We were lucky to catch up with Heather Ward recently and have shared our conversation below.

Heather, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I have been using makeup since I was about 15-years old. Back then, I kept things a bit more natural. Only neutral tones, natural lip colors and blushes, nothing that differed greatly from how I looked without makeup. It was when I was 16 that I began expanding my color palette. The boy was very controlling and would tell me if my makeup didn’t “look right.” Once I was out from under his control I began looking for new ways to express myself. It started with green eyeliners, evolved into purple eyeshadows and red lips, and 10 years later has turned into neons, gems, and any color I can think of. There is no color I refuse to try. If there is anything I could have told my 16-year old self it would be to see makeup as a way to express myself rather than to grab attention. While it can be used for that, I have found that I get more joy out of using my beauty products for art that makes ME happy. Seeing my face as a canvas for me to decorate rather than to fix up to the standards of others would have sped up my learning process a lot more.
The skills that were most essential for me was blending technique. Believe it or not, you can use almost any set of colors if you can blend them together properly, whether it be with the proper brush or a good transition color.
The obstacles that stood in my way were really my desire to please others and not receive negative comments. I was active in a Christian homeschool group around the time my love for makeup began taking off and needless to say many of those people (especially the guys) were very critical and would not hesitate to let their opinions be heard. At that age, I took the criticisms of boys with gross mustaches to heart. I was not confident in myself or who I was at the time to use my creative interests to make ME happy and I would say that was my biggest obstacle.
After breaking things off with that guy, I began trying to find my identity outside if him and that homeschool group. Who was Heather? What did she like? And how was I going to use these products in my journey? I remember seeing Frozen for the first time and absolutely loving Elsa. I immediately wanted to recreate her look. Purple eyeshadow, bright lips, etc. I was also in my Taylor Swift era so the red lips were a must. I began watching YouTube tutorials on how to use fun colors on my eyes and I searched through Pinterest for all sorts of ideas. I had been wearing makeup for a couple years at that point but I felt the happiest once I started wearing it for myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Heather, however some of you may recognize me from my TikTok channel @captainmarvelbeauty. As I’m sure you can tell by the name, I am about all things makeup, cosmetics, perfume, and skin care. I originally started my channel as a way to pass time when the pandemic started. I had so many make up looks I wanted to try and products I wanted to show off and nowhere to go to do it. I was surprised when people started following me and enjoying my content. Some even asked me for my opinions on the products I showed off in my Ulta haul videos. I also had people asking me to show them in camera.
In the nearly three years since starting my channel, I have continued to provide honest reviews of products to my followers, share demonstrations of how to use the products, and give recommendations on budget friendly products that I have used and loved. I have also gone cruelty free since starting my channel, basically boycotting big brands that continue to test on animals and educating my viewers on what animal testing truly entails as well as recommending products from companies that are cruelty free.
While there are many other creators out there that do the same things, I think what sets me apart is my desire to be unashamedly honest with my followers. They already have people pushing products at them. They deserve a creator that shares her honest thoughts about products and is also relatable. I don’t just discuss products, I discuss my interests, my hardships, and my life. I’d like to think I am a relatable person and that my viewers see my videos as an open conversation with a friend. I’m proud of the fact that my followers can ask me questions about anything, ranging from my experiences with ADHD to the longevity of a new lipstick. They know I will respond and I am thankful for the relationship I have built with them.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I would say empowering others to explore their creativity. When a viewer tells me they want to recreate my look it brings me so much joy. I feel like I’m paying it forward since I began my creative journey by trying out what others did.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My story is honestly all over the place. I started rather awkwardly, as one does. I was just goofing around really. Then I began posting what I thought people wanted to see. Essentially, I looked at what other creators with a bigger audience were doing and tried to model my videos after theirs. It worked a little but it never felt authentic. I found that really putting myself into my videos and being honest really helped me connect with my audience more. An example I can think of was the “Get Ready With Me” video I made before taking my driver’s test. I was nearly 25 with no license. It was a bit of a sensitive topic for me but I chose to share my story anyway. As it would turn out, it really resonated with my audience and gave them an accepting place to share their similar experiences, free of judgement. Since then, I have started doing regular “Get Ready With Me” videos where I talk about the products I’m using as well as my personal life. Those seem to have been received well and I love doing them. If I had any advice to give to those just beginning to build their social media presence it would be to be authentic. Be the kind of creator you would want to relate to. Give your viewers space to ask questions and get to know you. Even if the focus of your content isn’t your personal life, people love to know the person they are watching is a real human being.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @captainmarvelbeauty
• Twitter: @capmarvelbeauty
• Other: TikTok: @captainmarvelbeauty