There’s a reason people don’t just scroll past Spencer Hedges. Better known as Painted by Spencer, he’s built an audience in the millions by turning makeup into something that feels personal and intentional. The transformations are dramatic, but it’s the emotion behind them that keeps people watching.

Spencer’s rise has been fast, but not accidental. From sold-out masterclasses across Dubai, Paris, and London to immersive pop-ups like his recent D’Alba event in Los Angeles, he’s thinking far beyond a viral moment. He’s deeply involved in the strategy, the partnerships, the long-term vision — not just the content. What started as artistry has evolved into world-building.

And yet, before any of that, his mornings start quietly. A bottle of milk. Blue’s Clues. Time with his daughter before the phone even comes into play.

In 18 Questions, Spencer talks controlled chaos, old-school soul soundtracks, scaling without losing instinct, and why the future of beauty lives beyond the screen.

1. What’s the first thing you usually do when you wake up in the morning?

The first thing I do is make my daughter her bottle of milk. That’s the real alarm clock. I’ll get her out of bed, and we do our little morning ritual: bottle, snuggles, and Blue’s Clues. It’s honestly my favorite part of the day. Before the phone, before the world, it’s just Celine and Dada.

2. What’s a small daily habit that helps you stay focused when your schedule gets intense?

I’m obsessed with the Notes app on my phone. I know it’s basic, but I need it written out or it doesn’t exist. When things get chaotic, I make a to-do list and I don’t overcomplicate it. If it’s just floating around in my head, it’s gone. But if I can see it, I can do it.

3. When you’re feeling creatively or mentally stretched, what helps you reset fastest?

My fastest reset is checking into a hotel, even if it’s just a staycation here in L.A. for a night or two. I love stepping into a completely different world for a moment, one that’s been curated so thoughtfully by the people behind the scenes. The chefs, the bellmen, the florists, housekeeping, all of it. There’s something about being immersed in an atmosphere like that that makes my brain exhale. It feels like escaping into a story, and I always come back inspired.

4. Outside of beauty, what genuinely holds your attention right now?

Perfume. Truly. Makeup will always be my first love, but fragrance has been this quiet obsession of mine for years. If I weren’t a makeup artist, I genuinely think I would’ve become a perfumer. I’m fascinated by the artistry of it, how one scent can pull you into a memory, a place, a feeling. I’ve been chasing one specific fragrance for the last eight years. Something that smells like waffle cones being made in an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. That warm buttery vanilla, the crispy sugar, that exact moment. I’ve tried everything and nothing has been quite right. So if someone reading this knows one, please tell me because I’ve been on a mission!

5. What soundtrack tends to follow you through your workdays lately?

Old-school soul, always. Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding. That era just does something to my nervous system. It makes everything feel a little softer, even if I’m just at home working.

6. How much structure do you need to stay productive, or do you work best in controlled chaos?

Controlled chaos. I mean, of course I need my calendar, my deadlines, my blocks, my appointments, all of that. But if it gets too structured, I start to feel trapped and I lose momentum. I need enough order to keep me on track, but enough freedom to still feel creative.

7. What does a rare day completely off actually look like for you?

A day off for me is no screens, no schedule, and fully go-with-the-flow. I’ll take Celine to the park or the beach, stop by a farmers market, maybe spend some time in the backyard gardening. It’s very simple. I’m honestly pretty lowkey when I’m not working. The older I get, the more I realize the best days are usually the quiet ones.

8. What still makes you nervous, even now, before a big launch, post, or appearance?

I still get nervous before I post something I really care about because I want it to land the way it felt in my head. I want it to connect with my audience. And when you put your name on something, you want it to feel like it has intention behind it, not just noise.

9. At what point did you realise you weren’t just building an audience, but a business?

When I crossed over onto YouTube years ago. That’s when it clicked for me. Short-form content is amazing, but long-form made me realize I wasn’t just posting, I was building something scalable. It felt like I was creating a space people actually wanted to live in, not just scroll past.

10. Your content connects emotionally, not just visually. How intentional is that from a brand perspective, versus instinct?

It’s instinct first, strategy second. I’ve always been drawn to the emotional side of beauty, what it does for people, what it unlocks. And I think that’s why people connect with my content. Sure, makeup is visual, but it’s also extremely personal. It’s identity. It’s confidence. It’s comfort. And I think people can always tell when you’re creating from a real place versus just trying to go viral.

11. You’ve scaled incredibly fast. What’s been the biggest learning curve when it comes to running yourself as a brand, not just a creator?

The biggest learning curve has been accepting that I can’t do everything myself, and that it’s actually a good thing. For a long time, I tried to be the creator, the strategist, the negotiator, the accountant, the legal team, all of it. And at a certain point, you realize that if you want to build something long-term, you need people around you who are truly excellent at what they do. Having managers, publicists, CPAs, lawyers, people who can do the things I’m not meant to do, has allowed me to focus on what I’m best at: creating and building the vision.

12. With millions watching, how do you decide what’s worth saying yes to, and what doesn’t align long term?

My community comes first before anything, so I think about them before I think about the offer. Does this actually benefit the viewer? Does it teach them something? Does it make them feel something? Does it feel like me? And then I think long-term. Does this fit the story I’m building? Does it elevate what I’m doing? If it doesn’t align, it’s a no.

13. You’ve worked across digital platforms, live masterclasses, and pop-ups. Which side of the business feels most important for growth right now?

Right now, I’m obsessed with building experiences. Digital will always be my home base, but the future, for me, is creating things people can actually touch and feel. Products, pop-ups, live moments. Things that live beyond a screen.

14. Your recent D’Alba pop-up pushed you further into physical brand experiences. Is that where you see the future of your work heading?

Yes, 100%. I love the idea of taking something people have only experienced through a screen and turning it into something you can actually step into. That’s where the magic is. I’ve always been drawn to the world-building side of what I do, the feeling of walking into a place and instantly understanding the story. I think the future is creating more of those moments, where people don’t just watch the brand, they get to experience it for real.

15. How involved are you behind the scenes in strategy, partnerships, and decision-making versus delegating as you scale?

I’m extremely involved. I do have a team and I’m grateful that my managers Eman and Chantel at The Kair Group trust my vision, because I truly am hands-on with everything: strategy, creative direction, partnerships, production, product development. I care too much not to be. I’m not the type to just slap my name on something and walk away.

16) When you think about legacy, do you imagine it living in products, education, community, or something else entirely?

All of the above, but if I’m being honest, I think about how I’ll be remembered one day. Did I make people feel seen? Did I leave kindness behind? Did I empower women, not just in a “campaign” way, but in a real way? And most importantly, I think about my daughter. I want her to be proud of her dad’s work. That’s what legacy is to me.

17. Inclusive beauty is often talked about, but rarely built sustainably. What do you think brands still get wrong when trying to do it at scale?

A lot of brands treat inclusivity like a marketing moment instead of a business model. It’s not a shade range launch and a press release. It’s formulation, it’s consistent representation, it’s who’s in the room making decisions, and it’s whether you keep that energy after the trend cycle moves on. People can tell when it’s real.

18. Looking ahead, what’s the bigger picture for Painted by Spencer beyond social platforms?

The bigger picture is building something people can bring home. Social media will always be part of my life, but I want to create a world that lives beyond it, something tangible, personal, and lasting. I’ve been working on that quietly for a long time now, and I’m looking forward to the day I can finally open the doors and welcome people in.

Follow Spencer via @paintedbyspencer