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Clea Shearer is half of the hilarious duo behind The Home Edit, the professional organization team whose Instagram stories are the stuff of legend (seriously, we can’t stop watching). Here, she shares the products she steals from her celebrity clients, the magical lipstick she wants to buy in bulk and her #1 trick for an organized home…
Do you wear makeup?
Yes! Every day. I don’t go anywhere without it. For my work, I’m not in an office, I’m in people’s homes wearing Lululemon, so I need makeup to help me look put together. Otherwise, it’s a very slippery slope. I don’t want my face to look as comfortable as my clothing.
What products are part of your “daily face”?
I’ll prep my skin with It Cosmetics Secret Sauce, a moisturizer that I find wears really well under makeup. Then I use Tarte’s poreless primer, Amazonian Clay foundation and concealer. I fell in love with the entire Amazonian Clay line when a makeup artist for my upcoming TV show used them on me. Before, I was using a CC cream, but it kept sliding off my face. The Tarte products stay put and make my complexion look smooth. Meanwhile, the concealer is, like, the most important thing that’s ever happened in my life. I don’t know how to contour or highlight, but I use Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush, which has a bunch of different colors in it and gives you a natural look. Then I finish it off with Kat Von D Lock It setting spray. A makeup artist told me about this, too, and it really works. It also smells really good. I love that it’s the last thing I smell before I leave the house.
Clea and her business partner Joanna.
The Home Edit has organized the homes of many high-profile clients (Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Zoe, Mandy Moore, to name a few). What’s the craziest job you’ve ever done?
In terms of the most unique job, organizing a closet for Doug the Pug is definitely one I did not anticipate. As far as clients go, dogs are cute and they don’t have a lot of opinions so you can kinda do whatever you want. All the clothes are really small — Doug wears a kids’ size 3T — so we could fit a lot. Also, he cuddles with you in between folding.
Do you ever discover any beauty products while organizing for your clients?
All. The. Time. We organize for a lot of really famous people, some who even create their own products, and I want to sit and take notes. It’s like, this is clearly what works for them, so give me three. I exclusively use Buxom lip color, because it was the only thing one of my clients uses and she always looks beautiful. My favorite shade is Sangria. It’s such a pretty, natural red berry color and it does that tingly plumping thing. I’m obsessed with it, I want to buy it in bulk. Same thing with Benefit They’re Real mascara — it was in one client’s drawer and her lashes always look disgustingly fabulous. Now it’s all I use.
How did you first get into this line of work? Were you a very organized child?
Yes. I have always had very real tendencies, in terms of needing to be ORDERLY. As a child, I would get very stressed out if things weren’t in order. I kept my bookshelf looking perfect. During elementary school, I would get really excited for spring break because it meant I had time to rearrange my room. I know, really cool!
What’s your one best piece of organizing advice?
Everyone’s homes have different size constraints, but one single rule applies to every single person. The rule of organizing is you never want to exceed 80% full. You want to have a little bit of breathing room. You have to be strict with yourself. If you start maxing out, your space will be uncomfortable to live in.
Here’s a very important question: How do you organize your makeup?
I like to compartmentalize my life into grab-and-go situations. So the makeup I put on every day — with the exception of powder and setting spray — lives in my makeup bag, which I carry everywhere I go. Inevitably, I need a touchup during the day, and I like having everything with me. Beyond that, I keep the extra things, like red lipstick and eyeliners, in an organized drawer in my bathroom. When it comes to the makeup drawer, I like the crystal clear acrylic organizers. They come in different sizes, are good quality and give your drawer a bit of a glam look.
What’s your everyday skincare routine?
In the morning, I use Dr. Dennis Gross gel cleanser and Dr. Perricone exfoliating toner. Then I follow it up with Sunday Riley Good Genes, which I really, really like. At first, I wasn’t sure it was working for me, but now that I’ve been using it for a while, I’ve seen a big difference in the texture of my skin. I finish it off with Tidal, a water-based cream that’s really hydrating without creating shine.
How about for nighttime?
At night, I use the same cleanser and toner, and then Luna Sleeping Night Oil. I’ll put it all over my face and let it dry for a few minutes so it has a chance to set in. I love this product — I wake up in the morning and my pores look smaller. When I first tried it, I was like, ‘This smells too natural! I don’t need herbal essence water, I need something that works!’ But then I saw it in so many clients’ homes, and they had amazing skin. Once I gave it a chance, I loved it. After it sets in, I use Murad Youth Renewal serum, which is also a retinol, and Youth Renewal night cream. I don’t know if I need to layer all of it, but I do know that I’m happy with what’s happening to my skin. Now, when I wake up in the morning, my kids aren’t like, ‘What happened to you?’
You and Joanna hate airplanes, but have to fly for work. How do you cope?
Yes, we both HATE flying, but since we travel so much, we’ve gotten a little more comfortable with it. I used to be so panicked over every little bump, but I realized it all comes from my need for control. The best thing to do is just try to relax. I’ve tried to think of flying like my bar in the air. I can have a drink, catch up on TV shows, read a book, and no one is bothering me — at least it’s time off. I take lavender pills, which were recommended to me as a natural way to help relax. I also have a lavender eye pillow that I use in hotels. I love the scent and it’s supposed to calm you down. I need ALL THE LAVENDER.
You just wrapped shooting a TV show. Is it weird to see yourself on camera?
YES. The way I look on camera is so upsetting, I had to call my husband. I am a piece of work. We went through a lot of different hair and makeup transitions. Every time you see me on the show, I look completely different because we just kept trying different looks. Joanna and I don’t often have a full face of makeup on, and it’s tough to look at ourselves like that. It just feels so not ‘us,’ but I think that’s the nature of TV.
Let’s talk about your beloved Target. When you arrive, what’s your plan of attack?
I shop there religiously. I like to say the only exercise I do is ‘red cart cardio.’ My idea of fun is getting a Starbucks and going up and down every single aisle. First, I go to the Bulls Eye Playground, which used to be the dollar section and now is like the ten-dollar section — I SEE YOU CREEPING UP, TARGET. Then I stop at the home décor section. When it comes to the home section, it’s like, you better hurry. The products sell quickly. What if you need two throw pillows and they only have one? Time is of the essence. After I’ve checked out the home aisle, I’ll go to the bath aisle and the storage section, and then I’ll shop for the things I actually went for, like paper towels.
Your love of champagne is well documented. What’s your philosophy when it comes to food and drinks?
I eat really healthy and try to drink a lot of water. But I think if you have one thing that brings you some kind of satisfaction, just enjoy it. My diet is so boring, sometimes it’s like champagne is all I have. When it comes to organizing food, I keep everything in our pantry organized by color. My kids are actually better at it than I am. My daughter will say, ‘We’re running low on blue snacks!’
How do you approach the topic of beauty with your children?
My daughter Stella is seven. She and her friends give each other makeovers, and I’d love for her to learn the art of subtlety! Beyond that, though, I think makeup is fun. If she wants to wear a tinted lip balm or a clear gloss, I think that’s okay. I will also say that when my four-year-old son wants to play along with his big sister, I don’t discourage that either. As long as what they’re doing is age-appropriate, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
Thank you so much, Clea! You are truly a force.
P.S. More amazing women share their beauty uniforms, including tips for styling curly hair and thoughts on aging.
(Photos via Clea Shearer/The Home Edit.)
