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Merli | Makeup Artist + Creator

@missmerli

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💄 Makeup Artist + Creator
🎬 TV • Film • Bridal • Beauty
🗽 NYC/NJ | IATSE Local 798
✨ Beauty • Style • Creative Living
💌 [email protected]

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So I did a thing… I kept going. 🦋 #metamorphosis #metamorphosis #junkjournaling #journaling #girlswhomeet I can be grateful for where I am and still be scared of where I’m going.

These moments are me going anyway. Writing the prayer. Showing up for my work. Expressing my creativity through makeup and art. Planning for the life I’m still becoming brave enough to imagine. Making room for friendship, laughter, and a life outside of work.

I’m learning that I can love my people without needing every step of my journey to look like theirs. Some steps feel lonely. Some introduce me to people I might never have met if I’d stayed where I was comfortable.

When discomfort makes me want to stand still, I lean on my faith and ask God for the courage to take the next step, not the whole staircase.

I don’t have it all figured out. But I’m not waiting until I do to live.

The metamorphosis continues. 🦋 by @missmerli

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9 days ago

So I did a FIT thing 🖤😂 Rooftop Pilates at Hotel Rivington with @girlswhomeet Girls Who Meet, everyone in all black. Very NYC!

My first time doing Pilates since my high tibial osteotomy surgery, and whew… humbling 😮‍💨 A reminder that I’ve come a long way and still have more to go. Giving myself credit for showing up and making it through valiantly 😂💪🏾

After class, we headed upstairs to try on shades from @sojosvision SOJOS, sip some amazing matcha, and I got my first B12 shot with @_driplounge_ Drip Lounge! Picked up my gift bag full of goodies, then capped off this rainy day with ramen at @zuttonyc . Flavorful and spicy, just how I like it 🍜🔥

A little movement, a little girl time, and a little treat. Very Merli 💕

#GirlsWhoMeet #NYCLife #PilatesJourney #SOJOS #LifestyleCreator by @missmerli

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11 days ago

So I did a thing 💕 My first Girls Who Meet event and you already know I loved all the pink! 🎀 Surprisingly, I wore silver 😂✨

From creating a charm dangle for my hand sanitizer case to the photo booth, the mirror where we shared what we were toasting to, and those beautiful cakes, @girlswhomeet X @myscenttheory understood the assignment!

But meeting so many amazing women was the best part 💕 The bingo card made breaking the ice so easy, and finding out afterward that I won a giveaway was the icing on the cake 😂🎁

A little shimmer, a little girl time, and a whole lot of reasons to come back. Can’t wait for the next one! 🥂✨

#GirlsWhoMeet #myScentTheory #nycclubs #NYClife #adultfriendships by @missmerli

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13 days ago

Still doing the thing. 🤍

September 15th backstage at the Thom Browne show with Dr. Diamond’s Metacine.

I’m learning that being ready doesn’t always mean being fearless. Sometimes it means showing up prepared, saying yes, and trusting that everything you’ve learned has prepared you for the moment in front of you.

So even when anxiety is loud and fear tells me I’m not ready, I’m walking into the room anyway.

Incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bring together my worlds of skincare, beauty and artistry backstage at NYFW.

The fear can come with me, but it doesn’t get to drive. 🤍

Grateful for this one. Ready for what’s next.

#NYFW #ThomBrowne #DrDiamondsMetacine #BackstageBeauty #BeautyCreator MakeupArtist Skincare by @missmerli

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a month ago

I’m doing a thing. It’s imperfect, but it’s happening. ✨

A girlie who can get overstimulated in a room full of people is learning how to be IN the room again. To go to the event. Meet the people. Have the drink. Take the pictures. Be present. And actually enjoy herself.

@society18 x @refinery29 x @r29somos x @myrevair x @audible gave us such a beautiful experience and yes, the swag bag absolutely SWAGGED. 😂 @newbalance sneakers that speak directly to my knees, @rocskincare, fragrance from @scentsunearthd , a RevAir bonnet that has already been worn, and a microphone from Audible… so prepare to be sick of me. 🎤😂

But my favorite thing I took home wasn’t in the bag.

It was the reminder that I’m ready to get back into the thick of my own life.

More experiences. More creating. More rooms. More connections. More fun. More LIFE.

I don’t have to wait until I’m completely comfortable. I can be a little overstimulated, a little awkward, still figuring it out… and go anyway.

It’s time to truly enjoy life again.

Let’s go. 💕✨

@theestylishp stunning fit 🇭🇹 taken in Freehand New York by @missmerli

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a month ago

Yesterday at BookCon felt like a hug for both adult Merli and little Merli. 🥹📚 From sitting in The Babysitters Club booth at Scholastic to laughing from my gut with sweet friends, this day held more joy, nostalgia, and healing than I expected.

And of course, it made me think of my mother, who planted my love of books before I even had the words to explain what stories meant to me.

Some days feel small from the outside, but holy on the inside.

I wrote about the full day on Substack my mom, my inner child, and the quiet ways healing shows up. Link in bio and stories✨ by @missmerli

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6 months ago

42 feels like light.
Like grace.
Like softness that survived hard things.
Like color that never asked permission to be bright.

I’m deeply grateful to see this year.
Grateful for growth.
Grateful for healing.
Grateful that God, in His kindness, keeps writing my story.

The world will try to tell women what beauty should look like at every age.
Quieter. Smaller. Simpler.
But I have learned that growing older does not mean becoming less.
It means becoming fuller.
Truer.
More radiant in the ways that matter.

So yes, I will wear the shine.
Yes, I will wear the color.
Yes, I will let myself be seen.

Because 42 is not a closing.
It is a flowering. “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Maya Angelou Psalm 139:14 — “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” by @missmerli

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6 months ago

I was looking at photos of myself from ten years ago confident, fearless, colorful.
Somewhere along the way, survival took over.

Lately, the word surviving has been echoing in my head.
Getting through the day.
Wondering if time is running out.
Wondering if I waited too long.

But today, I’m choosing something different.
I called 2025 my Metamorphosis year
but the truth is, I’m still coming out.
Still shedding. Still growing. Still becoming.

Going forward, this space will reflect my walk
with God, with healing, and with becoming whole.
You’ll see faith woven into everyday life, honest growth in real time, movement and wellness as acts of care, creativity as worship, planning and beauty with grace, travel, joy, and lived experiences
not just highlight reels.

Less perfection.
More presence.
Less surviving.
More living.

This is a space for growth, grace, and alignment.
If you’re in a season of becoming too, you’re welcome here 🤍🦋 Cheers to 2026 fwens I've missed y'all let's not stay apart this long again. by @missmerli

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10 months ago

Grateful… but still grieving the life I thought I’d have by now.
Marriage. Motherhood. Stability Success. Some dreams haven’t shown up yet.

But I’m learning to sit with both joy and sorrow.
To trust that even in the detours, God is still writing something beautiful.

Have you ever felt grateful and grieving at the same time? What's something you're learning to let go of or learning to hope for again? Let's uplift and hold space for one another.

Digital art by @craftyplanner_queen mention Merli15
25% off till Mar 17 2025

#craftyplannerqueen #SoftLifeSeason
#BecomingHer
#UnspokenGrief
#StillBecoming
#WomensStoriesMatter#GuidedJournal
#JournalingThroughIt
#DearGodJournal
#JournalWithMe
#DevotionalLife#FaithInTheWaiting
#GodsTiming
#HopeDeferred
#HealingWithGod
#GriefAndGrace
Is time becoming a factor in how you move in life now? by @missmerli

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2 years ago

Giving new life to my planner cover with digital art magic! I love expressing my creativity on the go and turning my planner into a living work of art. Huge love to @CraftyPlannerQueen for always keeping the inspo flowing. Get yours 25% off till March 17th.

Your planner = your vibe!

#PlannerGlowUp #DigitalArtVibes #PlannerBabe #CraftyPlannerQueen #CreativePlanning #DIYPlannerCover #PlannerInspo #ArtisticVibes #PlannerTransformation #StationeryAddict by @missmerli

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2 years ago

Celebrating International Women’s Day—starting with me! Sometimes, I catch myself being too humble, too selfless—to the point where I shrink myself. But here’s the truth: two things can be true… You’re a queen, and I am too. ✨👑 #InternationalWomensDay #nycmakeupartist #QueensFixEachOthersCrowns #makeupartist #beautyobsessed #inspiration by @missmerli

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2 years ago

Art journaling is more than just creativity—it’s a reflection of who I am and the masterpiece I’m becoming. Every layer, every color, and every detail tells a story of growth, transformation, and purpose.

Had an amazing junk journaling session today, pouring our hearts onto the pages and embracing the beauty of self-expression! If you missed this one, stay posted for the next—trust me, and you won’t want to miss it!

Huge shoutout to Robin of @craftyplanner_queen for this stunning artwork that speaks volumes! Want to grab some of her creations for your own journey? Use my code Merli15 to get started. (Birdie told me it might be available soon 👀)

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” – Philippians 1:6

#ArtJournaling #CreativeHealing #Metamorphosis #JunkJournaling #FaithAndCreativity #CraftyPlannerQueen by @missmerli

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2 years ago