Céline’s song “Miracle” to them. If I have to travel, I always try to take a flight that leaves after their bedtime.

I’m blessed to have a career where I get to do the two things I love most: create beauty and connect with people. When you are doing a client’s makeup, you are face-­to-­face, inches apart. Touching someone’s skin is an intimate thing. You share energy and feelings. I always feel it is an honor to listen to people’s stories while I apply their makeup. We all know that makeup is emotional and powerful. It can change how you feel. On days when you are feeling shitty, it can get you to where you need to be.

Makeup is my way of communicating, loving, and treating people like superstars. Social media has allowed me to do that on a whole new level. I love sending out inspiring messages, and I can’t tell you how many beautiful things I read from my Mallynistas. I marvel at their strength and resilience. We lift one another up.

Over the years of communicating with my Mallynistas, I’ve also learned to trust their advice on everything from the next color of eye shadow we should create to which jewelry I should wear to a business meeting. And they trust me to give them beautiful makeup that performs the way I say it will. True story: My team and I were struggling to decide which lipstick shade we were going to include in a kit. I posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter a picture of two options. Within five minutes, seven hundred people answered! I used the one that got the most votes—and the kit sold out in eight minutes when it was featured on QVC.

I want to pass on to you my parents’ values of respect, love, and connection. Listen to people. Really listen. Call people by their name. And see beauty in everyone. It’s always, always there.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Phones Are on Fire! ix

1 My Chanel Training Heels 2

2 Treat Everyone Like a Superstar 12

3 What Makes You Different Makes You Beautiful 20

4 Have It Your Way 24

5 Live Without Regrets 34

6 If It Doesn't Work, Le It Go 40

7 Bee Calm 52

8 Do the Hustle 64

9 Believe in Happily Ever After 84

10 It Takes Only One Person to Change Your Life 94

11 Be Fierce, Be Free, Be Fearless 104

12 Trust Your Gut 116

13 Jump into the Deep End 126

14 Share Your Love and Wisdom 134

15 Demand the Best 142

16 What Is Your "All"? 150

17 Get Your Game Face On 168

18 Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First 178

19 Your Most Gorgois Days Are Ahead of You 188

20 Gratitude Rules My Life 196

Acknowledgments 201

Makeup Product Guide 205

Editorial Reviews

08/04/2014
Celebrity makeup artist Roncal—known for her work with Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and others—offers a hybrid memoir and lifestyle guide that sprinkles makeup tutorials throughout her effusive narration. As the daughter of a successful OB/GYN who “wore designer clothes under her white doctor’s coat and the highest heels to the office,” Roncal learned early on about the importance of beauty along with the need for a strong work ethic. The book begins with the launch of Roncal’s makeup line, Mally Beauty (first sold on QVC), followed by loosely chronological chapters that touch on subjects including: lessons from childhood, Roncal’s college years, the rise of her career, and her marriage. The make-up how-tos in the first half seem to be inserted haphazardly, though the tutorials and text are more effectively juxtaposed in later chapters. For example, “Beyoncé’s Ten-Minute Face” follows Roncal’s discussion of her first time meeting and working with Beyoncé. Though these tutorials are easy to understand, they are accompanied by illustrations rather than photos, which makes it difficult to see the true impact of each “look.” While Roncal’s celebrity stories and details of her glamorous career (jetting off to Tanzania for a photo shoot) have dishy appeal, the book will be best appreciated by Roncal’s fans. Color photos and illus. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

The beauty book you’ve been waiting for forever.”—The Huffington Post
 
“Mally Roncal’s new book is full of beauty wisdom. . . . If you’re a makeup junkie, you’ll want to get your hands on it ASAP.”—Allure
 
“A beauty lover’s must-read.”—StyleBistro

“The most important thing we learn from Mally (aside from everything you ever wanted to know about false eyelashes) is how to have fun, how to be a wonderful, beautiful, love-filled person, and how to enjoy life. Had this book come along earlier, I might have had a better life (and better lashes).”—Isaac Mizrahi
 
“Mally Roncal’s approach to makeup is exemplified by her personality: smart, sexy, fun, and beautiful. I really dig this woman!”—RuPaul
 
“Mally’s gift, aside from creating beautiful makeup, is her incredible generosity of spirit. She shares tools for feeling beautiful inside and out. Mally’s family is the center of her universe, and her heart is big enough to enfold each and every friend, client, and customer within that family. Kudos to my dear friend on this amazing book! Within it are the tools for achieving true beauty.”—Tracy Reese
 
“Mally isn’t just a beauty expert—she’s a spirited cheerleader for women everywhere. Within the first twenty minutes of reading her new book, I found myself in stitches, then tears, then stitches again. Part memoir, part beauty how-to, this hilariously informative tome is a must-read for anyone (and everyone) who doesn’t see girl power and beauty as mutually exclusive.”—Amy Synnott, executive editor, InStyle

“A lot of makeup artists can show you how to look better, but Mally is the rare luminary who actually makes you feel better, too. Her passion for bringing happiness and beauty to all women is as endless as her talent.”—Victoria Kirby, beauty director, Redbook

From the Publisher