Draw, Smudge, Done! The New Easy-to-Use Line of Makeup Pencils You Don’t Want to Miss.

Constantly on-the-go, always one step ahead of their parents, and more interested in social media than anything else? Yup, that pretty much sums up Generation Y. So it makes sense that in terms of makeup, millennials want simplicity. Case in point: Taylor, 18 and Ally Frankel, 15, both models, who founded the new line Nudestix with their mother Jenny Frankel. Frankel has a long history with makeup: she’s a chemical engineer who’s been developing beauty products for almost 20 years for brands like MAC and Cover FX. Because of that, her daughters have been exposed to beauty from an early age—but both say they won’t spend more than ten minutes doing their makeup.

It became clear to Jenny that Ally and Taylor (and their friends) wanted to use makeup to enhance their natural features, and yet were intimidated by the overwhelming amount of products out there. “Even though you learn how to use [products and tools] at stores, as soon as I get home, I forget,” explains Ally. So together they created Nudestix—a makeup collection that’s as easy and fuss-free as can be. Every item is in “crayon” form, and easy to use anytime and anywhere. The color palette is so natural and soft, and all the pencils come packaged in a sleek tin with a high-quality sharpener. What more could you want?  

To celebrate the launch of Nudestix on Beautylish, we caught up with the girls to chat about everything from what about makeup intimidates them to the one trend they’d never be caught dead wearing to what’s currently in their Netflix queues.

You guys are still so young! Does modeling take up most of your time, or do you still go to school full time?

Taylor: We’re still in school! Our education is our priority. If a modeling job comes up, we’ll try and fit it in our free time.

When did you start getting into makeup?

Taylor: Our mom has been in the beauty industry for almost 20 years, so it’s always sort of been a part of our lives. Because of that, I’ve been very skin- and makeup-conscious for as long as I can remember—I’m always interested in seeing what ingredients are used in products and what’s safe and what’s not.

Ally: We’ve been surrounded by makeup our entire lives and have grown up loving it and using it regularly, mostly as we got into our tween years. When our mom started her past makeup company, I was only nine months old. As I got a little older, I would go to the office and help produce the makeup in the lab, and those are some of my favorite memories as a kid.

Has your mom’s work [as a chemical engineer in beauty] influenced your opinions about makeup?

Taylor: Totally! Having been exposed to the makeup industry at such a young age, we really became aware of ingredients and the quality of products we would buy.

Ally: My mom has really influenced my skin care regime, as she knows what’s best for my skin because she’s had so much experience with that stuff.

What about makeup do you find intimidating?

Taylor: For me, brushes! There are so many to choose from, I never know which ones to use for concealer, eyes, or anything. So I always just end up using my fingers to blend my makeup in.

Ally: Same thing for me. The amount of brushes available is overwhelming. Even though they explain how to use them at stores, as soon as I get home, I forget! I’ll try to use them, and then my mom ends up doing my blending for me.

You both say you’re all about natural, “fuss-free” makeup. What’s the maximum amount of time you spend putting on makeup?

Taylor: I won’t spend over ten minutes doing my makeup. I’d rather sleep in. Past ten minutes, it becomes more of a burden to me.

What’s your best hair tip?

Taylor: My mom makes fun of me because I don’t really brush my hair. I don’t use products, I just wash my hair at night and go to bed with it wet. I’m kind of into the whole messy, boho-chic look.

Ally: Well, I do brush my hair [laughs]! And since I have straight hair, I like to change it up sometimes. My best tip is if you want really easy wavy hair, just sleep in one or two braids. When you wake up the work is done!

What’s your signature makeup trick?

Taylor: Makeup tricks are too complicated.

Ally: I have oily skin, so I always have a mattifying product handy to use throughout the day. I like Cover FX Matte Setting Powder.

Any beauty rules you live by?

Taylor: Less is more.

Ally: Just like Taylor, I think less is more. Wearing neutral shades and letting your natural beauty shine is important. You want to look as flawless as possible without looking like you have any makeup on.

What are you looking forward to wearing this fall and winter?

Taylor: In Canada it gets very, very cold! The one perk about it is we get to wear lots of layers and comfy, cute sweaters. Oh, and boots! I love boots.  

Ally: What am I looking forward to this fall? Launching on Beautylish!

What’s your daily skin and makeup routine?

Taylor: I usually moisturize my face because I have pretty dry skin, then use my Nudestix Concealer Pencil in places where I think I need it most, like under my eyes, nose, cheeks, and chin. Next I’ll use a little Nudestix Mascara and finish with a bit of color on my cheeks, using our Lip & Cheek stick.

Ally: I like to use a toner to cleanse my face and add a little moisturizer where needed. I use our concealer on my chin and forehead, and then mascara. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of color to my cheeks, but not always. And of course, I finish with a mattifying setting powder.

What’s the one product you can’t live without?

Taylor: Definitely mascara! I’m obsessed with lashes.

Ally: My Nudestix Concealer. It’s become such a normal part of my routine, it’s pretty much my best friend.

What’s the one makeup trend you won’t be caught dead wearing?

Taylor: Any sort of bright lipstick, except red. I love how a classic red lip looks with a simple, natural eye.

Ally: Any color, especially in eye shadows.

What’s your favorite product and shade in your collection?

Taylor: The Magnetic Eye Color in Twilight. It stays all day and doesn’t crease at all! It also works great as a highlighter.  

Ally: The mascara is amazing; it’s a glossy black and actually thickens your lashes over time and makes them longer!

Tell us a little more about the inspiration behind the shade names.

Ally: We’re huge readers, and especially like urban fantasy books—about vampires, angels, and other mythical creatures. A lot of our shade names reflect that, like “Twilight”, “Moon”, “Angel”, and “Sin.”  

Who are your beauty icons?

Taylor: I follow a lot of fashion people and models like Barbara Palvin, Lauren Elizabeth, and Shay Mitchell. I’m drawn to their overall looks—very natural and beautiful.

Ally: Shailene Woodley! Whenever you see her in pictures, she always has this natural, minimalist look…even in the movies she’s been in. I also like Shay Mitchell and Candice Swanepoel.

What other makeup brands do you like?

Taylor: Smashbox and MAC.

Ally: Urban Decay; I really love the original Naked Palette.

You guys have said that you don’t like wearing colorful makeup. Does that apply to nail polish, too?

Taylor: I’m usually always wearing black or white on my nails, but sometimes in the summer I’ll wear a nice light blue or coral red, but nothing that’s ever too out there.

Ally: I prefer “baby” colors on my nails like light blue, light pink, or light purple. If I’m feeling a little more out there, I’ll put a metallic color on my toes. That way, if I get sick of them, they’re hidden! Sometimes when it’s colder, I’ll go for a navy blue, too.

Who do you follow on Instagram?

Taylor: I love to follow just everyday fashion and lifestyle Instagram feeds, like Urban Outfitters (@urbanoutfitters) and also models like Barbara Palvin (@realbarbarapalvin), Stella Maxwell (@stellamaxwell), Lauren Elizabeth (@lovelaurenelizabeth), and Shay Mitchell (@shaym)

Ally: On Instagram, I follow a few of the Victoria Secret Models like Erin Hetherington (@erinheathertonlegit) and Candice Swanepoel (@angelcandices). I also follow a lot of clothing brands like Reformation (@reformation) and For Love and Lemons (@forloveandlemons).

What websites do you have bookmarked?

Taylor: Facebook, Beautylish, and Urban Outfitters.

Ally: I have Amazon because that’s where I download all my books, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, and of course Beautylish!

What’s in your Netflix queue?

Taylor: Right now I have The Breakfast Club, Vampire Diaries, Sixteen Candles, and This Is 40.

Ally: There are usually older movies on Netflix, so right now my queue has Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Clueless, and The Breakfast Club.

What do you think you’ll be doing in five years from now?

Taylor: I really want to go into branding and marketing—probably for Nudestix!

Ally: I’m a sophomore in high school right now, so in five years I hope I’ll be studying dermatology in college. If I get it my way, it’ll be in Australia!

Have you thought about going into chemistry or product development, like your mom?

Taylor: I’m not planning to get into anything chemistry-related, really. I mean, I’ve always been into the makeup industry, ingredients in products, what’s good to use, and things to avoid—but I don’t think I’d go down the same path as my mom.  

Ally: I find being a dermatologist interests me more because I’ve always wanted to become a doctor, and I’ve always been fascinated with skin care because of my own skin issues.

Do you guys have any plans of coming out with any new products for Nudestix?

Taylor: Yes! We have “Skinstix” in the works, but that’s all we can say right now.

Ally: We have a bunch of plans! Just stay tuned!