More Than Makeup

I am checking in live from beautiful Lake Annecy in France after wrapping up my Florence and Switzerland destination weddings!

In this episode, I’m launching a brand-new series on More Than Makeup: real, unfiltered destination wedding debriefs. Beyond the polished 30-second reels and viral venue reveals, there is so much real-life execution that happens behind the scenes.

Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on my Florence wedding with my gorgeous bride, Grace. I break down why bridal trials aren't always meant to be the final product, the harsh realities of European travel logistics (from cobblestones to severe 3-day jet lag), and why bringing an assistant—even for a one-bride booking—saved my entire mental state. I also share why I hired a dedicated content creator, how to navigate rural Tuscan transport disasters, and why not posting immediately is actually a blessing in disguise.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Bridal Trials Episode – Dedicated masterclass episode on how to conduct bridal trials, navigate client expectations, and learn a client's face identity before the wedding day.

• Destination Realities with Jess Walfort – Kellsie and Jess unpack the unglamorous realities, travel friction, and physical toll of international bridal work.

• Paris Chateau Wedding with Natalie – Her viral Paris chateau debrief, discussing venue catering logistics, vendor communication, and client experience.

• Upcoming Switzerland Debrief (Episode 32) – Previewing the next debrief installment covering the extreme jet lag bleed-over and high-altitude logistics.

• Global Glam Course – Master international pricing, travel contracts, and destination booking strategies.

• The Beauty Edit Course – Learn how to shoot and edit brand-ready, high-converting video content on location.

• Private Business Mentorship – Apply for 3-month 1-on-1 and group coaching cohorts to scale your income and brand authority.

• Becky Flynn – UK-based MUA and mentorship student who assisted Kellsie on location in Florence.

• Kristina Belihina– Europe-based content creator hired to manage video capture during the wedding.

• Oura Ring – Health and biometric tracking ring used to measure daily recovery and sleep readiness scores.

• Yoga Nidra & Meditation Courses – Mindset, nervous system regulation, and sleep techniques used to manage travel anxiety.

I am sitting down for a very special, unfiltered episode with my favorite person in the world—my brother, Jarrod Bain! Jarrod is currently visiting me in Canada, and while we sit here marinating in spray tans, we decided to hit record and give you a complete look behind the scenes.

Before I ever moved overseas or booked big international jobs, Jarrod was my absolute go-to content creator. He dragged camera equipment around, filmed my early vlogs, edited transitions, and gave me the brutal honesty I needed to keep growing.

In this episode, we talk about what it was like growing up together, Jarrod's journey with autism and navigating social situations, how he built 75k TikTok followers before it went mainstream, and why done is always better than perfect when it comes to filming content. Plus, we share Halloween makeup tips, unearned confidence, and the real reason we'll never work together full-time!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Transform Your Artistry Business: Apply for my 3-month private mentorship cohort to scale your income and content over at Kellsie Bain Makeup.

• Master Destination Weddings: Learn my exact booking blueprint with the Global Glam Course.

• Level Up Your Video Editing: Check out The Beauty Edit Course to master fast, high-converting reels.

What do you do when your local bridal team is booked out, but you feel completely invisible inside your own brand?

In this episode of More Than Makeup, I’m sitting down for a live mentorship graduation with Pacific Northwest destination hair and makeup specialist, Amber Baker. Three months ago, Amber was running her successful local company, Belle Luxury Bridal, but she was completely stuck in a jumbled mess of mid-tier bookings, brand confusion, and severe imposter syndrome.

We break down the exact step-by-step strategy that allowed her to separate her personal identity from her team, double her follower growth, and navigate a whirlwind international travel schedule to Ireland—including how she handled an absolute mental breakdown in the passenger seat of a car.

Grab your notebook, because this is a masterclass in separating yourself from your business, finding a unique content niche, and learning how to scale without burning out.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Truth About Destination Weddings with Jessica Wolfert

• Follow Amber Baker on Instagram

• Apply For Private Mentorship

There is a massive new shift happening right now at the intersection of beauty marketing and the wedding industry, and I wanted to jump on an episode while it’s fresh on my mind! Brands are no longer just sending PR packages to brides; they are actively integrating themselves into wedding weekends, welcome parties, and getting-ready footage.

In this episode of More Than Makeup, I’m breaking down why wedding content is having such a viral moment and how beauty creators like Danielle Estrada and Acquired Style are closing major brand deals directly on their wedding days. We dive into why bridal content offers brands the ultimate storytelling tool—emotional proof, heat-tested longevity, and aspirational beauty.

Plus, I share how my Paris chateau wedding turned into skincare gifting from Dieux, why viral moments like Shay Sullivan’s wedding are missed monetization opportunities without affiliate links, and how you can strategically pitch brands before your next big event.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Master International Destination Bookings: Get my exact pricing guides and pitching strategies inside the Global Glam Course.

• Level Up Your Video Editing: Learn how to shoot and edit brand-ready reels with The Beauty Edit Course.

• Work With Me: Head over to my digital home at Kellsie Bain Makeup to join upcoming business coaching cohorts.

I am back home, settled into our new house, and doing a deep-dive audio episode after an incredible six weeks of destination weddings in Europe!

Recently, my Instagram passed 200,000 followers—a milestone that feels completely surreal when I remember my very first goal was simply reaching 10K. Passing 200K isn't about chasing a million eyes; it’s about reflecting on the hundreds of tiny, compounding decisions made over the last six to seven years.

In this episode of More Than Makeup, I am pulling back the curtain on my brand updates—including moving house, stepping away from in-person masterclasses to focus on business mentorship, and signing with Shine Talent Group. Then, we dive into my 20 exact steps to 200K. We talk about why collaboration always beats competition, how to build a corporate-level discipline for your personal brand, treating content creation as free marketing, and the exact mindset shifts you need to step into your power as a beauty entrepreneur.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Master Destination Weddings: Learn how to book international clients with my Global Glam Course.

• Level Up Your Video Editing: Check out The Beauty Edit Course for a quick crash course on creating high-converting reels.

• Explore Mentorship & Programs: Head over to my digital home at Kellsie Bain Makeup to join upcoming coaching waitlists.

• Bridal Glow Masterclass – Online demonstration of signature luminous bridal makeup techniques.

I am recording this week's episode from beautiful Lake Como, Italy, because after six weeks on the road doing destination weddings in New York, London, Paris, and Umbria, I wanted to sit down with someone who truly lives and breathes elite luxury.

Today’s guest is my gorgeous friend Oana Nechifor, the mastermind behind Oana Events—one of Europe's premier luxury wedding planners across Italy and the South of France. Oana and I met two years ago when we worked on Jordan Giorgio’s viral Lake Como wedding, an event that completely took over social media and reshaped the modern beauty and bridal landscapes.

Now, we’re back in Como celebrating Jordan’s anniversary, and we’re pulling back the curtain on the real architecture of top-tier events. We dive into what the word 'luxury' actually means beyond a price tag, how a single calculated investment—like a surprise riverboat—can lock in dream clients, and why your social media is the ultimate filter for attracting high-net-worth bookings.

If you are ready to stop chasing every generic client and learn how to position yourself as an exclusive, out-of-reach expert, this conversation is your ultimate masterclass.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Tap Into the Global Luxury Market: Master your contracts, travel structures, and vendor positioning with my Global Glam Course.

• Follow Oana Nechifor: See her breath-taking portfolios and curated Italian events on Instagram @‌oanaevents.

• Explore Masterclasses & Private Mentorship: Head over to my digital home at Kellsie Bain Makeup to apply for upcoming business cohorts.

The absolute chaos that was the Chateau wedding in Paris completely took over the internet last week, and my inbox has been flooded with hundreds of questions.

In this episode of More Than Makeup, I'm sitting down with my amazing friend and assistant, Madison Kelly, to debrief the biggest wedding of my career so far. We are pulling back the curtain on absolutely everything: how I booked an influencer bride just one month before the wedding, what it really takes to calculate luxury destination travel fees, the truth about going in completely blind without a makeup trial, and the exact strategy behind posting 37 reels in four days to gain 7,000 new followers.

If you've ever dreamed of flying across the world to work with luxury planners and high-end clients, this unfiltered conversation is your step-by-step masterclass.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Learn the Destination Blueprint: Grab my exact pricing guides and contracts inside the Global Glam Course.

• Follow the Team: Connect with Maddy on Instagram @‌madisonkelly.mua and see the stunning bride Natalie Cortes.

• Work With Me: Head over to my digital home at Kellsie Bain Makeup to join our upcoming masterclass waitlists.

I am so excited to share this episode because it is proof of what happens when you get out of your own way and step into your personal power. Today, I’m sitting down for a live mentorship graduation with the incredibly talented Leah Laviano. Three months ago, Leah was running a successful bridal team in Virginia Beach, but she felt completely lost, time-poor, and disconnected from her personal brand.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the exact strategic shifts that took her from 14k to over 22k followers in just 90 days, how a simple Instagram handle change completely shifted her CEO mindset, and why letting go of control is the only way to scale your income without burning out.

If you’ve been hiding behind your business name or letting imposter syndrome keep you from pitching to big brands, this conversation is your ultimate wake-up call.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Follow Leah Laviano on Instagram

• Trial Reels: A Game-Changing Instagram Strategy for Makeup Artists

• Listen now to "How to Land Brand Deals" Episode

I’m sitting down for a very special, live coaching episode with one of my brilliant mentorship students, Brittney from Brittney Eileen Beauty! We just wrapped up her three-month mentorship journey, and instead of doing our final strategy call behind closed doors, we decided to bring the coaching session straight to the microphone. Brittney is an elite bridal makeup artist out of Boston who hit that classic $150k glass ceiling and knew she wanted to scale beyond the brush.

In this episode, we break down her explosive social media growth during the program, including a video that hit over 3 million views, how she navigated her first massive wave of viral internet hate, and the exact steps we took to launch her new income streams in beauty education and brand partnerships.

If you're ready to see what high-level business mentoring actually looks like in real-time, grab your notebook.

Connect with Brittney: Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @‌brittneyeileenbeauty.

Mentorship Waitlist: Ready to be the next A-plus student? Secure your spot on the waitlist for the next cohort.

I called this podcast More Than Makeup for a reason. As entrepreneurs, our health is our greatest business asset, yet so many of us in the wedding industry are running on caffeine and fumes.

In this episode, I’m joined by my personal nutritionist, Darcie Powell, to talk about how to stop the 'starve and crash' cycle. We’re diving into the science of blood sugar, why your 'bridal breakfast' of black coffee is killing your energy, and how to fuel your body so you actually have a life left at the end of a wedding weekend.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re hitting a wall by 2:00 PM or crashing for two days after a job, this episode is the wellness deep-dive you’ve been waiting for.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Discount Code: Use code "MORETHANMAKEUP" for a discount on all of Kellsie’s online courses and digital products.

• Your Pathway To Happiness Website

• Your Pathway To Happiness Instagram

• Episode on Grief: Grieving through the bridal season

• Toronto Masterclass: Final spots available!

• Mentorship: Join the waitlist for the next high-level cohort.