My Story

Engineer. Make-Up Artist. Dancer. Fitness Coach. Entrepreneur.

Follow me on IG: @lifebygolden_

My name is Swarnali Sengupta and apparently—I have a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. I guess I’m facing the post-PhD “how do I fit into this world phase”. One thing I do know—is that I was meant to make people smile, and spread love, and lift up other people, because this world could always use more of it.

I started this brand in graduate school, where doing my make up gave me an outlet to express my emotions and creativity. My morning makeup routine became my source of balance and deep spiritual peace. It’s what grounded me every morning.  My makeup became my empowerment in an environment where graduate students are constantly being put down.

A few months after graduation, due to unforeseen circumstances (that one day I hope I have the strength and clarity to write about) I got in my car with two suitcases and my cat, and drove to Philadelphia. I started my whole life over again. It was the scariest undertaking of my life. I still think about whether I bit off more than I can chew. While I’m still trying to find my voice and my inspiration to create more make up looks and products, here is a snapshot from my past…

My name is Swarnali Sengupta and I am a PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering. Science and education are my passion; dance, writing, and make-up are my hobbies. I'm always looking for new make-up looks for dance as well as science. I have been doing math ever since I can remember, and I've been wearing Kohl Eyeliner even before then. I know how hard it was to find time for yourself in grad school (half my days were roll out of bed days), but putting the effort was so worth the results (literally, I would get better results in my experiments when I looked good). I just want to show that, all because we are in academia, we don't have to give up all the girly things in life.

I grew up in a culture where engineers, doctors, and professors are admired, as are artists and musicians. As a child, I took lessons in piano, violin, flute, painting, and art. To the disappointment of many, I wasn't particularly good at any of those. Fortunately, I was great at school. I love math and science, but I could not for the life of me put colors together on paper. I stopped trying in 8th grade, when my art teacher held up my work and announced to the class, "Can't you see everyone is better than you? You have no artistic talent." There I was at 13, with zero creative ability.

Dance, I loved. God did not bless me with the body of a dancer, but God sure gave me the love of drama. As a dancer, I could be anyone I wanted. I could feel anything I wanted. Anger, Love, Shame, Joy, Surprise, Pride, Fear, Devotion... I could feel any range of  emotion within a small 7 minute dance piece. I loved it. From dance, I learned how to put on make-up--how to wear eyeliner and foundation. I never really thought anything of it.

I graduated first in my high school class, and went to Johns Hopkins where I studied Biomedical Engineering and Applied Math and Statistics. I continued to dance throughout college, and finally graduated from both dance and college.

It was not till graduate school did I have the resources (financially) to purchase make-up. One day, I finally got the courage to ask one of the Sephora agents to give me a new look for the coming winter. It took a LOT of courage, because I don't like people touching my face, or looking at me that closely--way too self conscious for that nonsense. She did half my face, and handed me the brushes and pencils and said, "Your turn!" That day I learned that I could blend colors and draw perfect lines with make-up brushes.

What I want my readers to know, is that I'm not pushing make-up as a standard of beauty.  By no means at all, do you have to wear make up to be beautiful. I'm sharing a new way to express yourself. Make-up is merely my medium in which I can create art--a way that I can share with the world how I'm feeling, whether its invincible, shy, confident, upset, or ready to party.

And for my youngest readers (and I'm going to sound all parental), education is what will help us conquer the world. School first, hobbies second. Please don't waste your parents money on make-up! =)]