Beauty Spotlight on Jenny Patinkin

There are SO many “influencers” out there. Like, too many. And I put influencers in quotes because a) everyone is kind of an influencer these days, and b) I don’t even know if Jenny Patinkin (www.jennypatinkin.com) is technically an influencer. She certainly influences me, and many other people who love makeup and skincare, but she’s way too overqualified and awesome to simply be considered an “influencer.” Jenny is a Beauty Expert, Professional Makeup Artist, a Bestselling Author, early adopter of “Clean Beauty,” and the founder of her eponymous brand of award winning Makeup and Skincare Tools! I’m sorry, “influencers,” but Jenny is just so much more. 

So, given the fact that there are approximately one gazillion (yes, that’s a scientific term!) beauty influencers and makeup artists and experts out there, how are we supposed to know who to trust and whose recommendations to take seriously? There’s a lot of, for lack of a better word, noise, but here’s how I know who to trust: Jenny Patinkin. Jenny is not only overqualified, but she’s honest. Delightfully honest. Refreshingly honest. Unfailingly honest. WE LOVE HER AND HER HONESTY! 

Jenny is so honest that she recently chronicled her journey having a surgical facelift, what the recovery has been like, what the results are, and what she’s doing to maintain it. She even wrote a beautiful article for Elle Magazine about the unexpected anxiety that came along with all the changes from the facelift. We are obsessed with Jenny here at Maya Chia-- this kind of radical transparency is what we live for! 

I could go on and on about how amazing and knowledgeable and smart Jenny is, but the best way to share that with you is for me to let her speak, in her own words, about life, challenges, and, of course, which Maya Chia products she adores.

Maya Chia Beauty: What is one thing you do every day?

Jenny Patinkin: Honestly, I stress eat. I wish that I had a healthier habit to share with you ;) but my menopausal hormones are so out of whack that it's kicked my anxiety into high gear, and allowing myself some fun little snacks is a way that I self-soothe. I am also trying to exercise everyday, or at least move my body a little, but some days it just doesn't happen.

MCB:  Where would you go if you could travel somewhere right now, all expenses paid?

JP: I would go on safari in Africa. It's so cliché to hear people talk about how life changing a safari trip can be, but for me it really was. I just got this incredible perspective on what a diverse and beautiful world we live in and how badly humans are fucking it up. Being out in nature, under the big African sky and seeing the circle of life all around - it's beyond inspiring and humbling and I would do it over and over again if I could.

MCB: Who is the person you wish you could talk to more?

JP: My daughters. They are all grown and out of the house now, and I really miss the daily-ness of life with them. Sitting at family dinner or in the car, hearing about their friends, their jobs, their lives. They are so thoughtful and smart and make me laugh so much, it's delightful to spend whatever time I can with them.

MCB:  What are your favorite Maya Chia products - and why? : )

JP: I am super into the Advanced Response Complex at the moment. During the day I use it over my Super Lift Vitamin C serum and under my SPF, and at bedtime I layer it over my retinol and under my Super Naked Plum and Chia Oil. It hydrates my very thirsty skin without ever feeling greasy or sticky.

MCB:  What's your "sliding doors" moment? Some time when your life almost took a totally different direction.

JP: I was a stay at home mom for many years, until I was 40. I could have just continued taking care of my kids and devoting myself fully to my family, but I am so happy I found this second act as a makeup artist and brand founder. It was a very unexpected twist.

MCB: What is the biggest challenge you face now or have faced in the past? How did you overcome it?

JP: Being a parent to young children is a huge challenge, but at this stage in my life, being the child of an aging parent is similarly difficult to navigate. It's so hard to see the people you love, who you depended on for so much of your life, now start to have smaller lives, in smaller worlds, and complicated by health challenges. It's given me a more melancholy outlook, and the sense that after a certain point, life is no longer fueled by the excitement of potential. Wow. Someone get me a snack STAT. My hormones are making me feel very wistful.

MCB: What do you wish you knew/learned sooner?

JP: I'm still learning how to ask for help. I know that the smart thing to do is to admit to needing a hand, an opinion, an assist and reach out for it - but it's still not something that comes easily to me.

MCB: What is one easy thing you do to be more "green" or eco-conscious?

JP: I would like to start composting at home. We live in the city and there aren't a lot of convenient options available, but I am getting to a point where I think that I'll have to suck it up and be inconvenienced. It's probably worth it.

MCB: What's the best advice you've ever received - and think other women might benefit from?

JP: Talk to as many people as you can and ask as many questions as you can think of. A lot of people in the clean beauty world - women in particular - are willing to share time, information and resources in a very generous way. You never know what kernel of information you might glean or idea you can open up that may be helpful to you. 

MCB: What is something you're really proud of?

JP: I’m really proud that we have found manufacturers to work with who are as passionate about sustainability as we are, particularly when it comes to our makeup blender tools. We found some who use plant based materials and biodegradable foam to create the softest, most luxe and earth-friendly blenders on the market. I love them as a brand founder, as a makeup artist and as someone who likes to apply makeup with a sponge. 

Alright, if you read all that and you’re not a) following Jenny on Instagram, and b) kind of obsessed with her, then what are you even doing with your life?! Go-- follow her, learn from her, and cheer her on. We need more women in the beauty industry with Jenny’s grace, thoughtfulness, and yes, radical honesty!

Who else would you like to see under the glow of our Beauty Spotlight? Tell us in the comments below or find us on social media. We love hearing from you!