There are women who do makeup. And then there’s Sheena Rae.
On the surface, yes—she’s a professional makeup artist based in Edmonton who’s built a wildly successful bridal beauty business. She’s served hundreds of brides, launched sold-out workshops, and turned soft glam into her own love language. But beneath the winged eyeliner and under-eye patches, there’s something more happening.
Spend even a few minutes in Sheena’s chair and you’ll notice it—this quiet sense of being seen. Not just your pores. Not just your eye shape. You. Your nerves, your hopes, your tired-but-trying soul. Sheena doesn’t just prep your skin. She makes space for your spirit.
Let’s rewind.
@sheenaraebeauty 2024 was one of the hardest yet most transformative years I’ve ever faced. January me would never believe December me, and honestly, that’s the beauty of it. Every high and low, every lesson learned, every challenge—it all happened for a reason. Even in the hardest moments, there’s a purpose behind it all. It’s so easy to get caught up in everyone else’s highlight reels—the wins, the milestones, the picture-perfect moments. And while those are beautiful and worth celebrating, they can also leave us feeling like we haven’t done enough. But let me remind you: you’ve done more than enough. Whether this year was everything you dreamed of or one of the toughest yet, you made it. You showed up, even when it was hard. You learned, you grew, and you discovered more about yourself than you probably realize. Every experience, even the painful ones, has a purpose, shaping you into who you’re meant to be. You made someone’s day brighter, made someone feel seen, loved, and valued. You were the reason someone smiled, laughed, or felt less alone. So, let’s celebrate it all—the big wins, the small victories, and even the hard lessons. As we move into 2025, remember that no matter what comes your way, there’s a reason for it. Life has a way of working things out, and I promise, we’ll get through it together. Here’s to growth, purpose, and everything life has in store. Love you all, Sheena xo #2024recap ♬ original sound – sheenaraebeauty
The Kitchen Floor and a Camera
Sheena Rae’s origin story isn’t polished—it’s refreshingly real. In 2015, after an innocent YouTube spiral (you know the kind), she typed a question into the search bar that would change her life: “How do I become a makeup artist?” And instead of talking herself out of it like so many of us do, she bought a camera.
“I started filming in my kitchen,” she later shared. “I had zero clients, no experience, and I just started.”
That phrase—I just started—feels like the heartbeat of Sheena Rae Beauty. She practiced on friends, juggled a full-time job, and slowly carved out her place in an industry that doesn’t exactly hand out invites. By 2017, she launched her own business. By 2023, she had served over 400 brides. No fairy godmother. No viral moment. Just grit, a ring light, and an unshakable belief that this mattered.
Bridal Soft Glam, Soul-Level Calm
There’s a reason brides don’t just hire Sheena—they talk about her years later like she was part of the family. Maybe it’s the clean, glowing signature look she’s perfected. Maybe it’s the mini facial every client gets before their makeup even begins—hydrating patches, cooling rollers, the kind of tenderness you didn’t realize you needed until you’re quietly holding back tears before saying “I do.”
“Makeup isn’t just makeup,” she wrote in one post. “It can take you from feeling ‘meh’ to absolutely glowing on your big day.”
It’s not just glow. It’s grounding. It’s the kind of emotional tuning fork you didn’t realize your nervous system was begging for.
Workshops, Boundaries, and That “Put Your Phone Down at 9PM” Energy
As Sheena’s following grew, so did her presence as a mentor. She began teaching workshops—not for influencers or models—but for real people. The ones who were intimidated by Sephora. The ones who wanted to feel beautiful at their son’s wedding. The ones who had never been taught how to match their undertone and still felt a little lost.
Sheena’s classes are judgment-free zones, full of women who often leave feeling more beautiful than when they walked in—but also more equipped. More self-assured.
But she’s also honest. About the burnout. About the endless comparisons. About the years of scrolling through other people’s highlight reels while doubting her own path. She’s shared it all—online, on camera, in that signature tone of hers that always sounds like both a friend and a professional who actually gets it.
“Find balance in your 20s,” she once posted. “Know how to hustle. But also learn how to rest.”
Hard-won wisdom from a woman who built her business on late nights and full weekends—and is now rewriting what “success” looks like for herself.
Love, Pregnancy, and the Most Beautiful Moment Caught on Film
Then came the reel. The one that quietly went viral. The pregnancy announcement.
Sheena hands her partner a note. He reads it, blinks. The joy that floods his face could light a city. The camera pans to their embrace. It’s tender. It’s unfiltered. It’s a moment of intimacy that somehow feels universal.
In that one clip, you see everything that makes Sheena who she is: vulnerability, courage, a heart that shares even the most personal parts of life with a gentle, open hand.
Now, as she prepares for motherhood, she’s not slowing down. She’s expanding—her family, her brand, her voice. The nursery is taking shape. So is a deeper version of herself.
What She’s Built, and What’s Still to Come
Today, Sheena Rae Beauty is a brand built on truth and trust. It’s bridal beauty with depth. It’s education with empathy. It’s makeup with meaning.
She’s not just creating looks. She’s creating experiences.
Sheena Rae is:
- A successful solo business owner
- A mentor to aspiring artists
- A soon-to-be mother
- A woman who knows the power of eyeliner and emotional intelligence
And most of all? She’s someone who proves that starting from your kitchen floor doesn’t mean you’ll stay there.
@sheenaraebeauty
When Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep
There’s one part of Sheena’s story that often gets left out when people see the polished final looks and flawless camera angles: she’s struggled with acne. Not just the occasional breakout, but the kind that shows up uninvited, overstays its welcome, and leaves a trail of insecurity behind.
She’s talked openly about it on her Instagram. The redness. The bumps. The frustration of showing up on camera or to a client appointment while her own skin was flaring. And here’s what she did: she showed up anyway. Not perfectly, but honestly.
That vulnerability hasn’t just made her relatable—it’s redefined how her clients see themselves. Because when your makeup artist is healing in real-time, you trust her to handle your skin, your story, and your insecurities with care.
Her work isn’t about hiding flaws. It’s about celebrating faces that have been through things and still show up in the world with a little concealer and a lot of courage.
As Sheena once wrote:
“My acne doesn’t define me. It’s a part of me, but not the whole picture. And I know so many of you feel the same.”
That kind of honesty? That’s beauty, full stop.
Why We Love Sheena
I think what struck me most in researching Sheena’s story wasn’t the client numbers or even the artistry (though, yes, her brows deserve their own Wikipedia page). It was the intention. The idea that beauty doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful. That softness isn’t weakness. That healing can start with a clean brush and a kind word.
Sheena Rae reminds us that sometimes, the most transformative thing a woman can do is look in the mirror and see herself—really see herself—and whisper, “There she is.”
And Sheena? She’s the artist who hands you that mirror.
