Emily Didonato’s Favorite Makeup Artist Shares Three Essential Steps for Flawless Beauty

Welcome to our Covey Expert Confessional Series! We created this series for our Covey community to give you insider tips & valuable insights on the routines of industry leaders.

Covey Expert Confessional: Misha Shahzada, Celebrity Makeup Artist

As you walk down the busy streets of New York City, you can’t help but notice the massive billboards of beautiful models sporting the latest fashion and style. But behind these gorgeous faces, you will find the incredible makeup work of celebrity MUA Misha Shahzada and personal favorite of Emily Didonato. 

Growing up in a small town in Northern California, Misha’s start into the beauty industry was far from traditional. In fact, she had very little access to mentors and careers in celebrity makeup artistry and decided to try a path that didn’t quite suit her. 

 “Like a lot of other makeup artists, I loved beauty from a young age and knew that it was something I wanted to pursue. Because I did not have any examples of MUA’s I could learn from, I decided to be a beauty buyer and move to New York City,” says Misha. 

After realizing that this career was not a fit, Misha took a turn into the world of finance. But beauty never left her side. Many days Misha was found doing makeup for coworkers in a bathroom on the chaotic trading floor or giving out her favorite makeup tips. She began to pursue makeup on the side and launched into the industry full time after five years in finance.

These days, you can find Misha’s brush behind iconic photoshoots in Vogue or ELLE, with celebrity clients such as Julia Garner, and working with top brands such as Marc Jacobs and Maybelline. Coming from humble roots, Misha’s mission is to make each and everyone client happy and confident with how they look and feel. 

Inspired by Misha’s incredible work and love for beauty, we asked the celebrity MUA on her most essential tips for a flawless routine and what inspires her the most:

If you had to break down your makeup routine to three essential steps, what would that routine be?

1. A Concealer - Speaking for myself, concealer is a must and is something I will never leave the house without. It is such a versatile product for touch ups and so many other things.
2. Mascara - It is so essential.
3. An Eyebrow Pencil - I would probably go back and forth between an eyebrow pencil or a stain of some sort. With a stain, you can use it on your cheeks or your lips or even add a little color to your eyes. But if I had to choose for myself, I would go with the eyebrows because they do great to frame your face. 

So concealers, mascara, and an eyebrow pencil are three non-negotiables for me. 

What step of your morning or evening routine would you never skip?

Brushing my teeth obviously *laughs* and not leaving the house without sunscreen. Even in the winter.

Who is your mentor or someone who inspires you?

I don’t have a specific mentor but I think I am just really inspired by anyone who perseveres and doesn’t give on things. Whether it’s work-related or life, I think that persevering through things inspires me and I admire people who keep fighting.

What is your form of self care?

Exercise for stress. I also think being kind to yourself and not beating yourself up for everything. It does numbers on your psyche and your physical and mental health. It’s so easy to get in your head but it’s important to differentiate between what is true and what isn’t. So I try to love myself and be kind to myself because it can be a daily struggle. 

What do you do that makes you feel empowered?

I think being able to help others in some capacity, whether that is opening the door for somebody,  just giving someone good advice or even volunteering for something. It is the most gratifying to be a help to someone else. 

What are the essentials to have in any makeup kit?

An eyelash curler. Everyone should curl their lashes before putting on mascara and I promise that it will literally transform the way your eyelashes look. Also, a really good brow gel. I personally love to use the Maybelline clear mascara. 

Tell us your “makeup secret” or trick that you would share with your dearest friends?

I got this from my esthetician but taking a really high quality probiotic every single day is so important for your skin. It helps to heal your gut which in turn helps to heal your skin. If you are not healthy on the inside your skin will look terrible. Everyone should definitely take one. 

A covey is a group of birds who flock together and that is the inspiration for our brand. Who is in your Covey?

My boyfriend, Gus and my family. I am also lucky to have really good friends who are genuinely selfless people that I can count on. 

To keep up with Misha and her best makeup tips you can follow her on Instagram at @Misha212.