That Makeup Gal

In this episode, we speak openly about being childfree in your late 30s, the grief that can sit beside freedom, and the strange ache of realising life didn’t unfold the way you thought it would. This is not an episode about regret, and it is not an episode about motherhood being the only meaningful path. It is a conversation about altered timelines, grief, womanhood, aunties, emotional survival, b...

For episode 26, I sat down after a conversation and a bit of a spiral, to be honest, and just hit record. I didn’t have a structure, or a clear point, I just had a lot of thoughts that felt like they needed somewhere to go. This episode is about what happens when something in your life changes you to the point where you don’t recognise yourself anymore. The shift in how you see yourself. The way y...

Well folks, this one came out of nowhere! I sat down to record something completely different and ended up talking about something I have spent a lot of time thinking about recently…which is that a lot of people are dating before they’re actually ready… We talk about how it feels to call something connection when it’s actually coming from a place you haven’t faced yet, why it feels different every...

Episode 24 starts as an ad-lib yap and turns into a deep dive into communication, grief, refinement and the uncomfortable shift from survival mode into actually showing up again. After spending much of 2025 in a quiet season of grief, introspection and massive personal change, Stevi reflects on how loss reshaped her voice, her relationships and her tolerance for surface-level living. She talks hon...

This one goes straight into the reality of what happens when life shifts under your feet. The losses, the identity shifts, the grief that hits in waves, and the way you rebuild when you don’t recognise yourself anymore. I talk about the thousands of tiny deaths that come with big change, the dust-settling phase where you just sit in the wreckage, and the moment you finally pick up the pen again an...

We talk about love bombing like it’s something that just happens to us. But what if it’s not that simple?  In this episode, I’m unpacking why I believe “love bombing” isn’t as simple as one manipulator and one victim, it’s often two people caught in the same obsessive cycle.  One giving, one receiving, both chasing the high of validation.  I share my own story of spiralling thoughts, the need for...

This isn’t a list of clichés or Pinterest quotes. It’s the real, messy, practical stuff that got me through some of my darkest times. In this episode, I share the points I jotted down, the reminders, habits, and mindset shifts that helped bring me back to earth when everything felt too heavy. These are the things I still come back to, because they work. Not because they’re magic, but because they’...

In this solo episode, I’m unpacking something I think most of us feel but rarely admit out loud. The weird unwritten rule book of connection in 2025. What it means to try to build something honest with people in a time where everything feels like performance. Dating. Friendships. Online visibility. Even running a business. I’m talking about the pressure to keep it all curated and constant. To look...

This one’s for the moments when you feel like you’re crumbling under self-doubt, when you’re second-guessing, people-pleasing, or trying to soften your edges to be more palatable. In this episode, I unpack what it really looks like to stand in your power, not the Pinterest-quote version, but the real, messy, inconvenient, deeply clarifying version. I talk about the fear that comes up when you’re f...

We’ve created a culture where every feeling is expected to fit into a tidy label, every connection into a clearly defined category, and every emotional response into a neat little box. But real life? It rarely works like that. This episode is for the people who thought they were “fine” until they weren’t. For anyone who’s ever said “it’s casual” while quietly hoping it might be more. For those who...

What happens when you stop making their experience the main storyline and instead make it about yours? This episode isn’t about a guy, it’s about what happened when I finally started taking my own advice. It’s about showing up, messy, real, and emotionally sunburnt and being seen anyway. It’s about remembering who the fuck you are in the mess. Not just after you’ve cleaned it up. We talk dating (y...

In this episode, I talk about what happens when dating bumps up against abandonment wounds, unresolved grief, and your need to feel chosen. But don’t worry, it’s not all heavy. I also get into the difference between love and limerence (aka, that obsessive, electric, not-quite-love thing that feels so real… until it’s not), and what dating yourself actually looks like when you’re not just playing t...

Ever feel like you’re dating with one hand on your heart and the other on the eject button? Same.  In this episode, I’m talking sabotage, specifically, how I’ve masterfully self-destructed potential relationships before they had a chance to disappoint me. From wearing the “ unbothered cool girl ” mask while emotionally dissociating, to mistaking my anxious attachment for “gut instinct,” I’m unpack...

Look. Digital dating is weird. We all hate it a little. But what if it could actually be… useful? Stay with me. In this episode, I’m talking about how to actually get something out of the talking stage (yes, even when it fizzles), and how I’ve turned dating into a form of personal growth, therapy, and yes—exposure therapy. From texting with intention to saying exactly who you are from the jump (an...

Bit of grief, bit of heartache, bit of stress… basically, a classic Tuesday. This episode gets real about the things we don’t post with an aesthetic filter. The parts of ADHD, anxiety, heartbreak, and burnout that aren’t cute, “relatable,” or easy to explain in a carousel post. It’s about what happens when the healing advice runs out, your friends’ patience wears thin, and you’re just… surviving....

In this episode we’re tearing up the imaginary rulebook on “perfect” because spoiler alert perfection doesn’t exist. It’s just another way we keep ourselves small and silent. We talk about how our obsession with being flawless keeps us stuck, hiding, and disconnected. When we try to present a polished picture perfect version of ourselves to the world, we’re not protecting our image—we’re just bury...

This one’s all about accountability—why it matters, why it’s uncomfortable, and why it’s the only way forward.  I share some personal stories and touch on something I think a lot of people will relate to: the identity crisis that can come with grief or trauma. That moment of who am I again? when everything you thought you knew about yourself shifts. It’s not always easy to face, but owning your pa...

Double digits!  Episode 10 is here, and this one took me by surprise. I’m talking about the “Let Them” theory. The idea sounds great in theory—just let people do what they want, and don’t take it personally. But is it really that simple? I think there’s a whole layer missing in these conversations. “Letting them” isn’t just about walking away—it’s about doing the actual work to accept people for w...

Quick heads-up—this episode sounds a little different because my usual recording setup glitched, so I had to use a backup mic. Bear with me, though, because there’s some good stuff in here. Hopefully, I’ll be back to normal next recording!  This one’s a short episode, but it’s packed with things I think are worth saying. I’m talking about change (again—it keeps coming up, doesn’t it?) and why it’s...

This episode gets heavy, but it’s a conversation worth having. I share one of my darkest moments and the profound realisation that followed: the weight of life isn’t always as crushing as it feels in the moment. If we can hold on and make it through, we’ll see the battle for what it was—a testament to our strength, not a marker of defeat. I also explore the quiet impact of temporary encounters—the...

A multi topic episode linking back to the overarching topic of acceptance vs forgiveness. Grief can steal time, leaving relationships and moments unattended. In this episode of That Makeup Gal , I reflect on reconnecting with others, taking accountability for time lost, and understanding your unique needs for healing—without guilt. I share how pouring from an empty cup led me to explore the differ...

In this episode, I dive into the tough reality of making changes within a small business when life itself is already turbulent. From overcoming the fear of change to facing the courage it takes to set boundaries, I share my own journey of growth and the hard decisions that come with it.  This episode is a personal look at what it takes to break free from old patterns, challenge comfort zones, and...

Another deep dive into why choosing to stay single in your 30s is more than okay—it’s often an essential step on the path to self-understanding and healing. Reflecting on the influences of growing up in the 90s and the generational baggage many of us carry - and no that term doesn't always apply in a familial sense, it can be the impact of what surrounded us at that time.  We’ll explore the t...

In this episode, we’re diving into the often overlooked journey of unlearning hyper-independence. For anyone who’s been fiercely self-reliant, you know that finding comfort in vulnerability isn’t just hard—it can feel like breaking down walls you’ve spent years building. I talk about what it’s like to shift from “I can do it all myself” to “Maybe I don’t have to.” We’ll explore how deeply ingraine...

I dive into the tension between fear and growth—especially as we navigate adulthood and all the pressure that comes with it.  We’re constantly told to stay youthful and fight against aging, as if growing up means losing something essential. But I think we lose more by pushing away the very process that makes us whole. I In this episode, I share my realisations about how the fear of “growing up” mi...