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Introvert With 540,000 Followers Shares Her Secret to Facing Your Fears

Makeup legend Donni Davy is used to being behind the scenes. She spoke to The Looker about building a public-facing career while staying true to herself.

Carina HsiehReporter, Looker

PublishedMay 5, 2026, 5:04 PM EDT

UpdatedMay 5, 2026, 5:06 PM EDT

Updated May 5, 2026, 5:06 PM EDTPublished May 5, 2026, 5:04 PM EDT

Take a look at the bold designs created by beauty legend Donni Davy, and you’d never know the Emmy-winning makeup artist behind Euphoria and founder of Half Magic Beauty was actually an introvert who once felt debilitating anxiety about public speaking.

“I’ve overcome a lot of fears. I never wanted to be on camera, so I had to rebirth myself in this new way where little introverted me has to be an extrovert now,” Davy, 37, told the Looker.

Despite her past shyness, the beauty entrepreneur and artist has built a devoted audience across multiple social media platforms. She has over half a million followers on her personal Instagram alone and another 260,000 on Half Magic Beauty’s page.

Davy spoke with the Looker about mental health, what it’s like to be a brand founder juggling it all, and how she overcame her fear of public speaking.

THE LOOKER: What advice would you give to the version of yourself that was just starting out?

DONNI DAVY: You can’t be a rehearsed version of yourself. You have to let your freak flag fly. It’s the only thing that will set you free and allow you to have fun with it.

In doing so, you learn that you can be yourself and people will still want to watch—they might even like you better because you’re showing your humanity through your authenticity.

THE LOOKER: What things are you doing differently now to help with your mental health?

DD: I’m doing this new thing in 2026 where I move more slowly throughout my day. I’m protecting my lunchtime, and I just started going to the gym. I’m not gonna be as cutthroat about stuff. I have to slow down and honor my health and sanity.

THE LOOKER: On that note, what are some big mental health milestones you’ve had that you’re proud of?

DD: The thing I’m most proud of is getting over public speaking. I cannot tell you how many hours of my life I have fretted and had anticipatory dread and massive anxiety and panic attacks about speaking on stage.

Getting over my fear of this was actually on my goal mood board back in 2015. I just couldn’t do it. Very few people actually know how intense it was for me; the fear was so deep-rooted.

To be honest, it wasn’t my choice to get over it. But I had to. I had investors and other stakeholders on my brand’s board, so I couldn’t let them down. It was scary, but now I’ve built enough experience that it can be a positive experience. I still mess up sometimes, and that’s OK.

THE LOOKER: What advice do you have for other women like you who are introverts at heart but want to do something out in the public space that’s creative or entrepreneurial?

DD: All this happened to me because I focused on the job that I had, which was just a pilot episode for season one of Euphoria. Ultimately, it was the work that put me on the map. I was always thinking, ‘How can I make this better?’ You have to have that passion. The passion can’t be getting recognition. The passion has to be the work, and then the recognition will come.

THE LOOKER: Is there any advice you’ve been given that’s stuck with you?

DD: My dad told me if you have a meeting coming up or anything that’s stressing you out, pretend you’ve already done it, you’ve f---ed it up, and now you’re getting a second chance. This time, just be you. You already did the version where you were uptight, and you didn’t feel great about it, so now, here’s your second chance.

Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Carina HsiehReporter, Looker

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