happy snow friday! jordan and i had a chance to sit down with nordstrom beauty stylist sarah dilks last week and we’re excited to introduce you to her in this week’s edition of our style friday series. i’ve known sarah for over 10 years now. we met when she was working at the nordstom MAC counter and i’ve followed her work since then. always a fashionable force to be reckoned with, sarah recently stepped into a new role as one of nordstrom’s exclusive beauty stylists.
check out our interview with sarah, get the scoop on her must have products and learn what this powerful beauty stylist can do for you!
photos submitted by sarah dilks
who are you and what do you do?
My name is Sarah Dilks. I am a Beauty Stylist at Nordstrom Oak Park. My role is to help my clients find the best products for their lifestyle needs across all brands of cosmetics, advanced skincare and fine fragrances that Nordstrom offers. I am your new best friend in beauty!
where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in Kansas City. I was promoted to the east coast with MAC cosmetics and spent a couple of years as a Resident Trainer traveling between Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and upstate New York. I moved back to Kansas in late 2009.
how long have you been doing this type of work?
I received a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute for my paintings, and entered the graphic design program there. After college, I started using makeup as an art, and have been for over 17 years.
how would you describe your work?
As an artist I think you are constantly evolving. I excel at natural, clean beauty makeup, but I also enjoy teaching how to take runway’s current interest and make them your own modern everyday statement.
favorite color?
Every woman should have a “red” lipstick. It doesn’t have to wear you, you should be wearing it, and making a classic statement with conviction!
favorite decade?
Love the ladies of the late 40’s and 50’s, the pin up girls’ era. But I have to acknowledge the 60’s optimism and free spirit opened up the boundaries artistically. Placement and color on the face was suddenly Avant-garde, and we still see nod’s to that today in fashion and beauty.
what is the one cosmetic item you can’t live without?
Moisturizer!!!
Dry skin= lines and wrinkles=OLD SKIN
what are your favorite trends this season?
For Spring/Summer 13 I am loving the Radiant Skin paired with bright lips.
who inspires you?
I am inspired by nature. The evening sky, all the colours melting together till they become so dense they appear to be one… the way a tree branch bends and stretches out, the grace with which birds float through the air. Then there are the people I meet. Everyone has a story, and there is something inspiring in each of us.
what are some tips for timeless chic?
Confidence, and not being afraid to step out of your box- try new things! Timeless Chic to me, means knowing yourself, but constantly evolving.
what is the one thing you’d never leave your house without?
Mascara and a smile! I run around without makeup on my face all the time, I’m not saying I look that good; I am just a busy mom of two. That’s why skincare is so important; it is one of your most noticed features!
how did your career begin in the world of beauty?
I began my career with MAC cosmetics, and was mentored by some of the best Artist in the industry. I then went on to travel for Laura Mercier, Chanel, Dior, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox and Armani Beauty.
what is the most important beauty advice you can give a woman?
Take care of your skin. Take care of yourself, inside and out! What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it. It can be hard to balance all that we have to handle in our daily lives, but if you don’t put you first-no one else will.
what are some of the most common beauty mistakes most women make?
Getting stuck doing the same thing they always have. We as women, tend to rely on doing what we did when we felt our prettiest…and ten, twenty years later that is not necessarily helping us look our best for where we are in our lives currently.
do you feel that looking and feeling beautiful is important in regard to the women’s confidence and self-esteem?
It can be a huge asset! I love to show women who feel tired (new moms), or have transformed themselves physically (major weight-loss), or women who just never learned to wear makeup how to look and feel beautiful, but still look like themselves- just a little more polished!
do you see yourself someday creating your own line of makeup?
I researched this avenue a couple of years ago, and for me, the answer is probably no. I feel there is such a huge array of choices already, my niche is in helping weed through all the choices to find the best quality for myself and my clients. I love being able to learn from all the brands, and pick my favorites.
what are some of your favorite products in your makeup kit?
I won’t name brands, but essential products for me are: serum, moisturizer, eye cream, primer, foundation, eye base of some kind, something for the brows, eye shadow, mascara, cream and powder blush and then a rich hydrating lip color with staying power.
Everyone’s needs are different and just because I like a particular brand for a product doesn’t mean it will work for you- that’s my job, to know which brand will have the best product for YOU!
what products do you think should be a staple in every woman’s purse?
Five items: A touch up powder, a lip color (preferably one that could double as cheek color), mascara or lash glue-depending on which way you are going, a touché éclat from YSL and an eyeliner. I could do a whole face with just those five items!
if our readers are anything like me, they’re subscribing to birch box and ipsy and scouring magazines and fashion and beauty blogs to find the latest and greatest products that stylists are raving about. they buy them, try them, love some, hate some and spend a ton of money in the process. before you make your next cosmetic purchase, visit sarah at the oak park nordstrom where she’ll find the best products for you while saving you both time and money. sarah’s beauty styling services at nordstrom are FREE OF CHARGE but are by appointment only. whether you’re ready to update your entire beauty regimen, searching for the perfect fragrance or new lipstick for a night on the town call (913) 492-8111 to book an appointment with sarah and know that you’re in good hands!
you can also stay connected with sarah on facebook and twitter.
happy friday, all!
H