Loud and bubbly makeup artist Heidie Fourie never steps out without her best makeup, a fab outfit, and matching earrings. Because if you look good, you feel good. And she’s on a mission to make sure everyone who leaves her studio feels absolutely amazing.
After two decades of corporate hustle, Heidie Fourie decided it was time to pursue her true passions. Goodbye Excel spreadsheets, hello eyeshadow palettes and a closet full of fabulous dresses. She took a leap of faith, transforming her side hustles into her main gig.
Although makeup has always been Heidie’s first love, opening a dress rental business while working full time seemed like the first step in the right direction. And LeChic Closet by Heidie was born around five years ago.
Then Covid hit and remote work became the new norm … Heidie saw this as the perfect opportunity to not only focus more on her dress rentals but also to finally pursue her dream of doing a professional makeup course.
“I’ve always put effort into looking my best. My mom taught me that you should always take care of yourself, be proud of yourself and honour your temple. She’s my primary example and inspiration. Even when she’s at home, even when she feels unwell, or just going to the café to get milk and bread, she always looks photoshoot-ready.
Starting in her teen years, battling bad skin, Heidie’s love for makeup began. “I remember getting my makeup done for school pageants and thinking how amazing it must be to make people look and feel beautiful every day. But being young and unaware of the beauty industry’s extent, I took a safe, normal job after school. Little did I know that I’d eventually open LeChic Makeup by Heidie.”
These days, Heidie loves doing makeup for all kinds of events, especially weddings. Who says a ‘fempreneur’ can’t also be a hopeless romantic? A total chatterbox, she just loves meeting new people, being a part of the wedding party shenanigans and playing a small role in a bride’s journey to I do.
For Heidie, it’s all about that magical moment when a client sees themselves in the mirror for the first time. Shock. Excitement. Happiness. Sometimes even happy tears. “It warms my heart, and confirms that this is exactly what I was meant to do.”
“To me, every face is like a canvas. It’s like opening a new colouring book. You can already envision each picture’s beauty. For me, it’s the same with every face that sits in my makeup chair. Every client has that one beautiful feature that I cannot wait to ‘colour in’… big eyes, beautiful full lips, gorgeous cheekbones.
Where most clients only see the thing that makes them feel less beautiful (bad skin, pigmentation, small lips, tiny eyes, crooked nose), I see their beauty. Makeup is not meant as a tool meant to make an ugly thing beautiful. It is meant to magnify and enhance the beauty that already exists within them.”
When she’s not at the studio, Heidie loves curling up with a good book or rewatching her fave series. Balancing two businesses, being a mom to her 12-year-old daughter Jennifer, and a wife to husband JP is no small feat. She admits that juggling all the balls isn’t always easy … especially with her perfectionistic tendencies. But she credits her amazing support system that pulls her through every time. That’s why she will always make time for those closest to her. She absolutely treasures weekends away, movie nights, shopping sprees, or ice cream outings with her family, and indulging in her guilty pleasure – lemon meringue … she knows how to keep life sweet.
Her remedy for success is quite simple … “Faith, prayer, hard work and believing in myself. I try to always stay positive. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that I just need to stay strong, push through and ask for help when I need it. And to never give up!
“My advice to other women wanting to pursue their passion is to just do it! Pray for guidance, listen, and watch out for those signs sent to guide you. Eventually, you’ll feel it, burning like a fire inside you. And your human nature will tell you to be afraid. That’s when you should remember the only person who can take that leap is you!” She did. And she’s flying.
Details: Follow @LeChic Makeup by Heidie and @ LeChic Closet by Heidie on Facebook and Insta.
Top Autumn skincare tips
For some, Winter is the perfect time for hibernation and cutting the corners on our wellness routines. Skincare, however, should not be something we skimp on. Heidie gives her top tips to ensure you remain on track with your skincare goals.
• SPF always. We might feel that the sun is less potent and harmful to our skin during Winter and Autumn, but not protecting our skin from the sun’s rays during these colder and milder seasons can be just as harmful to our skin.
• Match your foundation. During the colder months, our skin colour starts to lighten due to us spending less time outdoors due to the cold and windiness, which means most of the time our foundation becomes too dark for our skin, it is always a good idea to have a lighter shade on hand to prevent our makeup looking a little too dark.
• Hydrate your skin. It’s always a good idea to use a cleanser and serum that hydrates your skin and combats against dry skin which is common in the cooler months. Products that contain hydraulic acid are best to prevent dry skin.
• Warm & leafy colours. It is not only our wardrobe colours that change during the colder months. Going into autumn is the perfect time to add a little fun to our makeup pallet. Yellows, burnt orange, reds and gold can elevate your makeup look during Autumn after using a lot of dark browns during Winter.
• Flushed cheeks & glossy lips. Seeing as our cheeks naturally tend to be a little flushed from the cold during winter going into autumn, why not add a little flushed cheek to your makeup look? I like to use a warm peachy colour to get the flushed look. A glossy lip not only helps keep your lips moisturised during the colder months but also softens up your makeup look, which goes well with a flushed cheek and that little pop of warm tones in your eyeshadow.
Text: ALANICKA LOTRIET. • Photographer: HILDA MANS. • Make-up: HEIDIE FOURIE. Hair: JANINE LATEGAN.
