Agent Woman

[ey-juhnt woo m-uh n]

adjective

A woman with tenacity, confidence, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a distinct point of view when it comes to holistic beauty and wellness. Women that our founder, Jena Covello, admire most.

Los Angeles-based makeup artist Nikki DeRoest is a hustler. A favorite of brands like Bobbi Brown and Bare Minerals, an influencer herself, and the go-to face painter for celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hailey Bieber, Emma Roberts, and Bella Hadid, she delivers an effortless glow, no matter the job. Meet Agent Woman, Nikki DeRoest.

Name: Nikki DeRoest

Instagram: @nikkideroest

Beauty Icon: My beauty icons are from the’ 80s/90’s: Kim Basinger in 9 1/2 Weeks, Cindy Crawford in her Pepsi commercials, and cliche as it sounds, it’s always going to be Kate Moss. There are too many inspiring and iconic images to just pick one.

Favorite city for inspiration: Anywhere in Italy, but specifically on the Amalfi Coast, there is a town called Priano, just outside of Positano, and I have had many “aha” and inspiring moments happen at a specific spot near the water.

Introvert or extrovert: Annoyingly, I would say I am both. I can turn it on when I am with the right people or going to an event or activity, but I also crave my days or nights alone. I need them to be as active as I am. My ideal is a weekend with one night in, one night out.

Daily uniform: Some version of vintage Levis, an oversized button up top, and Gucci slides or uggs. I have pretty much every color because it’s all I wear. A manicure is always required, and I also wear a ton of jewelry: necklaces, earrings, rings, most of them collected over time. I feel naked without them.

AM ritual: I wake up at 7 AM every day. I usually snooze under my Celluma Pro LED light for 30 minutes, mentally dreaming up what needs to be done for the day or doing some sort of meditation. I make my bed as soon as I get out of it, and then straight to the coffee machine. I love my morning coffee and I love the light in my house in the morning. I sit silently on my couch and I like to read a page out of my favorite book, Journey to the Heart. I pull a card, just keeping an open mind of what the universe wants me to hear for the day. I always burn a candle and walk around with palo santo to get the day started right. I try to give myself 30 minutes of me-time before I start charging away on emails, social media, etc. My mornings are the most sacred time of the day for me, and even if I have an early call time for a job, I wake up even earlier, so I don’t skimp on my morning ritual.

PM wind down: I know that past 7:30 PM, I’m no good, so I try to be my most productive during the day and honor the night to relax. My nights usually end with me listening to music or creating new playlists, catching up on the phone with my best friends, and studying all the things I wonder about during the day that I want to devote my time on. I do a lot of internet cruising and occasional online shopping. I always love showering before bed and like going to bed with wet hair. I think it’s when it looks it’s best. I use a full line recommended by my esthetician called Face Reality, and it has really changed my skin. I again, like to read a nice thought before bed and love all the books by Gabrielle Bernstein.

Secret skill: I am a crazy good baker. Everything is always made from scratch, never from a box, and my rule is: it has to look amazing, but taste equally as amazing. I can make crazy shaped cakes, and love making friends special themed cakes for their birthday. It’s just so fun.

Best Advice you’ve ever received: Don’t listen to other’s advice, always listen to your gut. That is the one thing that will never steer you wrong.

A mistake you’ve learned from: I don’t call them mistakes. Everything that I have done is an experience and a learning lesson. Many I wouldn’t repeat and I’ve had a lot, but I chalk it all up as experiences and chapters in my color book that I will write someday.

To your younger self: Never say never, don’t be afraid to try, and don’t be afraid to be different. All of those things are what will shape you, and ultimately make you uniquely special.

A wellness expert who has significantly helped you: Honestly, my best friend Lauren Alexander is who I go to for wellness updates, as she is a walking encyclopedia in everything from wellness to incredible wine. For skin, my expert is Lynne Shirvandehi, who has taught me everything I know around skincare, and completely transformed my complexion. She is incredible and if you live in Los Angeles, you have to see her!

Favorite wellness/beauty book:I love everything by Gabrielle Bernstein, and my younger self owned and studied every book Bobbi Brown ever made. I loved her approach because it not only talked about makeup, but also spoke about health, wellness, and how to accentuate your own unique features, which is a lot of the philosophy I use now as a makeup artist and creator.

Three things you’re really into right now: Considering we are in a global pandemic, it’s unique to this current time, even though I have always been into arts and crafts. Right now, I am going crazy for tie-dye, but I feel like it helps me dive deeper into color and color combinations. Since I make makeup, it inspires what I will be doing next.

As mentioned before, my passion is making makeup. I am always tinkering with formulas and formulating. That is always happening, but especially right now.

I’ve also been pulling all my old magazines from the mid 90’s and early 2000’s. It brings me so much joy and inspiration.

How are you managing anxiety in light of COVID-19: It goes up and down and all around as I’m sure it does for all of us. Exercise is key for me. A walk, a run, turning on music LOUD and dancing, using my hands and being creative, organizing, enjoying amazing wine, laughing with my best friends, and keeping a positive mindset and not allowing myself to go down news rabbit holes.

Is there a COVID-19 silver lining for you: The silver lining is that not once in the 17 years that I have hustled and worked my ass off have I ever had the opportunity to be still and quiet and think and reflect. I feel like I am on summer vacation during highschool. I go a mile a minute, so to me, this stillness and quarantine is a huge blessing. I get to slow down and appreciate the things that I have and the life that I’ve created for myself. It gets me pumped up for what I will do next. There are many silver linings as long as you can look at this as an opportunity and not a punishment.