This is the Art Beauty podcast where we tell the real truth about the fake shit. I'm Amber and today my fabulous angelic co-host is Selena Polgardy. She is a cosmetic artist. And this woman, I call her an angel because she is all about using her skills for good and giving back, helping women who are either going through cancer treatment or the fabulous survivors. One of the things that she specializes in is microblading and brows and giving women their brows back.
Selena, it is such an honor to have you on the show and thank you guys. I was so impressed when I saw some of the work that you've done with women. You know, I think that for so many of us, we know we may know somebody who has had cancer, who's been touched by cancer. But I wonder if sometimes we forget, you know, how hard it must be when you're going through that. It is women. Yeah. Like they are going through treatment.
So I've actually even with giving back have taken it back a little bit then just to say, hey, you're getting this because you're going through treatment. Okay, I'm just trying to be a friend to them. I think more so like sending them different cool things. I love it. And you have actually created an entire makeup line, GLAM by Selena, which we're going to talk about a little bit later.
But why don't you tell me, how did you sort of get in to this and I want to make sure that we're not you know, that I'm now making sure that I'm calling this right. But you are you do offer women free microblading services who are who are going through this treatment, right? Correct. Or who have been through. Yes. So I do giveaways now. I got crazy.
I was offering it to everyone at first and then it got so crazy and so now you giveaways where I give away a free pair of new eyebrows and I do a bit of microblading and ombré brows. So it's a bit of shading as well. Sometimes a bit more delicate on the skin. So. So how did you get into this? I worked as a makeup artist in-store for other makeup companies, as well as on set.
And the biggest question was always like, Oh, I hate that this has to wash off at the end of the night because you did my eyebrows so good or, you know, my eyelashes, my eyeliner, my lips. So it just that strikes something in me. And then glam by Selena was created. Got it. So you were getting into sort of this cosmetic permanent makeup artistry, doing both. What? Like lip blushing and then also microblading for brows. Yet also lip washing microblading eyebrows and tattooing.
So I talked to a lot of them, got micro pigmentation. Okay. Oh, I see. What was that in melanin right there? The melanin, yeah. You like to always keep up, keep your skills sharp. Yeah. And I have different clients. I have alopecia and different know, so. But I do body camouflage as well. So stretch marks, it can be done in class without the ink, but still with the tattoo machine. So I've been trained on a few things. I train all over. You know, COVID changed a couple of things.
So we were able to kind of do a few other things, maybe also from home. So I work with some international people and it's been really cool because, you know, now I'm back and forth like we were going to talk about this all. Taking place between where. So California, Tennessee and it was North Carolina. But now we've been trying to focus here. Okay. And you're you're here right now. You're in Nashville. I'm in Nashville, yeah. Okay. Got it. So I was recently in Nashville not too long ago.
Awesome. Awesome city. So much fun. Like, you know, music everywhere. Such a great time. And then you're able to see California. That's nice. You're getting the best of both worlds. I know. I'm so fortunate because I have people that I meet here that are like they never traveled before, ever. They haven't ever gotten on a plane. And sometimes we think just because we travel, you know, it's a lot. But really some people we're fortunate to do it.
Oh, these remind myself that with work, you're like beach time going back and forth. Oh, no, no, no. It is very lucky thing, you know.
So I do want to talk about I love that you said now that you do sort of a lot of stuff virtually because, you know, I wanted to bring you on because, again, for women who are either who maybe just found out that they have to undergo chemo, who have had to undergo chemo for four people who have survived that, you know, there's certain skincare and makeup tips and things that I think that people, you know, who haven't been through that aren't even aware of.
And I was wondering if you could sort of give us sort of an overview of some of the skincare and makeup textures that you give to people. I So skincare. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Skincare is a big thing to me because my family personally was affected by skin cancer. And that's a big thing. It's a big role behind why I do what I do, and I had to have a big chunk taken out of my neck. So I really try to preach to people. Use a physical sunscreen.
Yeah. So that's something that sits above the skin, you know, and not chemical. As long as you look for a good one, it cosmetics has a great I tell people at least if you want to go out and this is for my survivors and warriors as well sometimes because of treatment, they may be just drained and they have a CC cream for IT Cosmetics, which is a color corrector, but also SPF 50, right. And that's a physical sunscreen. So that would be a big skin to wear.
Your sunscreen moisturize, even if it's tinted, just to give you a little glow. Yeah. So that that's a big one for me. Now, when people are going through chemo, what are what are some of the effects that we see? You know, I think we all are aware of hair loss, right? Hair loss not just on your head, but also your levels of your ideas. Okay. My boyfriend's mother just went through chemo and had to have chemo and radiation and she had burns after just trying to heal the wounds.
So, you know, they go through a lot physically as well. And I think a lot of this hit me from the beginning to help people that are going through treatment. My dad lost his dad to cancer and I never got to meet him. But he's so affected by it and you really see the toll it takes. And like you said, I think you have a friend who's mom, you know, you just never know. Yeah, it it's it's happening so much. It can. My grandmother passed from pancreatic cancer, which is very quick.
You know, pancreatic cancer is is weeks to months, not months to years. But I know how that feels. We just lost my aunt not too long ago, and they actually brushed it off like it was basically nothing. And she had pancreatic and it spread. So she had months. I was right now like it wasn't a good reminder to everybody listening go get checked up. You know I know that with COVID, too, a lot of people were putting off going to the doctor. But go get your tests.
Go to your doctor if there's something weird. Skin cancer is one of the most deadly, but yet most preventable types of cancer that we can have. So go get your skin checked once a year. Please do it. Going back to that, you know, you were mentioning. So we've got things like hair loss, we've got other possible burns and then is the skin get just very dry through chemo? It does it get you know, you go through changes in the hair loss.
Some people grow hair back, some people don't you know, they're still fighting to get it back. So are there certain things I want to make sure that this is easy sort of for people and digestible for people. So let's start with the skin and for people not post chemo, but when you're going through chemo, are there certain products that you found that you like or that people that you know, your clients who said, well, I like the. So you know how you said their skin gets very dry and parched?
I suggested almond oil to a lot of people and they really like it okay. For hydration because sometimes other things can soak into the skin and not necessarily hydrate. Okay. A lot of silicone. So trying to stay kind of natural, you know, so almond oil and coconut oil. Coconut oil sometimes can be drying. People do safflower oil. There's just happened to that. For skin care to help, you can start there. And then like we talked about, always putting something on your face as well.
I wouldn't suggest something super poor clogging because they're they can get rashes on their skin as well. But I would highly suggest that it cosmetics. You like the you really am liking the masks and what about if you're not looking to do moisturizer it just as well. What if you're a little. I'm sorry. What are you looking at to do like a tinted moisturizer? But is there, like, just a nighttime moisturizer cream that you like?
So I I'm going to say, because I've been in the cosmetic field for a little bit, go to your dermatologist and really get a good skin care. Really invest in your skin care because I can suggest cetaphil and I love that as a gentle cleanser. If you're going through anything, you need to stop and just see kind of what's affecting you and your makeup routine or skincare. But everything out. Use a light cleanser like survey cetaphil and just start there, but really invest in your skin care.
I've learned over the years it makes sense to have a good one because if you're just sitting there putting ingredients on your skin that aren't doing anything and just kind of clogging like a lot of dimethicone and silicone and things. And so yeah, invest in your in your skin. I think that's a wonderful, wonderful tip. Now, when it comes to haircare and I know that you're really more of the face, but you do deal with the, you know, the the tattooing.
Are there things that you like when it comes to hair care products? So hair care, I think if they're growing their hair back, I suggest using like a coconut oil and castor oil just to stimulate that growth. You know, it only does so much the PRP injections and a lot of people try to do different things like the freeze cap if they had that during treatment. So it just depends on what person you always try to make his appearance in this. That's okay.
Listen, he's got opinions, dear. We all do. It. So many. But yeah. So yeah. Okay. So now let's talk about the permanent makeup because you have really transformed some lives. I love seeing all of the images that you have on social media on your website. You had video of women who have have had treatment. And it's just it really is a game changer. What is what is the process for that when you're doing microblading?
So I asked you a couple of health questions and some people I, I asked if they're still on treatment because not too many people do permanent makeup while being on treatment. I can imagine. Yeah. I changed it up a little bit because I lost one of my survivors and she was a very big one to me and we didn't have a chance to get eyebrows on her because of COVID. And that's why I started doing a lot of the virtual. But we lost her, so I just was like, I can't wait.
And she kept wanting to even pay me. And I'm just like, at that point, I just couldn't take her money because I didn't, you know, now I have it to the giveaways, but that was a big thing. And I'm like, now I'm just saying, do it for Dana. And if they get cleared by a doctor because like if it takes only a little bit of time that they have left, they got some brows on them, you know, and sometimes we can do it, sometimes we can't, you know.
Yeah. So once you've been cleared, I mean, this isn't something that is, is, is, is a little bit on time, right? Like so the brow procedures like 2 to 3 hours. Can you tell us what you do during that procedure? Yes. Because say, you know, I've done eyebrows on someone that hasn't had eyebrows in 17 years.
So it could be starting from no hair to they just got done with treatment and have no hair or very little from later years later in life where they grew back a little bit but don't have a lot of hair in there. So yeah, it just depends on that. And you really structure it and it takes a few follow up sessions because they you heal on peel, so you lose a little pigment and then each time we added perfects, I hate saying this, they're sisters, not twins. But I really am like a baby trying.
Do so, so, so walk me through that because I mean, I think there's a lot of people who are probably listening to this right now who. Wonder. Who does microblading but really don't know what it really is. And now we've all seen early old I remember my school nurse from when I was in elementary school and this was like a thousand years ago. She bragged that she had the permanent brows. And, I mean, it just looked like somebody had.
Was it like. One color? No. You subsidize the you know, but they were they were brown, but they just looked like, you know, we've got all kinds. Trend, right? We've come up. Yeah, we've come a long way before. It was just a lie, you know, basically. No, no. Hers wasn't like the Britney line. This isn't this I'm talking about. This is like in like the early nineties, late eighties.
And, you know, she just had the brow tattooed on, but it was just like, you know, one color and the outline of like what you would think a brow would be, oh, so we've come a long way from now. Right now, they do like a lot of their strokes. So tell you tell us what what what's different today. So that's actually a big thing correction work because some people have gone through treatment and then they want them corrected, you know, because someone did do people have different skin types?
So that goes with tattooing. The machine work is good for oily skin versus microblading. Sometimes those hair strokes won't look good if they're not on the right skin type. So that has a lot to do with the process and if you notice now you're going to look in the mirror when you get home. But one eyebrow is higher than the other, right? Right. Not that's why you called them sisters. Not not twins. So we try to do our best.
I'll sit there and I'll knock them out and I try to actually raise it and give it a more lifting look. In general, this is just my technique, right? But I just try to give them a youthful appearance and we go from there. Usually they just answer those three health questions and then we get them set up. Now I've been doing the giveaways, so I'll collaborate with someone like you where we'll do a little giveaway, where we're giving it away to a warrior survivor and they can win that. I love that.
I want to know more about this, though, because, again, I'm really trying to make it clear for people who have who let's pretend that it doesn't do it. Microblading is we've heard of it, but it Microblading can you explain what Microblading is to somebody? So Microblading uses a different types of blade. There's a nano blade and regular blades. I use a new blade and we go in and we create fluffy little hair strokes. Okay, so that's. When you say a blade.
But but essentially what we're doing is we are tattooing on. No totally different people get that confusion between microblading microblading is not technically it's like because it's applying ink under the skin, but that's not like tattooing like with the gun tattooing. Okay, so. That's why I say I don't just microblading a lot of people say, you know, she's known for Microblading actually I'm known for more tattooing.
And then I do a little bit of that three D definition work in there because they're two different procedures. So that's where I was saying the oily skin, you want to go in with the machine versus the strokes because that manual stroke, it may not hold. So really when you're looking for an artist, especially if you don't know about permanent makeup, that kind of knows a few of the different techniques based. Right. Great. So, so now now we're cooking with gas.
Your sister, now you're following me. So? So I'm a person who clearly doesn't know the difference between two or what to ask for. What are the things that I should go in and not mean specifically? But if I'm listening to this podcast right now, I'm thinking I think about Microblading, but I don't know, do I? What are the things that I should go in and ask an artist? I would go in and I would ask for before and after, of course.
So before and after pictures, you know, you can ask them a little bit of about their license because it's always good to know. You never know these days, you know who's doing anything. So just be like, you know, how long have you been doing this or license or where you've been trained? So, you know, look up their credentials, their work and ask if they are familiar with all the different techniques. Okay. So John and so what are some of the different techniques?
So it would be the microblading and more of the shading which is tattooing such you can. Yes. And you said that for people with more oily skin. The microblading more from the shading. I would say, yeah. Why is that sometimes microblading? I don't know. Have you ever gotten permanent makeup done? No.
No. Okay, so this is what I explain literally to someone who's never had it, is that the shading gives your skin more retention versus the bleeding are little strokes that you really have to make sure you make apart or it can all bleed together in the first place and then become blotchy. So that's why I ask if someone's done permanent makeup, because they could be like, Oh, it's just light. It's not that bad, but really, it's all the ink that's under there got, all went together.
So now I. I always wondered if you have your brows microblading like what happens later on if. You want to make sure and this is that that part that you have a good artist because you want to come back in your skin to be good and healing, not just microblading and microblading and microblading after and after. And that's why make sure you know your artist and the different techniques. And that's why I'm a little bit pricier in my area.
But it's because, you know, I really take my time and I'm super picky about people's skin or if something does happen in their skin reacts the I'm very upfront with them honest I'm not just like have eyebrows on for two years know your face is the first thing to the sun you know you exfoliate it. People use Retinol right which can actually affect the color, correct? Correct. Because they can crawl even though they think they're keeping it away from their eyebrows.
You know how products can fall retinol. Right. And Vitamin A's and vitamin C is, you know, so, yes, that's a thing. And I go over that. I have a one. So so but so one thing for people to be considering is cancer survivor or not. If you've ever had microblading and we've talked about this on the podcast before, you want to be really careful with the products that you're using because that can affect the color. Yes. Okay. Got it. It can.
More so like in the color, they're already going to like, you know, in their own right because they get lighter because our faces the first thing to the sun and like we just talked about exfoliation. So the only time the color really turns bad is if it's a certain ink that oxidized in a weird way or undertone which then people color boost or you can color correct. And that's something you want to be aware of too.
Just in case you pull more warm or pull more cool and you personally would like that changed. Speak up to your artist because if you keep going back for a touch up or a second or third session because of how your skin holds pigment. Right? You know, you want to speak up with that because it's ink that's being placed and sometimes we can boost it if you give it enough time to make them aware.
So you mentioned like the 3D effect, and I know prior to us recording this you were talking I had a young girlfriend who is a breast cancer survivor. She found out when she was 30. And yeah. And unfortunately, when they she had a double mastectomy and they couldn't save any of the nipple. So she is considering I really do. Incredible, incredible 3D. You have to. Come down to Nashville. That's what you need.
Then you can come hang out and she can get her nipples done by Jeff or Caitlin up at the shop. They do amazing work and they do it for free for breast cancer survivors. So can I ask you, you know, you have been, you know, firsthand working with these women. What is the reaction that you see? So they get very happy once they're healed, when also something we left out was when you first get them done, no, they're going to be darker and then they peel.
So also going in when you're picking color, let your artist know if you like a darker eyebrow. But that's the first reaction once they are so excited to have them on. Some people don't know who they are and then once they start to soften, I'll get messages and they're just like, I haven't had an eyebrow on in years. My kid can splash me in the pool and my eyebrows don't come off. Or, you know, someone that hasn't had them in 17 years where their whole salon noticed that something was different.
But what right. You know, and it just gives them that confidence and it just that's a lot. That's so, so wonderful, you know, you also I want to make sure that we get to talk about your makeup line. Tell us what made you decide to create a makeup line? When I lost my survivor, who we were talking about, Dana, I, I locked myself in my mom's room. So it was really hard. I think when you first lose somebody because you go along with them, I feel as if, you know, you're lost, too.
It's like a piece of you. So sorry. Oh, I'm so sorry. It just gets. You know, that was a hard one. And I've lost other ones since. And I don't think it gets easier, you know, even like that. Yeah. When you lose one, it doesn't get easier. So it's one of those things where you're just like, you want them, why they're here and you try to send them things or do things to make them feel better. Yeah. Sometimes that's a big thing. Oh, but yeah. I am super. Depressed and locked myself in.
My mom's room and I just was creating things like a mad scientist. So I even had people that were like laughing at me like, Oh, you think she's going to come out with makeup? Like, you know, because I would go around passing out these little samples and like, your jars, you know, they probably were like, What the heck is this? But two people that I knew had an effect.
Or, you know, they do makeup or and it's just so cool to see it come to fruition because, you know, I literally care about what's in the products. And like we were talking about, there's a balance between synthetic and organic, but I try to keep it to where it's a little bit better. You know, that's yeah. I mean, listen, I think that, you know, we want some preservatives in our products, otherwise they would get bacteria and mold. And, you know.
That's like last in and you know this because I'm sure you've done so much with your beauty podcast. So it's I'm sure you've talked about this, but people get these bad ways that they have to be paraben free or have to be. But like you said, it keeps preservatives in really going into this and how I was creating product, I saw that like you actually needed when you really start to do research and why we've even come up with some of these ingredients, you start to see.
But the fact that I even care about it because there are people that put a product on the shelf and they don't care, I'm sure they don't care to read it. But like this is a great product, right? Whatever makes it work, I will sit there and I will say no ten times and I'm like, No, we have to do it this way, right? Because I'm just like and it's even held me back sometimes from some launches, but I want it to be good. If I want to use it. Then you don't want it.
And this is your line now you've got eyelashes, brows. The whole. Yeah. Beautiful lip glosses. Correct. That's nice. And other goodies. Oh, can you give us a little hint? So I, I really like, you know, if someone can't do the permanent makeup and need a little stencil, right? So I'm working on a little stencil. So we're going to come out with it and you can use any of your eyeshadows at home. There are brands out there that come with something to do it.
But because so many people have reactions to the certain inks in these products, I was like, You know what? Leave it to whatever they use. If you have an eyeshadow that you use and your eye doesn't react from it, put that on your brush sister and stencil it in and they're really good stencils. And that goes to for the cancer survivors and warriors. If they don't have hair, at least gives them a guide to go buy. So like I just gave you all the tea, right? Oh, good. No, thank you.
I think, you know, it matters so much because I'm sure there's so many people just don't even know where to begin. You're building is overwhelming journey or maybe you've just come out of having to go through this intense, literal battle for your life and you're ready to start feeling good about yourself and you want to feel good about yourself. And it's like, where do you begin? Yeah, I love what you said earlier. So when it comes to skincare, talk to your dermatologist.
I love that you mentioned a set of pills cerave. Those are very light cleansers. We all know about almond oil and some of the other oils that you mentioned to the body of your beautiful. Are there any other makeup, you know, besides your own but brands that you feel like are are especially user friendly for survivors or warriors? I would say I'm such a big person on that it cosmetics.
I mean if there's anything you can do to protect your skin, it would be there because of going through treatment and it being so open to pollution. So it would be that there are amazing cheek stains that just give a little bit of blush back in or you can use a little shadow. Even lipstick is a trick. DAB a little bit of your favorite pink or red rouge and just dab it as blush.
Yeah, I love the eyelashes whatever brand you can get your or yeah basically any brand you can get your hands on whether it be Walgreens online, somebody's brand you know, learn do a couple tutorials you can find so many things on YouTube and also just being aware of people teeth.
My whole thing is I want to teach more classes, so I do like to do more zooms because of COVID and lives where we might be showing them how to do some more tips and tricks because it may be hard or if they can't find it on YouTube or it just didn't click with how someone shared it, sometimes people could have different tricks, just like that. Lipstick on the cheek, right? Right under your eyes for circles. And then you just put your concealer over it, very light.
You're going to look like you have a blocked down eye, but then just put strokes red. It counteracts that dark color. I know that too. I had a makeup artist once and before she put concealer, she'd pull out a I would take a reddish brown cream and she was like, Just watch this. And she had it on the just the dark circles, not anywhere else. And it will actually counteract the color and it let your forehead consider going beautifully. You know what? I'm going to I'm going to let you now tell us.
So if people want to hear more, I think you gave us some really great, wonderful, usable tips here. I want to thank you for everything that you've done for warriors and survivors, especially in the term, in terms of adding that permanent makeup back on. But if people want to know more about you, if they're interested in maybe taking classes with you or reaching out to you, where should they go? Yeah, you can email me right through the website. It's glam by Selena dot com.
It'll say book now but you can press that as well or down on the services page just to shoot me a message about anything that you want to talk to me about. And then where are your lives going on on Instagram? We are doing more on Instagram. So we're going to do a few more and share some videos on some tips and tricks, some reels. And is that at Glam by Selena? Yes, it's the glam underscore by underscore Selena.
And in that bio you can see all the other that cosmetic page and the permanent makeup. Are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. And we're looking I'm looking forward to hearing more about these possible launches from you, the stencils. We will look forward to those and launching those. I want to thank you so much for being with us today and for all of the work that you do for women who, like we said, warriors and survivors. Ank you and thank you for being real about makeup. I love your whole vibe.
Oh, you know, we got to keep it real, because, listen, where else are you going to go? I tell the truth. I don't let people pay me to tell a story. I will let brands like yourself from on talk, but then I want to ask the questions that I want to know. Right? Like, listen, Microblading is a fabulous thing, but people need to know that that color can change. It's not all. It's not a one and done procedure and you have to just be aware of that. But it's still a fabulous procedure if that is.
Yeah. On that note, I'm going to let everybody go and have a fabulous time if you want me to pass any information along with that question. Do you want me to ask? Leanne I'm happy to do that. You can email me at our podcast, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and right here on YouTube, the podcast. And as always, we'll see you next Tuesday. By Saturday. All right.