Rachele Fialco
26th January 2023
Interview: Amy Bell
The American-born influencer, has rubbed shoulders with the great and good during her years in the music and fashion industries, as well as developing her personal interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kundalini yoga. And in her new podcast Inner Beauty Code she wants to show that beauty is so much more than skin deep.
Focusing on personal development, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness, Rachele, who currently divides her time between Palm Beach, Florida, and London, helps women become the best version of themselves. Encouraged by her meeting with Charlotte (Tilbury), Rachele hit the ground running, emailing every makeup artist she could find.
Thanks so much for talking to Revamp, tell us a bit about your story, how did you get into makeup?
Ever since I was a little girl I was always into makeup and hair. I really loved seeing models and actresses all done up on the covers of magazines in the late 80’s early 90’s. Cindy Crawford and Julia Roberts were my favorites. I also really liked Guess Jeans ads in the early 90’s when Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole smith were on featured. Maybe seeing those women looking so beautiful on the covers and the fact that my mom wore makeup as I was growing up and was really pretty, made me draw towards helping make women look and FEEL beautiful.
My Mom told me that when I was only 4, she would be trying to fix my hair and I would swat her hand away and tell her to let me do it. She says I would do a better job than she could. In my teens my friends would come to me to learn how to do their makeup and when Kevyn Aucoin came out with his “making faces” books and other books I would just study them.
Do you remember the first ever makeup product you bought yourself, and why did you decide to buy that product?
I think when I was 13 or 14, I was living at my Dad’s, and me and my Stepmom convinced him to let me wear lipstick. There were no sephora’s or endless beauty brands on the internet to choose from so I believe Revlon, or a brand called “Wet n Wild,” was what I was able to choose from. My stepmom took me to a Clinique counter to buy a few makeup and skincare products as well.
Other than that some of my earliest makeup purchases were from the Chanel and MAC Cosmetic counters where I would go to get my makeup done for school dances ages 14-17. I’d become friends with the artists at the counter so I just bought what they told me to buy!
As a makeup artist, you, of course, have to keep up with the trends, what would you say YES I love that trend and NO that trend needs to go?
I would say YES all day everyday to a clean flawless complexion, that leaves the skin glowy and looking like skin.
NO trends, really dark over drawn brows, or heavy, cakey looking foundation that looks like a mask.
You of course have a lot of clients on your roster, what would you say would be your favorite makeup look you have done in 2022?
I did makeup for a Euphoria themed bachelorette party where everyone wanted crystals on their eyes and that was fun.
You say meeting Charlotte Tilbury was a life-changing experience, and you emailed every makeup artist you could find, what made Charlotte Tilbury inspire you to do that and what was the advice she gave to you?
Again before social media was a thing, magazines were where you would go to see makeup artists work or the red carpet. SO I would look at the inseams of magazines or at the credit paragraphs on the editorials and cover stories for who the makeup artist was who did the makeup. I would often see Charlotte Tilbury’s name. That is how I found out about her. Then I looked her up online and she had a few different youtube videos talking about her life and how her father was an artist, and her favorite makeup brush she used was a paint brush. I just really liked her personality and energy from the videos I watched. I think that is how I recognized who she was as well!
I emailed every makeup artist I could find so that I could start assisting and learning how they did makeup. I just figured if I wanted to be like her I should start learning the fashion industry and learning how to be on set and techniques from other artists.
She was flattered that I knew who she was and she was just so nice and chatted with me about products. I was just starting to do makeup then professionally so she told me to just do makeup on as many types of different people as possible, and keep going even when it’s hard.
You have a new podcast coming out, all about inspiring women, how important do you think this podcast will be, to other women, in a similar situation to you?
I am a firm believer in “Women Supporting Women,” and don’t think there can be too much of that. Because my work connected me with so many women over the years I have heard many stories from women of all walks of life who have struggled with the same things no matter what they look like or have.
When listening to the podcast, what do you want people to take away from that, and what inspired you to create this podcast?
There is so much comparison and so much pressure to do, be and have it all, whatever that may be, and I think it is really damaging to people’s mental and emotional well being. I have experienced tremendous transformation in my adult years and love sharing what I have learned. Also have always been fascinated by what motivates people to do what they do and to make the choices they make in life and love to hear their journey’s and how their life unfolded thus far.
It’s easy to look at people’s lives, especially with social media these days and compare yourself, to think you are not enough and wish you could be something or someone different.
I intend to create a community where women feel they are not alone and that they are enough being themselves.
I want to normalize not having to be or look or pretend to be perfect all the time. It’s exhausting. The types of conversations I am having, stories I will tell and topics I will cover are very important.
I am excited because I know a lot of women will resonate with them and hopefully it will inspire change or give them the “permission” they need to pursue their dreams.
You have a lot going on other than your makeup, such as belly dancing, yoga, and chart reading, what made you want to delve deeper into things like these?
I am an introverted extrovert, and introspective. I am always finding ways to become more self-aware and evolve spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Meditation, and yoga, especially Kundalini yoga help me to come back to my body, be present and hear my inner guidance better.
For me it is really important to have a practice that creates this connection for me because I notice my stress levels are higher and I am more chaotic without it.
I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I am obsessed with it. It is a very physical and intimate sport but gentle at the same time, like a dance you are choreographing with someone else. It also teaches you to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. It is completely opposite of what I do for work because no one cares what you look like when you are all sweaty drilling on the mats.
I danced my whole life and enjoy dance that is sensual and allows me to connect to my body and the music we are dancing to. It is a powerful form of expression and allows me to connect to my feminine energy.
My Mom used to take me to holistic and new age conventions growing up so I think that influenced me to learn about astrology from a young age. There is a vast amount of information with Astrology and always more to learn so I come back to it and find myself always wanting to learn more.
Lastly, if you were stuck on a desert island, what are the three makeup products you would HAVE to have with you?
This is a hard one for me, but definitely a tinted moisturiser with sunscreen, a lip balm and mascara!