Q&A with RADIANT REBEL | MISTY FOX

Misty’s version of beauty has never been about playing it safe. It is about instinct, expression, and finding the magic in what makes someone unmistakably themselves. Though she first entered the industry as a model, she was always more drawn to what happened behind the scenes - shaping the image, building the mood, and helping people step into their power. As a makeup artist, she has turned that instinct into a career, one rooted in collaboration, emotional intelligence, and a deep respect for the individuality of every face she touches.

From a tough upbringing to the fashion world, from backstage at runway shows to years of building a freelance career while raising a daughter, Misty has lived the kind of story that gives real weight to her words. She speaks about beauty with honesty, edge, and heart - not as something flawless, but as something felt. In her world, beauty is collaboration. It is confidence built over time. It is self-worth you fight for. It is softness with backbone. It is radiant, rebellious, and fully alive.

You were first known as a model. When did you realize you didn’t just want to be in front of the camera, you wanted to shape what people see?

MF: haha was I ever known as a model? I actually never liked being in front of the camera, I felt drained each time. I studied filmmaking after high school, so I always knew I was more excited about the potential opportunities to create with a crew. Modeling taught me so much about movement and style, and I can help a lot of my clients who play music but don’t know much about posing at a photo shoot, so if they ask for my input I give them a few pointers that really helped me out.

You’ve experienced beauty from both sides of the camera. How did that change the way you understand image and perception? 

MF: I value and respect the talent/person who is in front of the camera and their contribution to the finished results. I appreciate my 6 years of experience in the makeup chair as a model, because I innately know what my client needs to feel comfortable, empowered and beautiful. It helps me deliver that aspect of my service, without even thinking about it too much. Also with anything really elevated, I like to embrace the goofy side of it, I have mentioned this in past interviews, but the iconic Cheryl Hickey helped me immensely, when I used to get nervous in front of the camera at ET Canada each week. She said ‘Misty, this job is goofy, embrace the goof of it’  and wow, those few words changed my whole approach, she helped me more than she will ever know, because I have had severe performance anxiety ever since I was a child. Now I am like, well this isn’t a normal job, you can't view it as one. 

Looking back now, what would you tell your younger self about beauty, confidence, and the life you were stepping into? 

MF: Modeling changed my whole life, I am the youngest of 6, mum on welfare, raised next to 40 acres of swamplands (which has now been turned in to ‘waterfront living’) kids in my area used to hang out and try to find other kids to fight. If you weren’t pregnant at 15 you were doing pretty well. Modeling showed me a world and travel that I didn’t even know existed, also the behind the curtain of the beauty and fashion world is nothing like it seems from the outside. I found it more interesting behind the scenes. 

I did my last runway job in 2007 because I could not figure out babysitting and I could not bring my infant to castings. I was also breastfeeding and if your boobs went from a D to an F in a few hours on a shoot, well that wasn’t the best for the fit of the clothing. I remember pumping backstage at fashion week, and then secretly padding one boob with a baby sock so they were even, I secretly walked the runway, with a baby sock in my bra. 

{ who is gonna know? How will they know? Haha }

So I studied makeup when Violet was 2 years old. 

I had her young, and I gave up a lot to work really really hard, my reasoning came from wanting to give my daughter a childhood filled with wonder and dreams, and most of all safety.  I was pretty hard on myself, and I justified this by calling it ‘drive and ambition’  so I would educate my younger self - as to what drive and ambition should actually look like, when you combine it with self- compassion and positive reinforcement towards yourself. 

photo: Misty on the runway with a baby sock stuffed bra.

You’ve spoken openly about the realities of being a single mom. What did that chapter teach you about resilience and self-worth? 

MF: I hope by sharing my experience of raising a kid in another country, while building a freelance career in the entertainment industry, provides somewhat of an insight and empowers women who are, or want to become solo parents.  

Sometimes it felt like an action/thriller/adventure/buddy-story/fish-out-of water/hero's-journey/fantasy. You have to have the mindset of an athlete when taking on anything high stakes anyway, and you need a network of like-minded people around you. Resilience comes from reminding yourself that when things look uncertain, you have to look back at your track record and ask yourself, has it ever not worked out where I have had no home, no food or no safety? And if the answer is no, you can rely on your previous stats to show you that you always find a way through. Pro tip:  there is way more time in 5 minutes than most people think there is. 

Self-worth has to be built, and sure, it ebbs and flows but I guess you have to be working on it often to keep it topped up. 

How has your perception of beauty evolved from your early modelling days to now? 

MF: When I started out as a model, you had to get into a reputable agency to even work, you had to be a certain height, weight, age etc. There was very little autonomy when it came to curating your look, let alone your career, that was your agent’s job. There was no instagram/social media. The ease of sharing an image these days has changed our perception of mainstream beauty standards forever, in the best way. I am thankful I could raise my girl seeing all types of beauty on display. 

As a makeup artist, if you could teach someone just one thing about skincare or makeup, what would it be?

MF: Don’t overdo it. Don’t strip your skin, don’t suffocate it in makeup, revisit your routine every few years to see if something could work better for you. Keep it simple and juicy. 

When someone sits in your chair, how do you know what to highlight on their face? Is it intuition, energy, something in their personality? What are you looking for? 

MF: Before someone sits in my chair for the first time, you can be sure I have either googled them or deep-dived on their socials to see how they usually present themselves. I ask questions like ‘how do you normally do your makeup’ and we go from there. I, of course know what I would do as a makeup artist - it does feel like intuition, but I see it as a collaboration because I learn things I don’t know about them, and I make adjustments to my plan based on new information and knowledge coming in. I have a lot of long-time clients, (over a decade of doing their hair and makeup) and the majority of them are singers and musicians. I have to be super perceptive and open to their direction and their current music styles, I have to stay true to their brand. I often listen to their new single or album, I feel a responsibility to be an extension of their art, kinda like the finishing touches on their latest release. 

If you could only do one thing for your skin every day, what would it be? 

MF: Get a really good serum that caters to your skin’s needs, I am all about serums that combine different extracts and oils, and you can just slap it on before bed.

What keeps you creatively inspired, even when life gets busy or complicated?

MF: I have a compulsion to create, it's not really a choice and I get this feeling of indigestion if I don’t.  Specifically, I need to make things with my hands, so if I am too busy to sculpt, then I carry some yarn and knitting needles in my set bag. 

I also write a lot, make films sometimes, make clothing, draw etc. Thankfully my daughter is super creative so the house was always covered in art projects and musical equipment. 

I do not feel like I come across a lot of inspiration in daily life in this city (Toronto) I feel a lot more inspired when I leave for a bit. There is just too much stress coming at you here, if it's not crime, it’s a parking ticket, traffic, someone swearing at you, people fighting in the street, roads closed, bad weather, I will stop there for now.  It's a really hard city for an artist to live and create in, especially if you are sensitive, its hard to be vulnerable enough to absorb your surroundings and create art. Having said this, for the first time in a decade I feel like Toronto has a new heartbeat and a vibe, and it has everything to do with all the young and creative people coming up right now. 

When do you feel most electric, and what do you do to protect that part of yourself? 

MF: When I am writing or directing, but also when I am developing an idea. Electricity can come from a good conversation with an inspiring friend, sitting in the sun drinking a coffee, or the opportunity to collaborate on a really cool project. I also protect some of my art by never doing it as a job, like ceramics or sculpture. 

You can find Misty Fox on INSTAGRAM @mistyfox and online at mistyfoxmakeup.com

And now you know.

xo Shelley