Beauty Secrets Passed Down From Mom

By Anna Aguillard
June 02, 2017
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Courtesy of Alison Miksch
A former art teacher, this redhead approaches makeup like a painter—complementing her colorful features with neutral shades.
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Helen Elaine Miksch

Courtesy of Alison Miksch

On her honeymoon in Sea Island, Georgia, 1956

"My mother was born in Manila, Philippines, and traveled between home and the U.S. as a young girl. She got her striking features from her father, who was Welsh and Scottish. Mother believes "Less is more" and invests in meaningful pieces she can keep forever. While she's never one to shy away from color, she understands that her medium-coppery auburn hair and bright, clear green eyes are best played up with neutral shades; classic cuts; and clean, simple lines." —ALISON MIKSCH

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Lips

Robbie Caponetto

"She told me, "If you can't do anything else, at least put on lipstick." Her signature color is coral." It suits her skin tone and red hair.

Buy It: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Lipstick in Peach Passion, $36; bloomingdales.com

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Scent

Robbie Caponetto

"This perfume suits her perfectly: It's energetic, exuberant, and fresh. My parents spent 10 years sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, and she always smelled great."

Buy It: Estee Lauder Aliage Sport Eau de Parfum Spray, $52; nordstrom.com

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Skin

Robbie Caponetto

"Her motto has always been "Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize." Because we have dry skin, she taught me that keeping it hydrated is as vital as brushing my teeth."

Buy It: Kiehl’s Creme de Corps, $29.50; kiehls.com

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Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Collection

Robbie Caponetto

"I have green eyes like her and use brown shadows—with a touch of green or purple eye pencil on the edges—for subtle color."

Buy It: Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Collection, $36; sephora.com

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Brows

Robbie Caponetto

"Even though there were many years when razor-thin brows were trendy, my mother always thought a natural, full brow was best. "Follow the natural brow growth with the arch at about 11 o’clock," she would say. Our brows tend to fade at the tail. We fill them in with a lighter color using a fine-tipped brush for a natural look."

Buy It: Milani Cosmetics Stay Put Brow Color in Natural Taupe, $6.47; amazon.com

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Tools

Robbie Caponetto

"She was an art teacher for 40 years and believes using the right brushes to blend and smudge makeup is just like painting on a canvas."

Buy It: Sonia Kashuk Essential Eye Kit, $11.59; target.com

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By Anna Aguillard