For anyone addicted to beauty tutorials, she should be no stranger.

Aaliyah Jay is a Youtube guru with a huge following for both her videos and her Insta – and the 23 year old Brooklyn-native is just getting started! We spoke to her about her beauty faves from back in the day and how she keeps herself grounded.

You’ve mentioned being a lifelong makeup addict – do you remember your very first eye shadow palette or lipstick?

Aaliyah Jay: My first two eye shadow palettes were from Maybelline and Wet n Wild. The palettes were affordable and those were the only brands I could afford. At that time I would do makeup on people and I would use all drug store brands to make it happen!

Do you have 1 must-splurge and 1 better-save recommendation?

AJ:My must-splurge and better-save is probably everything I currently have (LOL)! I have a bad shopping habit and I get anxiety when I shop because I think that whatever I buy is going to sell out and I’ll never see it again. Then I’ll end up splurging on the whole shelf of all that’s in stock and I end up using one while saving the rest.

Your skin looks fantastic without anything on it – obviously we had to ask if you had any secrets to share!

AJ:Why thank you! ☺ Well, I do have really dry skin so for my skin to look healthy it must have some type of heat, which creates natural moisture. This is something that my skin lacks and it usually only behaves in the summer when it is super hot outside. But one thing I cannot do is drink milk, I will start peeling like a snake!

Since you’ve started vlogging, what’s a trend in either the industry or among YouTube Makeup Artists that you’ve noticed?

AJ:One trend among the YouTube community is how people are making friends from all parts of the world! I really enjoy seeing people VLOG their trips, finally meeting their YouTube bestie, and learning new things. That’s one thing that keeps me motivated to post on YouTube! You get to meet all kinds of people from around the world. YouTube has opened so many doors for all of us! <3

Do you believe women are having a moment as entrepreneurs?

AJ:Absolutely. There are so many girl bosses out here and it’s inspiring! I LIVE FOR THIS! When I was younger I would dream about being the women having to take 50 phone calls with a team helping and now I work really hard to become that busy woman. It’s so inspiring to see other females do it.

What were the biggest challenges when it came to starting your own business?

AJ:The biggest challenge was staying on top of everything even when I didn’t feel like getting out of bed or whenever I got sick. Staying motivated is something I think we all struggle with, especially when you have to motivate yourself.

Do you have any tips or quotes for staying motivated?

AJ:Yes, one quote is, “Don’t sweat the petty things, don’t pet the sweaty things.” In school, I would always struggle with being motivated and because of this I would always go to my principal for advice. My principal was always there for me and one day he pulled me to the side and told me that quote. That was all the motivation I needed. It made me laugh but at the same time it also opened my eyes because most things I stress tend to be small things to a giant.

Any advice for someone who feels completely overwhelmed or out of their depth when they’re trying to take their own makeup application to the next level, for example?

AJ:Just remember who you do it for and why you do it. Are you doing it for your parents? Are you doing it for your future kids, so that they can have a better life than the one you had? Also, never forget that you’re doing this for yourself, because if you don’t do it, no one else will.

One thing that also helps me is to remember those who doubted me.

In middle school, I struggled with bullying and back then I had no idea that I would be where I am today, working hard towards my dreams. I think about all the hard times I went through and that motivates me to get up and do more because I know those same kids are still watching until this day. It’s the best feeling when you get to stunt on your haters. ;)

What – if anything – can you share about your upcoming projects? We hear there’s something big on its way!

AJ:Well I have a huge fan base all across the world and I really want to give them a piece of me to remember. With that being said, for my upcoming project I want to provide great quality, creativity and really do my best on whatever I put out for those who are rooting for me. The project I am working on will be inspired and creatively directed by my fans, who I call the ARMY aka #AaliyahArmy.

Finally, body glitter – will we ever see it come back in a big way like we did crop tops or chokers?

AJ:Trends ALWAYS come back around. I believe my kids will be into body glitter and won’t believe that me and my girls have already been there and done that (haha)! They will think it’s new so yes, absolutely. Fashion and beauty always comes back around.

The Fab FOREO Family

We’re beyond exciting to announce that Aaliyah is the latest to take part in FOREO’s brand new ambassador program! Whether you were already a fan or new to her channel, we hope you’ll keep your eyes peeled for her latest videos – and stay tuned for exciting new projects from her and FOREO!