Growing Up Pretty : Niki Degoey, Toronto-Based Content Creator and Food Photographer

On today’s edition of Growing Up Pretty, I interviewed Niki Degoey.

Niki DeGoey is a Toronto-based Content Creator, Food Photographer and Graphic Designer that wants to make your food look as great as it tastes.

I had the pleasure of meeting Niki through Make Lemonade, the Toronto virtual networking and co-working community and I was blessed with having her as my first accountability partner when I joined the group back in May!

Check out her work and services at www.heyniki.ca, and you can follow along her creative life via @nikidegoey on Instagram.

What did beauty mean to you growing up, and what or whom were your major influences?

Growing up, my mom was the biggest beauty influence for me. She takes pride in her looks, and I remember her going to the salon every few months to get her pixie cut touched up with some new colour or fun highlights. She encouraged me to wash my face often, and to not wear too much makeup because it would make my skin breakout (it broke out anyways). When I wanted to dye my hair fun colours too, she took my to the salon to get whatever I wanted. My hair changed a LOT growing up, and it was (and still is) what I care about the most in my beauty routine.

Describe your journey with beauty as each birthday or decade passes.

I’m in my mid-20s, so I’m feeling like I’ve finally got a handle of what makeup looks good on me and what I should really skip! I’ve learned that a natural makeup look is best for me and my time commitment - I don't want to spend an hour doing eyeshadow! If you have the patience for that, then awesome! I’ve experimented a bit with eyeliner, shadow, etc but right now I just save that stuff for special occasions.

In high school, I had bad acne, so I was told by my mom to not wear face makeup as it would make things worse. I didn’t start using foundation, powder, etc until probably late university. I think this definitely influenced my current makeup routine - I have opted out of foundation for some tinted moisturizer and a bit of concealer, so my skin has some room to breathe but it still smooths out any redness that I have.

As for my hair! All throughout high school and half of university I was a brunette that desperately wanted to be a blonde - and when I was 20 I finally took the plunge and took out the bleach (yes, it was an at-home transformation). It’s been 7 years and I’ve NEVER regretted it - I can’t imagine going back to brunette! Although I do go to a salon now for touchups ;)

Explain your current beauty routine, and please feel free to provide examples of looks you want to learn, procedures you want to try, or treatments you are curious about!)

I’m very diligent about washing my face every morning and every night. I’ve had bad hormonal acne since I was 12 so I’ve ingrained and prioritized my face-washing routine over the years!
All my products I use for my skincare are from The Body Shop! In the morning, I’ll splash my face with warm water, dry it and use their aloe toner, followed by the wonky carrot moisturizer. At night, if I’m wearing makeup during the day, I’ll use their chamomile cleansing butter, but if not I’ll use their vitamin E cleanser. Then I’ll use the aloe toner again and a vitamin E night moisturizer.
As for makeup, I like to keep things looking pretty natural: I use a tinted moisturizer from Tarte, moisturizing concealer from Benefit to cover any spots and brighten my under-eye, some mattifying powder on top, then add Benefit’s tinted eyebrow gel and mascara. Sometimes I’ll add a fun lipstick - I love a bright lip!
As for things I’d like to try, I want to start using more face masks - I have a couple of expired jars that I really should throw out at some point…

We’ve been in quarantine for so long! How has your routine for both skin and hair changed since you’ve been isolated and socially distancing? Are you taking the time to do more for your skincare? Less? Have you noticed any changes in your complexion or hair?

I’ve definitely been wearing makeup less, which is always good! This will be a little gross, but I’ve also changed up my shower routine to be every third day (I don’t get too smelly, I promise!), so that’s how often I wash my hair. My skincare routine has stayed the same, but all this added stress from COVID to starting a new business venture has made me break out much more than I would like!

In light of Zoom calls and virtual meetings, tell us your tips and tricks for looking presentable online? Are you still wearing makeup? Still doing your hair?

I wear makeup for Zoom calls about…half the time. If it’s with a new client, then definitely, but if it’s just for a co-working virtual hangout or a call with friends, then usually I won’t unless I reaaaally feel like it. I am finding that I’ve been using more mattifying powder then I normally would though - gotta control that webcam shine!

Give us your fast five ...

Beauty Muse : I love Leigh Dickson for her creativity and hair colour inspo!
Favourite Product : The Body Shop Banana Shampoo <3
Your Splurge Item : A new lipstick colour (even though I have 100000)
Best Beauty Skill : Washing my face each night (even when I’m a little…intoxicated)
Worst Beauty Skill : Applying eyeshadow!