Beauty Professor, Rachel Anise Wegter
Rachel Anise Wegter is a full time-time Communication Studies college professor. She started her blog, Beauty Professor, over winter break in 2012 directly following a publishing deal to co-author a college-level public speaking textbook. “Mentally, I was still in “writer’s mode” and viewed the blog as a way to catalogue my luxury makeup and skincare collection and connection with like-minded beauty enthusiasts.” Much to her delight, the website — which she started with zero expectations — gained traction early on and developed a loyal following. “To this day, the trust and credibility that I have with my readers is the most important aspect of this endeavor.”
Rachel has always had an interest in the beauty industry. “I paid my way through college and graduate school by modeling and, while sitting in the makeup chair, I would pepper the makeup artists with questions about the products and techniques they used.” For her, the work that went into preparing for a shoot was often much more fascinating than the modeling itself. “Being able to purse and share those discoveries with my very loyal BP audience in an organized and comprehensive way is beyond gratifying!”
While majoring in Communication Studies in college, she decided to go on to graduate school where I earned a Masters degree in the field. “It was one of the best life choices I could have made because during my last, I taught a couple of classes as a teaching assistant and that experience led me to my career. Being in the classroom is such a natural feeling for me; finding ways to create an open, safe and warm community where different ideas can be freely expressed is always the goal and witnessing my students learning and growing is fantastic.”
Rachel is honored to teach a variety of classes in the communication realm, including public speaking, mass communication, mediation and negotiation, organizational communication, and argumentation. “I deeply enjoy teaching my students to exercise empathy and think critically while helping them to find their own voices; every semester, I challenge them to use their newfound powers of communication for good in this world."
Testing the latest beauty and skincare launches is a central part of her job at Beauty Professor so her product rotation is massive. “That being said, I have a short list of perennial go-to’s that always make it into my hand bag and/or luggage when I travel.”
A few of those products are:
Skincare: Koh Gen Do Spa Water, Orveda Micellar Water, Ranavat Luminous Ceremony Cleanser, Supergoop! Glow Screen, GrandeBrow Brow Serum, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, Skin Inc. Tri-Light, ReFa 4 Carat, Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, Serucell, U Beauty Skin Resurfacing Compound, Sisley-Paris Black Rose Mask, La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Lift Cream, Clé de Peau Beauté Le Serum, Retrouve Revitalizing Eye Concentrate and Eve Lom Rescue Pads.
Makeup: SUQQU Nude Wear EX Foundation, Surratt Beauty Artistique brushes, Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light, Tom Ford Creme and Powder Eye Color in Golden Peach, Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes, Roen Summer Disco Eyeshadow, Natasha Denona Cranberry Palette, Sisley-Paris L’Orchidee Blush in Corail, Tom Ford Highlight Duo in Reflects Gilt, BY TERRY Lash-Expert Mascara, Chantecaille Compact Makeup in Camel, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, Au Naturale Cream to Powder Foundation Stick, City Beauty Beyond Mascara, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer, Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer, and a cadre of lipsticks and glosses including Dear Dahlia Lip Plumper in Attraction, Nude Envie Mesmerize, Kosas Lip Oil in Malibu, Christian Audette Beauty Professor Collaboration, Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Matte Rouge in Cream Crush, Sisley-Paris Phyto Lip-Twist in Sugar, Peach and Baby, Jouer Citronade Rose and Surratt Lipslique in Fee Soie.
Beauty Professor is a multi-channel (website, Youtube channel, Instagram and IGTV tutorials) entity that focuses on luxury, independent and niche skincare and makeup. “Every post features a collection of products that are thoroughly tested, described, reviewed and, when applicable, swatched in a variety of lighting contexts for color accuracy. “I also make sure to apply the products on my own face and, outside minot lighting adjustments, share otherwise unedited photos for the most authenticity. Most of my content is created at or near my home but when I travel (both domestically and internationally and often to serve as a speaker and/or hosts events for Beauty Professor) I always like to shoot a couple of stories on location as they deliver a different energy.” She has beauty stories on blog from some of her favorite places including Pairs, New York, London, Dallas, Miami, Brussles, Philadelphia and Big Sur.
Often relying on natural sunlight, Rachel shoots all of the products herself and with her assistant Laura (who also happens to be her mom) shoots the images of her. “She has an amazing eye and is always honest with me, which is essential when trying to create the best content possible.”
Rachel has always aimed to be a resource for her readers, which is why she tries to be as detailed as possible when discussing products. “Consequently, Beauty Professor is a great place to learn about a new launch, color match yourself (I have a library of full-spectrum foundation swatches for hundreds of formulas) or rediscover the beauty of something that has been long lost in your stash."
She strives to provide her audience with extensive information, honest perspective and rich imagery and hopes those objectives help readers and subscribers to make confident — rather than capricious — purchases. “In sum, I want my content to consistently add value in the beauty space and am grateful to be able to work with brands and retailers that share my vision for Beauty Professor.”
A beauty tip Rachel would give someone who is just starting out with wearing makeup would be that creating a polished face doesn’t have to take a lot of time or expertise, especially if they are able to invest in a few quality, high-performance products. “I strive to do my makeup in less than 10 minutes (preferably closer to five) each day and it’s totally achievable. Prioritize an even canvas, a bit of bronzer, a wash of eyeshadow, natural yet groomed brows, mascara and a glowing pinky nude lip and you’re good to go. I have many tutorials on Instagram where I’ll use only two brushes and a modicum of products to create a full face…sometimes less really is more.”
When looking at her life in five years, Rachel says that she feels grateful and blessed to say that she hopes to be doing exactly what she is doing now. “I hope to still be teaching Communication Studies and creating beauty content on Beauty Professor that is a resource for my readers. I aim to continue to be a trustworthy and dynamic voice in the beauty industry and look forward to finding new ways to share my knowledge and experience. My daughter, Johannah Elle, will also be seven at that point and I can’t wait to see what that adventure looks like!”
Follow Rachel here! www.beautyprofessor.com
Instagram: @beautyprofessor
YouTube: www.youtube.com/beautyprofessor