empowHER: Making it Beautiful with Natalie DeGregorio

Makeup has the potential to inspire girls starting from a very young age, and the mystery behind products entices young women to enhance their beauty. For Natalie DeGregorio, these products have become such a large and influential part of her life. DeGregorio has been working at Sephora for nearly a year and a half, but she’s no stranger to the beauty products. ​

Photo Courtesy of Natalie DeGregorio

“I started wearing makeup when I was super young,” explains DeGregorio. “My sister used to do my makeup for my dance recitals when I was five-years-old. I used to watch my mom do her makeup in the morning before work and would always borrow her makeup.” 

However, DeGregorio states that she, “didn’t actually start really getting into makeup until I was about 12.” 

While DeGregorio cites Pat McGrath, Huda Beauty, and Anastasia Beverly Hills as brand creators that inspire her daily, she learned how to do her make up simply from following YouTube videos. 

She explains that she “went to a strict, Catholic grammar school, and we weren’t allowed to wear makeup. So one day, I googled ‘natural makeup’ and one of Michelle Phan’s YouTube videos came up. I began watching her YouTube channel and learned from watching makeup tutorials and practicing.” 

Photo Courtesy of Natalie DeGregorio

As for her biggest influences, DeGregorio explains that she is “definitely influenced by multiple people when it comes to doing my makeup, including my coworkers, YouTubers and beauty bloggers.” 

DeGregorio further explains that “ever since I started working at Sephora, Pat McGrath’s artistry and her iconic products have had a huge influence on me and have inspired me.” 

DeGregorio’s love of makeup has propelled her right into FIT’s Beauty Industry Essential’s program. 

She decided to apply for this program because she has “always wanted to go to beauty school but never got the chance.” DeGregorio “figured this would be a convenient and fun way to learn about the industry while balancing out work and other aspects of my life.” 

Photo Courtesy of Natalie DeGregorio

Through this program, DeGregorio is “looking forward to learning and discovering new and exciting job opportunities the beauty industry has to offer.” 

DeGregorio expects that this program will teach her “that the amount of opportunities and career paths there are in the beauty industry are limitless.” 

Before her acceptance into this specific program, DeGregorio had the incredible opportunity to do makeup at the 2019 New York City Pride Parade. On the topic of this experience, DeGregorio states that “doing makeup for the NYC Pride Parade was so absolutely incredible because I felt like I truly touched the lives of others.”​

Photo Courtesy of Natalie DeGregorio

DeGregorio “met so many people, and it made me very proud to work for a company that strives for equality, acceptance, friendship, and community.” 

In her journey with makeup, Sephora has been influential to DeGregorio as she sees “a huge improvement in my artistry, and I have overall become more educated about beauty brands, products, the importance of skincare, etc.” 

DeGregorio shared that her number one fan has been her mom. She explains, “my mom has been super supportive throughout this journey.” 

With an artistic field, critics are always going to be present. However, DeGregorio explains that she is her “own worst critic.” However, she “continues to work on it every single day.” ​

Photo Courtesy of Natalie DeGregorio

Moreover, DeGregorio says that “of course” she experiences self-doubt in her abilities, but she “just always tries to remember that I’m constantly learning, growing, and gradually becoming the person I want to be.” 

As for her ideal job in the makeup industry, DeGregorio “hopes to be a role model for people in the industry and inspire others to pursue their dreams.”

• beauty
• fit
• makeup
• sephora