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Beauty should be fun, right? That's what Elliana Walmsley thinks. She's not afraid to be imperfect, a little messy and completely herself. After all, who says you can't rock a clean girl aesthetic *and* dip into glittery, maximalist waters? Let's call it our fresh-start spring.

The vibes are immaculate at our Beauty Issue photo shoot: It's a sunny spring day in Los Angeles, vintage soft rock is playing through the speakers, about 10 Sephoras' worth of makeup is strewn literally everywhere and our cover star, 16-year-old dancer/actress/influencer Elliana Walmsley, is taking it ~all~ in.

Her reaction? "Obsessed." In between shots, she waxes poetic about her current K-pop faves (Stray Kids), her lifelong love of legendary singer Barry Manilow (she has a cutout of him next to her bedroom vanity) and her brand new beauty line, Escapade (it drops this spring).

Elliana glances at the photographer's laptop, sneaking a peek at some of her pics: "I love that I can put my personality into these," she says. "I don't have to be normal. I can just have fun."

Smart, kind and full of happy energy, "having fun being Elliana" is, well, kind of her whole thing rn. Sure, on the surface, someone with unreal talent, a ton of achievements and millions of followers living her most genuine life might not seem groundbreaking. But after years of putting in the work, the moment is hard-won.

"I've really learned to like myself, to be comfortable in my own skin and be OK making mistakes," reflects Elliana, who first found fame as an 8-year-old prodigy on Dance Moms before working as a pro on Dancing with the Stars Juniors, joining the cast of Brat TV's Chicken Girls and building a mega YouTube audience devoted to her beauty and lifestyle content.

"I used to be so insecure," she says. "I wish I had focused more on enjoying life and not worrying about everything."

Back then, Elliana wore makeup to cover imperfections, mask self-image struggles, play a character onstage or fit in with the trends. Armed with layers of concealer, blush and eyeshadow, Elliana could be anyone...except for her 100% authentic self.

But while makeup can transform you into someone else, it can also help you find yourself again. "Now, when I do my makeup, it feels like me," Elliana says of her new beauty vibe.

Her current GRWM is completely a reflection of the *real* her: creative, fun, spunky and always up for a challenge. A metamorphosis worth capturing, don't ya think?

Face gems aren't just for glam nights out. Make these decals work for an everyday vibe by focusing on the eyes. "A few dainty stars with asymmetrical placement instantly elevate your no-makeup-makeup look," makeup artist Sophia Hutch suggests. Stick them on with lash glue or even a thin layer of sticky lip gloss (multitasking FTW).

Full Face

Growing up in Boulder, Colo., Elliana thrived in the fast-paced, high-pressure world of competitive dance. She recalls going to elementary school, then rushing to hourslong rehearsals that would sometimes last until 11 p.m.

On weekends, she and her mom would travel to prestigious dance conventions and train at top studios across the country. "It was...a lot," she says. Given her life experience, she struggled to connect with the kids at her school. "I always felt like an old soul, like the odd one out," she admits.

What truly set Elliana apart was her indisputable talent. Soon, she landed an opportunity she'd fantasized about for her entire childhood: a spot on the Lifetime reality series Dance Moms.

"I know a lot of people do, but I have almost no regrets about going on the show," Elliana reflects. "I just wish I had understood then that winning or losing doesn't define me as a dancer. Second place shouldn't affect your self-worth...it just means you have room to grow."

Rinse + Refresh

Fast-forward through three Dance Moms seasons, DWTS Juniors and a star turn as Clara in Radio City Music Hall's iconic Christmas Spectacular, and Elliana felt beyond lucky to have achieved some of her biggest daydreams.

With so many accolades under her belt, she knew she should feel limitless. Instead, she felt lost.

"I hit a point where I had met all of my dance goals at a really young age, which I'm incredibly grateful for. But I was like, 'Do I honestly want to keep dancing?'" Elliana shares. "I was really sad because I had grown up with it, but it just wasn't giving me that feeling that it used to."

So she did something nearly unthinkable for her: She pressed pause. With her newfound freedom, Elliana decided to pursue acting—something she'd always wanted to try but never really had the time or courage to do.

Stepping on the set of Chicken Girls to play overachiever Claire, Elliana found herself suddenly stricken with self-doubt. "With dance, I was always comfortable, but acting was all new. I didn't feel that sense of safety," she confesses. "It was scary."

Instead of toughing it out on her own, Elliana broke out of her comfort zone once again. "I was so nervous to do it, but I took the risk and asked my co-stars for support," she shares.

That vulnerability paid off: Not only did she score some amazing acting advice, but she also gained forever friends—especially in castmates Corinne Joy and Kheris Rogers. "I literally cried leaving them after we wrapped the most recent season," says Elliana.

The updated full beat? "Smudgy and smoky, with lots of browns, coppers and peachy tones," shares Hutch. The result is a gorgeous, brozned vibe that places equal emphasis on the skin and eyes. Since we're embracing imperfection (srsly, use your finger to apply your copper eyeshadow), it's easy for even a makeup novice to nail. Cream shadows, monochrome liners and matching eyes and cheeks are a whole spring mood.

Shine On

But it turns out she couldn't stay away from the dance studio for long. Sometime after wrapping her first season of Chicken Girls, Elliana quietly dropped into a casual class. Instantly, the choreography carried her away. "I felt like myself again," she says.

It helped that staring at her wall-to-wall reflection was no longer the struggle it used to be. "Growing up in the dance world, I had the mentality of 'you always have to be the tiniest in the room,'" Elliana explains. "I got kicked out of ballet as a kid because they said I was too muscular. That struck a nerve."

As she got older, despite her enviable reality-TV-turned-social-media-star lifestyle, Elliana's image insecurities only grew. She'd nitpick herself in the mirror most days and avoid wearing certain outfits because she felt self-conscious about her body.

But recently, Elliana has realized it's not worth being so hard on herself—and she now appreciates her body for its power and strength. "No matter what I look like, I always feel beautiful after I dance," she says. "Yes, I'm sweaty, I'm tired—but I'm just like, 'I feel beautiful.'"

For Elliana, dance isn't about competition or comparison anymore. It's just her chance to let go of stress, move her body, push herself to new limits and connect with other people who love what she loves.

"I was so burned out, I had lost my passion," Elliana admits. Now, she says yes to every dance opportunity that comes her way. "I'm having so much fun—I can't believe I ever wanted to quit," she says. Like '90s face jewels or bold blush, this is a comeback we are very much here for.

Spring's freshest lip shade = cherry cola. Use a brown liner (the one you'd pair nude lipstick with) to entirely fill in your lips. Layer a red with warm undertones on top, then seal it with gloss.

She's Glowing

For a girl who once thought she'd checked off everything on her vision board at age 12, Elliana's latest project reflects her current attitude, where she prioritizes adventure and authenticity over 24/7 achievement.

To Elliana, beauty isn't a look...it's a feeling. Enter: the upcoming launch of her beauty brand, Escapade. "I love that you can capture a memory in a bottle," she explains. Escapade debuts this summer with three body mists: "They smell amazing—exactly how I was imagining them," she says.

Her scents are as unique and complex as she is, each highlighting one chapter in Elliana's journey so far: Cozy Up is a "vanilla, cinnamon, warm sugar" ode to her chilly mountain hometown. So Alive has a dynamic, city lights performance energy. And Soak It In is laid-back and summery.

With more beauty launches, YouTube vids, dance and acting projects to come, Elliana's looking forward to her future, well, escapades. But she's not rushing into anything: "I'm exactly where I want to be," she says. "I'm just trying to take in every moment and live in the present as much as possible. It's crazy to say, but I'm essentially living my dream."

Photographed by Mike Azria. Styled by Lo VonRumpf. Hair by George Fragkioudakis. Makeup by Sophia Hutch. Beauty copy by Lisa DeSantis.

Hey, girl! Just wanted to let you know that this story originally ran in our April/May 2024 issue. Want more? Read the print mag for free *today* when you click HERE.

by Katherine Hammer | 5/1/2024