Welcome to All Things Melanie!

Hello Friends!

Over the last year, I received such a huge response with so many DMs and questions about everything I posted through my stories on my personal and business Instagram accounts that I decided to add a blog to the new Melanie Mills Hollywood website.

As most of you already know, I am the founder and CEO of Melanie Mills Hollywood Cosmetics and an Emmy-winning celebrity makeup artist and author of Glitter & Glam. I am also a proud mom to my daughter, Solaris, and wife to my soul mate, Nick.

I've been very blessed to have worked in the TV industry surrounded by many talented and fascinating people. This is where I created Gleam Face & Body Radiance on the set of Dancing With The Stars. Before launching the Melanie Mills Hollywood brand, I was and still am a part of the film and TV world.

Being a part of this unique industry offers many extraordinary opportunities and asks for many sacrifices. Sometimes it feels like you're living the life of a gypsy going from one gig to the other with our "offices" rarely in the same place. Our workdays typically start at 4am and last 12-16 hours. We have to accept that when we work 70 hour weeks, we miss a lot of life's events such as family time, school recitals, weddings, and events. We have to be prepared to get a call after dinner for a job the next day that completely throws our plans off and often comes with some garishly early AM call. We often can step into gigs not knowing the vibe or sometimes what will be needed. Even set production plans can change in an instant. We have to be energetic, alert, and ready to go.

Then there is the "hurry up" to sit around and wait for hours. These long periods of sitting and waiting combined with what goes on in the makeup & hair rooms are always fun and exciting. The industry is full of a fun and eclectic mix of people that make those long days go by fast.

We usually chat about what we did over the weekend, what we gardened, where we went, what we did as far as home improvements, what diet we were on, what we were reading, where we ate, and dreaming of where we wanted to go, etc., etc., etc. We share and hear of all sorts of things from the latest gossip to beauty hacks and products, to which crystal to wear for what, which doctors or therapists or healing sessions we like, which vitamins we are taking, where to get the best deals… well we discuss everything!

Because I'm a mover and shaker, always wanting to absorb as much culture as possible where ever I am, I felt I always had something to suggest and share. Over the years, I became a "referrer" I found people calling or asking me to share information and advice on many topics.

When Covid hit, my world was turned upside down, and I quickly realized I had to switch things up. Though it was a super stressful time in my life, I have come to find all the silver linings of it all. I started to gather my community of artists and company founders for live interviews on Instagram. I also began using social media more than ever and focused on Melanie Mills Hollywood. I figured out Zoom, started live educational makeup webinars and a mentorship program. I also began filming my models and makeups, figured out how to do Instagram Reels, started curating Instagram stories, joined the TikTok world, and just got way more digitally social, expanding those networks. This was super challenging because I'm not a tech-savvy person, and because I was so busy, I would always hire most of it out.

The biggest challenge was putting myself out there more. Being on camera more, doing my makeup live, or filming myself doing makeup and sharing more of my personal life. I focused on building my Instagram account and split the Melanie Mills Hollywood brand with my makeup artistry.

The @gleam_melaniemillshollywood account is more branded and product-focused, while the @melaniemillsmua account is more about the makeups by me sprinkled with personal and family life.

Many of you reached out with questions about how to jump-start your own cosmetic or skincare companies. Many of the questions I received asked where to start, how to get into the business and get it going, how to become a makeup artist, and if you're already a makeup artist, how to switch things up within your careers. I loved offering up my experience and answering your questions. I didn't start out as a cosmetic developer, a businesswoman, a creative director, or a social media adviser but have become one through the 10 years of running Melanie Mills Hollywood. This new interest sparked a new business idea to become an advisor and mentor for those seeking to learn any of the above.

Besides starting a mentorship program, I decided to get even more personal outside of business and makeup artistry. I started a third Instagram account called @kittenskitchen with Nick. It's all about cooking, eating, drinking, and growing because I found you wanted more of the recipes we were sharing.

Through social media and the stories I shared, you discovered that makeup and skincare isn't my only passion. I am a lover and collector of art and antiques. I also love to travel, follow fashion & jewelry trends, love my crystals, mediation, and to relax. At the same time, I like to garden, take in nature, indulge in dining out, love cooking at home with my family, and enjoy entertaining.

I decided to combine Melanie Mills Hollywood with who I am and everything that I love into this blog to continue to share with you. I not only look forward to sharing pieces of my life through this blog with you, but I also want to inspire and motivate you to try and do new things. Thank you for taking this adventure with me.

Xoxo, Melanie