More than a makeup mogul renowned for her artistry, Trish McEvoy is also a master innovator. She started her company back in the '70s when there weren't any makeup tools she liked, so she hand-cut artists' brushes into the shapes she wanted for the perfect application. Women and artists around the globe took note when she started manufacturing those brilliant brushes, and her business was born. Today, McEvoy has a full range of beauty products and tools-including amazing fragrances-but at the very core, her intent is the same as it was from the very beginning: always finding the best way to provide women with the tools and techniques to simply unleash The Power of Makeup®.

What's your beauty philosophy? We know you have a whole book dedicated to the topic, but can you distill your thoughts on The Power of Makeup®?

The Power of Makeup is its ability to instantly transform and enhance a woman's beauty with a little well-placed coverage and color. With the right products, some basic knowledge, and a few minutes of time, a woman can see herself in a whole new light, and make the dream of looking her best an everyday reality.

As an expert, what's the most common beauty-related question you get asked, and what do you say in response?

The most common questions I get asked are related to skin: how to make it look better or younger and keep it that way. This is because if your skin doesn't look right, nothing else will. The solution is a simple but effective daily skincare regimen.

Cleanse: The first and the last step each day must be to thoroughly cleanse AND rinse.

Exfoliate: One must also gently exfoliate each or every other day, with a professional-strength peel each week. This dissolves the dead cells that dull skin's appearance, which also enables your treatment products to absorb and your makeup to apply smoothly. This can be done in the morning or night.

Boost & Hydrate: After cleansing/exfoliating, each AM and PM you must hydrate skin and boost its moisture capacity. Serums high in hyaluronic acid will enable skin to attract and retain maximum moisture for the healthiest look and feel. Serums with peptides and antioxidants will also do environmental damage control, helping ward off the same free radicals that pollute our air.

Protect: Using a UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection with a minimum SPF value of 30 before ANY daylight exposure (rain or shine!) is the single most powerful measure you can take to preserve your skin's beauty and health.

Repair: Boosting your beauty sleep with a nighttime repair step, such as a vitamin C cream, will help counteract the toll of the day.

Your husband, Dr. Ronald Sherman is a dermatologist. How has that influenced your products and/or your approach when creating makeup and skincare?

Immeasurably. Skin health and care was at the forefront of my husband's philosophy on skincare products, as well as simplicity and effectiveness. Feeling good was not enough! He only used the most effective ingredients at concentrated levels that would address women's concerns. From our first to my most recent skincare launch, as well as many of my current makeup products, which improve skin while you wear them, we produce cosmeceutical-strength formulas that make instantly visible and long-term differences in skin's beauty and health.

For someone new to Trish McEvoy, what are 5 essential products you'd recommend to get her started and hooked?

* Beauty Balm Instant Solutions® SPF 35
* Beta Hydroxy Pads Daily Exfoliator
* Beauty Booster® Serum
* Eye Base Essentials
* Mascara, Lash Curling or High Volume
* Instant Eye Lift applied in the Triangle of Light® (gave you a 6th to grow on!)

What's something you see a lot of women doing that you'd like to offer advice or a recommendation on for a better approach?

Applying foundation over skin that has noticeable vellus hair (peach fuzz). Removing this hair, via dermaplaning or other methods, reveals instantly brighter skin, in addition to enabling your foundation to apply smoothly and look its best.

Your Makeup Planner® is genius. Can you tell us more about how you came up with the idea and why every woman should have/could use one?

Well back to my husband and his wonderful systematic brain! We were on vacation in Italy and my makeup was scattered all around our hotel's tiny European bathroom vanity. He said to me, "Trish, there has to be a better way." The gears started turning and I came up with a Franklin Day Planner-style concept that evolved into the patented ring binder and refillable magnetic Page system the Planner is today. The pursuit of "the better way" has become one of my brand slogans and personal mantras because we have one life to live-why not improve it with every chance we get?!

Every woman should have a Makeup Planner because it fits the most makeup in the least amount of space and keeps it all right at your fingertips! It therefore IMPROVES her sense of calm through organization, and improves the way she looks because it makes the most of her mirror time. It's portable so keeps her MOBILE without her ever having to skip a step. There is simply no going back once you replace cluttered vanities, draws, and bags with one orderly zip-around binder of makeup.

What are your essential steps and product recommendations for prepping the skin before makeup application-from primer to foundation and your Triangle of Light?

1. Exfoliate: you have to remove the dead cells for your treatment products to best absorb and for your makeup to apply smoothly

2. Hydrate/Prime: you have to hydrate and prime skin for your makeup to apply smoothly and to last the longest possible

3. Blur/Set: This important prep step occurs mid-makeup application: always SET your foundation with a colorless blurring/setting powder before applying powder Bronzer, Highlight or Blush. This will obscure imperfections, while setting your foundation for long wear and ensure your powder face colors apply smoothly.

What are some of your favorite multitasking products in your line?

1. Eye Base Essentials: It banishes darkness and uneven tone from the eyelid to instantly brighten and open up eyes. It is beautiful alone as a nude shadow or used to backlight your eye shadows, while locking your look in place for all day wear.

2. Beauty Balm Instant Solutions® SPF 35: It's a one-step skincare and foundation routine!

3. Beauty Booster® Lip and Cheek Color: I love the ease and elegant simplicity of matching color on cheeks and lips.

In addition to skincare and makeup, you also offer a collection of fragrances. What makes them unique, and do you have a go-to for this summer?

My fragrances are so unique because they were inspired by different emotions and designed to uplift women's moods. My perfumers and I choose the ingredients for each pure, essence-based formula that will capture the feeling I am after. The result becomes part of a woman and her beauty, like an invisible accessory, rather than something that enters the room before her. My fragrances also work together as a wardrobe to be layered and customized as one's sprit moves! For summer I especially love my No. 6 Mandarin & Ginger Lily and Precious Pink Jasmine, energizing citrus-florals that complement the playfulness of the season. For a multi-sensory combination, exfoliate your body with my No. 9 Scrub or Sexy 9 Sponge then overlay a spritz of your chosen scent.

Having been in the industry for quite some time, what is something you've seen that's changed for the better in beauty?

Foundation! Today foundation looks like skin, not foundation. Current cosmetic technology overall is able to simulate nature, which enables less to be more: fewer products, fewer steps and less time, with better results than ever.

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