Sigma Beauty Blog: Q&A w/ YouTube Guru Vintage or Tacky

Cora is a self-taught makeup artist best known for her YouTube channel, vintageortacky, where she creates a wide range of makeup looks; everything from colorful and elaborate to classic and simple. Through her tutorials, she loves inspiring others to try new things and be confident in their own skin. She stands by the motto, “Vintage or tacky – just be yourself!”

We recently interviewed this one-of-a-kind makeup maven to get the answers to your most pressing questions! Check it out:

Sigma Beauty: What are your go-to beauty items when you’re short on time?

Cora: Ah, the elusive 'five minute face', also known as my everyday face, since I'm always late! A moisturizer/sunscreen combo, a powder foundation applied with a dense brush like the F05, an easy-to-blend concealer, a pink or coral blush to warm up my face, tubing mascara, and a no-mess lip product like the new lip butters.

Sigma Beauty: What is one makeup secret you swear by?

Cora: I'm a huge fan of chemical exfoliation. When I discovered the major skin benefits of properly formulated BHA products, my "skin life" changed dramatically. I try to tell everyone the benefits of chemical exfoliation, gentle physical exfoliation and how important it is to gently, but thoroughly cleanse your skin. This way, your products absorb better, your skin looks younger, brighter, and even your pores look smaller! It's something I can't do without, on-par with sunscreen for me.

Sigma Beauty: What has been your most rewarding experience since becoming a YouTube guru?

Cora: Any time I've met a subscriber! (I seriously think it truly excites me more than them)! Also, whenever I’ve read a heartfelt email where someone tells me how much they enjoy my videos or how I've helped them with makeup tips, or helped with their self esteem; emails like that reach my heart and make me want to never stop making videos.

Sigma Beauty: How do you change your skincare routine from season to season?

Cora: I guess I switch it up in the most obvious ways - more moisturizer in the drier winter months; lighter products in the summer. But some things are constant, sunscreen for instance, though the type varies by the season.

Sigma Beauty: Based on your experience, what does it take to become a successful YouTube guru?

Cora: I wish I knew a recipe for success, but what's worked for me on a personal and professional level is by being consistent, trying to make the best videos possible in terms of video quality but also content, being true to my own moral code, and not giving into temptations to promote things I don't believe in. I made a pact with myself years ago that if I wouldn't recommend it to my best friend, then I shouldn't recommend it to my viewers.

Sigma Beauty: What is the best piece of beauty advice you have ever received?

Cora: Use tubing mascara! A few years back I was planning my wedding makeup and I was frustrated with always having raccoon eyes and didn't want to look like a tired mess on my wedding day. At a beauty counter I looked sincerely at the sales girl and asked for a mascara that would truly -no fooling- not smudge. With a knowing nod, she handed me a tube of tubing mascara and said, "This will work, I swear by it!"

If your mascara tends to give your raccoon eyes, flake or smear- you need a tubing mascara! It creates a little shell over your lashes and though it's incredibly water resistant, it comes off with warm water in stringy tubes. I want to shout it from the rooftops - I don't understand why there aren't more on the market.

Sigma Beauty: What inspires you to create new looks?

Cora: This is so cliché, but everything! Books, movies, art, a plastic bag dancing in the wind... American Beauty reference, anyone? No seriously, I'm inspired by anything and everything, not just in terms of color and shape, but also in how to translate a beautiful makeup look into teachable techniques for my viewers.

Sigma Beauty: How has your beauty routine changed since starting your YouTube channel?

Cora: Dramatically. Hey, when I started I was essentially a novice makeup enthusiast with a camera and a deep love for makeup. I've learned so much from watching YouTube videos and being inspired by other makeup enthusiasts - and it's so inspiring to see how the community has grown! Since I started making videos, makeup has moved from hobby to career, and while working for various makeup lines, on photo shoots and observing other makeup artists at work, I've learned so much and picked up so many tricks I now incorporate into my everyday makeup routine.

Sigma Beauty: What has been your biggest beauty blunder?

Cora: Even now I make blunders - those who are experimental commit beauty sins from time to time, but for years I did myself a huge disservice by going all out with intense eye makeup with nearly ignoring cheeks and lips and I ended up looking washed out. I was always afraid of clown cheeks and drawing too much attention to the scar on my lip. Now those are my two favorite features to play up every day.

Sigma Beauty: What are a few of your favorite Sigma Beauty products?

Cora: The Bunny Collection brushes! They are so soft and cute, and I think they are some of the best that Sigma Beauty makes. I also love the Sigmax Flat Kabuki brush (F80), the Sigmax Angled Kabuki brush(F84), the Tapered Highlighter brush (F35), the Blending brush (E25) is fantastic, and the Contour brush (F05). They are all long-time favorites. The new Performance Eyes Kit is also really useful, I find myself reaching for them often.