From Kindergarten Classroom to Beauty Influencer: How Lauren Hale Rebuilt Her Life at 40

When her dream job stopped bringing joy, Lauren Hale picked up a $5 ring light—and sparked a movement helping women embrace aging with confidence. In today's episode, I’m joined by Lauren Hale, a beauty educator, digital creator, and the author of Girl, Put On Your Lipstick, the World Needs You. After spending years as a kindergarten teacher and full-time mom, Lauren made a bold midlife pivot into the beauty industry. In her 40s, she began building an online platform dedicated to empowering women to embrace aging with confidence and authenticity. Known for her real-talk makeup tutorials, filter-free content, and emotionally resonant storytelling, Lauren helps women rediscover themselves—one brushstroke at a time. Through her writing, videos, and thriving online community, she encourages others to rewrite their narratives, embrace imperfection, and find joy in every season of life. Throughout this episode, Lauren shares the deeper journey behind her transformation. She opens up about the emotional toll of people-pleasing, the identity loss that came with motherhood, and the moment she realized that joy had quietly slipped away. What began as a creative outlet—doing makeup for friends—quickly turned into a mission to help women reconnect with their inner worth through simple self-care rituals. Her reflections on aging, authenticity in a filtered world, and redefining purpose beyond traditional roles speak to so many navigating similar transitions. Lauren also discusses the reality of building a meaningful presence online, including the challenges of imposter syndrome, performance pressure, and staying true to yourself in a monetized space. Her vulnerability and insight throughout this conversation are both deeply relatable and profoundly empowering. Tune in to episode 213 of Joy Found Here as Lauren Hale shares how rediscovering her passion for beauty in midlife helped her transform burnout into purpose. Her story offers inspiration for any woman ready to pivot, reclaim her identity, and build something meaningful on her own terms. In This Episode, You Will Learn:Losing herself in motherhood and the 9–5 grind (3:00)Discovering a new joy through makeup (6:30)Showing up online at 40—with fear and filters (8:00)Beauty as a gateway to inner confidence (10:40)Writing her book: Giving Women Permission to Be Seen (11:30)Motherhood, guilt, and the power of prioritizing yourself (14:30)The healing power of female community—even online (21:00)Letting go of people-pleasing and embracing authenticity (29:30)The truth about becoming a paid creator (36:00)Imperfect starts and what it really takes to begin (41:30) Connect with Lauren Hale:WebsiteInstagramPinterestYouTubeTikTokFacebook Let's Connect:WebsiteInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.