Molly Ryan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Molly, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
In this wonderful world of beauty influencing, so much of the focus is on what’s visible: the flawless makeup look, perfect lighting, the aesthetic feed… But what I am most proud of building is something that doesn’t always show up on the screen — trust and confidence within my community.
Behind every created content post or tutorial, there is a much deeper layer of connection. I spend countless hours answering private messages, encouraging people to embrace their natural beauty, and reminding them that makeup is a tool for expression, not perfection. These moments rarely get seen by the wider audience, but they are where the real impact happens.
The messages I treasure most aren’t about products or techniques — they’re from followers who say they feel more confident walking into a room, more comfortable in their own skin, or more excited to try something new because of the encouragement they found in my content. Those exchanges don’t earn likes, views, or shares, but they’re the heart of what I do.
All in all, beauty isn’t just about how we look — it’s about how we feel. And knowing that I have built a safe, encouraging space that helps people feel a little more seen and a little more confident? That’s the part of my work I am most proud of, even if nobody sees it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey!! My name is Molly Ryan, most of my friends call me Molls. I am a 26 year old from East Tawas, Michigan. I am just a small town girl, with big dreams! Makeup has always been more than just products to me — it’s a form of art and self expression. What started as experimenting with eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks turned into a true passion for helping others feel confident and beautiful in their own skin. I love sharing tips, techniques, and honest advice, because I believe makeup isn’t about covering up — it’s about highlighting the features that make each of us unique. Whether I’m trying out the latest trends or sticking to timeless classics, my goal is always the same: to inspire confidence, creativity, and a little bit of everyday glam.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
When I think about who taught me the most about work, the answer comes to me instantly: my mom. When I was a child, she was balancing a full time job, while navigating her own adult challenges, and yet she always managed to show up. Not just for work, but for me and my brother.
I watched her juggle responsibilities that seemed impossible at times — rushing home from a long day of work to run my brother or I to practice or where ever we needed to go, to running home to make sure dinner was on the table, paying bills while still finding a way to give me and my brother the things we needed, and handling stress with a quiet strength that I didn’t fully appreciate until I got older. She rarely complained, and when she did, it was usually to herself in the car or behind a closed door. To me, she always appeared strong, capable, and determined.
What I learned from her wasn’t just the value of hard work — it was resilience. She showed me that work isn’t always glamorous, and sometimes it isn’t even fair, but it’s about showing up anyway. She taught me that responsibility doesn’t wait for perfect timing, and that you don’t stop pushing forward just because life throws challenges your way.
Now when I face my own workdays, challenges, or setbacks, I carry her lessons with me. Work, to me, isn’t just about earning a paycheck — it’s about commitment, about doing what needs to be done, and about finding pride in the effort even when nobody else is watching.
My mom might not realize the impact she has had on shaping my work ethic, but everything I accomplish is rooted in the example she set. She taught me perseverance without ever giving a lecture, and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
If I’m honest, the fear that has held me back the most in my life is judgement. From an early age, I worried about what people thought of me — how I looked, how I spoke, if I was “enough”. That fear didn’t disappear as I got older; it simply took new forms.
When I started beauty influencing, judgement became even more present. Posting your face, your voice, your ideas — and inviting the internet to have an opinion on them — can feel overwhelming. Every photo, every video, every caption felt like an open door for criticism. What if people didn’t like how I looked? What if my videos weren’t aesthetic enough? What if I was laughed at instead of taken seriously? What if?
For a long time, that fear kept me from sharing my full self. I second-guesses content, deleted posts, and compared myself to others who seemed more polished or confident. The irony is, beauty influencing is supposed to be about expression and creativity, but judgement — or even just the fear of it — can make you shrink instead of shine.
What I have learned, though, is that judgment is unavoidable. No matter what you do, someone will always have an opinion. But when I focus less on what others might say or more on the people I can help — the follower who feels more confident trying a bold lipstick, or the person who finally feels comfortable embracing their natural skin — the fear quiets.
Judgement may still linger in the background, but I no longer let it control me. In fact, it’s become part of my story. Beauty influencing taught me that the more you put yourself out there, the stronger you become — not because judgement disappears, but because your confidence grows louder than your fear.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you asked my closest friends what really matters to me, they’d probably tell you it’s more than just makeup — it’s the confidence and the connection behind it. Over the years, they’ve seen how beauty became a personal journey for me, starting as a way to explore creativity and eventually becoming a tool for self-growth. Makeup helped me step into my own confidence, and now, what matters the most is using that experience to help others do the same.
They’d say I care about the little things — cheering someone on when they’re nervous, sharing a new product that might make them smile, or reminding them that beauty isn’t about perfection. It’s about feeling comfortable in your own skin. My friends know that I light up when I can help someone see themselves differently, not because of a flawless foundation or a perfect winged liner, but because they suddenly FEEL that spark of confidence.
At the heart of it, what really matters to me is connection–whether through a makeup brush, a conversation, or simply showing up. Beauty may be my canvas, but empowerment and authenticity are the things that drive me every single day.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
ABSOLUTELY. For me, giving my best has never been about the applause — it’s about integrity and passion. Makeup, and really anything I pour myself into, has always been about the process: the creativity, the growth, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing I showed up fully. Praise is wonderful, of course — it feels good to be seen. But the truth is, the most meaningful moments often happens when no one else is watching.
When I’m blending colors late at night, practicing a new technique, or even just encouraging a friend to try something bold, I’m not doing it for validation. I’m doing it because it lights me up, because it helps me grow, and because I know it can inspire someone else. Praise fades, but the pride I feel in giving my best — even in silence — stays with me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeupbymolls_
- Other: Tiktok:
www.tiktok.com/makeupbymolls_
