Melissa is a highly sought after freelance makeup artist based in the Washington DC area. In addition to being a top agency represented bridal artist, her work has also been featured on the runways of New York Fashion Week, in various publications and commercial projects, and on the happy faces of her private clients. Over the years, Melissa has developed a deep love for all facets of makeup education, as a student, teacher, and mentor. Her passion is spreading a message of women’s empowerment, encouraging them to set their OWN standards in beauty and beyond. Using her varied experience, Melissa loves to share her pro techniques to help women customize their beauty routines and curate the perfect makeup bag through one-on-one consolations and her popular workshop - The Makeup Bag Makeover. Melissa created her artist favorites bundle with YOU in mind, putting together the brushes that every makeup lover should have in their makeup bag.
"This is my go-to brush for creating structure with a subtle contour or bringing life back to the skin with blush & bronzer. The soft bristles and tapered shape makes it perfect for carving out cheekbones with precision or use the flat edge for an all-over dusting of powder."
"This baby is my must-have brush for all things cream & liquid! It’s dome shape and soft yet dense bristles are fabulous for applying cream contour and blush, but I love it best for stippling and buffing in foundation to a flawless finish."
"What a workhorse this brush is! A definite must-have for anyone who loves the full-coverage look. However, I reach for this brush most often when applying skincare and underpainting using my favorite cream highlighters."
"When I think of a brush that gives me the most precision and control, I think of the BOM-270. It has so many uses! It does everything from creating a wash of color on an eyelid to dusting a bit of highlighter to the top of a cheekbone, but I use this brush most often to mattify precise areas of the face with a touch of translucent powder."
"Everyone should have BOM-416 in their makeup bag! It is the essential brush for laying down product onto an eyelid but is small and fluffy enough to smoke out shadows along the lash line."
"If there is any brush that I recommend purchasing multiples of, it’s this one! This beautiful blending brush works hand-in-hand with the BOM-416 to create any eye look, from the most minimal sweep of color to a dramatic smokey eye!"
"At first glance, you may only see this as a dual-ended brow brush, but it’s potential reaches far beyond brows alone! Yes, you can groom and fill brows to perfection using the BOM-510, but it is also great for applying gel or shadow eyeliner, cleaning up around underneath a brow or around a lip line with a bit of concealer, or separating out clumpy lashes with the spoolie end. Another staple for anyone’s personal grooming kit!."
To learn more about Melissa Collazo, follow her on Instagram.
