From Backstage to Clean Beauty: Angie Parker’s Journey to a More Thoughtful Approach
*ANGIE PARKER
*ANGIE PARKER
Angie Parker has spent decades in the worlds of fashion, music, and beauty, but her philosophy has always stayed the same: makeup should feel effortless, not forced. She’s worked with some of the most influential names in the industry, watching as beauty trends cycle through extremes—from bare-faced minimalism to heavy-handed contouring—but she’s never subscribed to the idea that more is better. Her signature approach? Skin that looks like skin, makeup that moves with you, and color that reflects personality, not perfection.
Her shift toward clean beauty wasn’t about following a trend—it was about necessity. After years of seeing the toll conventional products took on models’ skin, she overhauled her kit, searching for formulas that performed without compromise. That search eventually led to Shop Parker, a highly curated space where beauty meets education, and where less—but better—is the guiding principle.
In our conversation, Angie Parker opens up about the evolution of beauty, why makeup should never be about masking, and how she’s redefining the way we shop for beauty. Read the full interview below.
Your journey started with painting and art—how do you see the face as a canvas, and what excites you most about working with skin as a medium?
I do see the skin, when it is bare as a canvas but also as the person, so their personality and their health of their skin must play a role. In fashion I approach it slightly differently as we change shapes and change ideas accordingly. With customers I look at the health of the skin and apply where needed, but my end goal is always to slightly elevate the face by evening out the skin tones and taking away some of the discoloration, while also allowing skin to still look and feel like skin. Perhaps a little more eye, or if they feel adventurous a pop of color on the lip, again it has to feel like their personality and not forced.
As a makeup artist, you’ve worked across music, fashion, and beauty. How do these industries shape different perceptions of beauty?
At the beginning of my career in ‘94 music and fashion did not really cross over. The idea that a music artist would play with makeup ideas that we would see on the runway, did not really happen.
I was assisting at the time some really huge makeup artists and then applying some of these ideas onto a musician, whether it be on a video or a press event, or a cover of a magazine. Of course there were artists like Bjork who was unique however, It was always a conversation and some artists were excited to try something new, some not as much.
Fashion and beauty have also been cross pollinating for a while, I love seeing beauty brands taking a risk and trying something creative, it is rare, as their advertising has to speak to the consumer, so they tend to attempt bold with a slightly diluted version, however what is always important is a character and a personality to really offer a stand out image.
These days I believe our focus must be on creating beauty and fashion that is symbiotic- healthy skin - effortless makeup with moments of creative genius however I feel that we have a responsibility to educate women around beauty and not make it an elite club by making it so hard to join!
You’re known for a natural, effortless style. What’s your philosophy when it comes to enhancing beauty rather than masking it?
My philosophy has always been the same since the beginning, blend, blend and blend!
Its been very important for me to stand back and see the work as striking yet seamless, if I see hard edges I typically go back in and blend as for me anyway I love to see the face and the beauty of the woman.
Backstage at fashion weeks, you’ve seen models and artists at their most vulnerable. What have you observed about the connection between makeup and self-confidence?
I think models have such a grueling job at the shows and they start in NY and end in Paris a month later and they are exhausted, sleep deprived and their skin often damaged by the makeup and the brows being bleached or the type of makeup used, so their skin gets very sensitive.
As an assistant before when I was younger or as key makeup artist now , I try to create a moment of calm in a storm, using products which heal the skin, even if its just the skincare. I take a moment to massage the face and maybe spray or use an aromatherapy oil, calming down the nervous system has always allowed for a moment of rest while i then go in and do the makeup. Also where possible i like to use my fingers and spray them often to keep them clean, it just feels better than brushes when the skin has endured endless makeups and traveling.
You’ve spent 15 years dedicated to clean beauty. What sparked your passion for ingredient-conscious products, and how has your philosophy evolved over time?
I feel that watching models talk about their skin issues and seeing it first hand has allowed me to understand how toxic some of these beauty brands can be.
Once Rosemary from RMS beauty told me about her illness she had from using beauty products prior to her launch of RMS, I started to look into it and i had no idea how many chemicals and preservatives were used, especially in the US. I had an almost immediate reaction and reached out to as many clean brands on the market and tried and tested them all to allow me to create a new kit that would be as effective and give me the same results so I could throw away the toxic makeup and start anew.
Shop Parker isn’t just a beauty retail concept—it’s an experience. How do you aim to redefine the way people shop for beauty?
Honestly, it was such an organic move for me, using all these great brands for skin and color, I noticed how many folks would tell me about their shopping experience for makeup. How many of them had so many products they did not know how to use. Also models would love the skincare I used on shoots and I would have the brands send them to them to use. For me, if a model or a customer has problem skin, I like to get to the root cause. Understanding and learning how the skin and gut work together, along with our hormones, has allowed me to dive into the root cause of most skin complaints. When customers come to me for a 15 min makeup, or because they want to buy a product, if they are dealing with acne or rosacea, I feel fully equipped now to know how to help them without the use of drugs and medication, which always has a secondary negative impact on the body.
The beauty industry is more saturated than ever, with brands constantly competing for attention. How do you ensure Shop Parker stands out in this space?
The concept of Shop Parker Beauty is and will always be an edited down version of my favorite brands and products. I want to expand but there will always be a smaller selection and this way its not overwhelming and If its is in my store its has my stamp of approval.
The 15-minute makeup lesson you offer is such a unique touch. What inspired this approach, and what’s the most common misconception you encounter when educating clients?
I started off charging for a makeup lesson and to detox the makeup bag. My original pop up was almost 8 weeks long and I felt that I had more of an authentic approach with the customer, if I could do their makeup complimentary, and then they would also feel more inclined to buy everything I used, which meant they could look and feel like this every day, which is my main goal to educate women and then they too can go away and copy the look daily.
I don’t notice a common misconception other than of course this need to contour and shape the face, I don’t like it as it feels and looks like makeup. Most of my products are cream based so everything looks and feels like skin.
In your opinion, what’s the one product or technique that instantly elevates a makeup look? What common mistakes do people make when applying makeup, and how can they simplify their routine?
For me a well moisturized face is key to start, for sure a good concealer is probably every person’s most needed product on top of the good moisturizer as we nearly all need to cover our dark circles and nearly always have a need to cover something on the face to even out the complexion. Right now, again for me the biggest mistake is to go too light with the concealer under the eye , i realize it has become popular to create definition, however in person ( especially when the concealer is too dry) its so aging and makes the makeup feel incredibly heavy.
If you could create your dream product that doesn’t exist yet, what would it be?
I would love to figure out how to create a completely smudge proof mascara that is very clean, always good for the lower lashes especially and women who have the smaller eye space so their mascara always bleeds, but waterproof mascara is very toxic !
Shop Parker is currently a pop-up concept with a growing presence in different cities. Do you envision a permanent flagship location in the future?
Yes absolutely the pops up are really to experiment with customers and see which country responds the best to the idea and especially as I know I have competition with the beauty stores and the clean beauty stores, I wanted to test the water to feel it out as a blueprint really.
Eventually a permanent flag ship will be created however I feel like popping up in different places will always be a part of our business so we can reach more women and educate more people about chemicals and synthetic fragrances and how they are really making us ill and damaging our skin and hormones and causing issues with fertility.
You’ve recently expanded into clean candles and scents, and even hair and scalp care. What’s next for Shop Parker’s product lineup?
As I watch the brands I know and love expand their repertoire, it feels organic to me to expand mine. Clean beauty is really a way of life. As i talk to women about nutrition and their lifestyle habits and their gut health, I want to have a shop that reflects the life I am portraying. I intend to expand into more haircare and pre and probiotics and nail products and just what makes sense around taking the stress out of our lives, but also moving into easy ways to detox the body and especially when we know we have to take out the heavy metals and mold out of our body and helping women who may be suffering with extreme skin conditions and working alongside homeopaths and natural-paths I want to create a world that women can trust to take their whole body back to baseline.
Can you walk us through your morning and evening skincare and makeup routine?
Yes I of course try to keep it simple.
I use a Bioderma for sensitive skin to take off my mascara , then the Kat Burki Nourishing Cleansing Balm to really massage into my skin and eyes, its so gentle and feels so good at the end of my day.
I use the 3 ply Egyptian cotton wash cloth that goes alongside the cleanser, use this under warm water and then remove it. I follow with some of Kat’s new Vitabiome spray just to make sure my microbiome is balanced after a day of running around in the city. Followed by a nice amount of the Bonjout balm 4 nights and the other 3 nights I use the French Farmacie Elixir Exfoliant( alternating).
In the morning i just the wash cloth to wipe my face if I have used the Elixir Exfoliant and then I apply the Kat Burki Biocell serum as I am trying to bring down amy hyperpigmentation and then another good layer of Bonjout !
You curate brands with a strong emphasis on clean ingredients. Which are your current favorite beauty brands and why?
My favorite clean beauty products are all sold at Shop Parker mostly that is why I have them.
RMS is such an incredible line and their shades are not only great but expand into the full range for all skin tones. Are all creamy and yet have a good enough pigment to do the job they are created for. Effortless and easy to use is my mantra! Shop Parker will always make sure to provide colors and products for all skin tones.
Manasi 7 is an extraordinary brand as they go really far to take care of the environment when taking ingredients out, they have a beautiful aesthetic and their ALL IN ONE colors are exquisite and I definitely am a huge fan of their lip and eye pencils.
I am a fan of other clean brands such as Ilia and Westman Atelier and recently have been introduced to a Mexican Brand which I started using and eventually after using it for a while I will bring it into the shop. I often like to use something for a few months or longer before it makes its way into Shop Parker so I can be sure it serves a real need to my customer and is not just filling a space because it looks nice.
Beyond skincare and makeup, what are some personal wellness rituals you swear by?
For me wellness is a lifestyle I eat very clean and mostly Palio, I wake up and have a routine which involves brushing my teeth and scraping my tongue immediately, as I know its good to eliminate any bacteria in the mouth upon rising using a toothpaste which helps the microbiome for the mouth.
I have a shot Intelligence Of Nature Probiotic and then make a lemon water and a tea.
I then do my 20 mins TM meditation and try to incorporate some breathwork.
Check my phone- emails etc
Then have a snack and either swim - go to the gym or do 30 mins pilates at home on my work out mirror.
If I am shooting i typically don’t exercise as I am not a super early riser but I always make time for skincare - teeth and meditation along with some positive affirmations for the day !!
