From the palette to the plate

Amanda stands at the stove and cooks Saag Paneer. Photo: Natasha Payés.

Applying makeup and styling hair for three clients is considered a full load for Amanda Thesen, excluding commute time and administrative duties, but she had a bridal party of seven today. The second makeup artist hired for the wedding never showed, so Thesen did it all. Most people show signs of a long day’s work—runny mascara, a loosened tie—but Amanda, a tall, fair-skinned woman, looked flawless. Her shoulder length blonde locks kept their curls and her smoky eye shadow remained intact.

Newlyweds Amanda, 29, and Andy, 32, recently moved into a one-bedroom condo in Astoria, Queens. The couple grew up in Hartford, CT and attended the same high school. They weren’t high school sweethearts, but they began dating after attending a friend’s wedding.

The kitchen has room for the couple to cook side-by-side, although Amanda is the primary chef. Above the breakfast bar there’s a chalkboard wall that says, “Home is wherever I’m with you.” Opposite the bar sits a small cookie jar that looks just like their French bulldog Zuzu. With all the steel appliances and personal touches Amanda added to the kitchen—including bell-shaped Edison-style light fixtures — the best thing about the space was the dishwasher, she said.

Amanda hadn’t even changed out of her work clothes, a green blouse and black suit, before turning on the stove to prepare tonight’s dinner: Saag Paneer, a vegetarian Indian dish made with onions, peppers, spinach, Greek yogurt, and cheese served with Basmati rice. For a dish with few ingredients, it demands time and preparation. Mincing garlic, sautéing onions and wilting spinach takes about 90 minutes, but it’s a favorite meal that the couple enjoys. Amanda had never eaten Indian food until Andy introduced her to it a couple of years ago. Since then, she has been recreating dishes they’ve eaten in restaurants. Amanda made enough for leftovers, which Andy will bring to work for lunch. He’s a financial consultant at The Blackstone Group in Manhattan.

Finding a meal that the couple can eat is a challenge, since Amanda is a vegetarian and Andy is a fan of Burger King’s Whoppers. Occasionally, Amanda will eat fish, but for the most part she sticks to the vegetarian diet she adopted about a year ago, when she wanted to lose weight for her wedding. After watching a few documentaries, including “Forks Over Knives,” Amanda was convinced that consuming a plant-based diet was a healthier choice, but she needed Andy to come on board. “If this is going to be a lifestyle, I’m not making two meals,” she recalled saying. Although Andy grew up eating meat at every meal, he didn’t see the harm in consuming more vegetables and legumes. Sometimes Amanda adds chicken or sausage to his dish, but he willingly eats vegetarian chili or mushroom tacos.

Once the spinach, onions and yogurt have blended together in the pan and the Basmati rice has fully cooked, Amanda reaches into a cabinet and pulls out two white and gold bowls for her and Andy, who just arrived home. It’s about 7 p.m. They prefer to sit on the couch in front of the TV, said Amanda.

Abstaining from the use of animal products has, to some extent, carried over into her business, Love Your Face Beauty. Whenever possible, Amanda buys cruelty-free cosmetics (makeup that is not tested on animals) and synthetic brushes, of which she has 500.

Amanda’s makeup brushes, of which she has 500. Photo: Natasha Payés.

Making women look and feel their best using makeup wasn’t always Amanda’s professional goal. She moved to New York in 2008 to jump-start her musical theater career, something she studied while at the Hartford Conservatory. But she learned quickly that acting in the city was a grueling profession and she wasn’t as passionate for theater as she was for cosmetology. To make ends meet, Amanda bartended at Hillstone restaurant in the East Village. Several female diners complimented her on her makeup and asked for tips. She began advising customers about products to purchase, often accompanying them to Sephora.

With the help of social media and word of mouth, Amanda’s business grew. It has taken Amanda seven years to build her makeup kit, a medium-sized suitcase that rolls wherever she goes. She now offers hair and makeup services for weddings, engagements, and special events. Although she has worked on television sets, including at Nickelodeon, and has done makeup for a few celebrities, her ultimate goal is to become a celebrity makeup artist and work red carpet events.

But for now she’ll enjoy her Saag Paneer on the couch with Andy and her dog Zuzu while watching “Wheel of Fortune.”

Natasha Payes