Miss Represented: Miss Earth USA Water 2025 - Madison Nero [Episode 65]

Podcast: Miss Represented
Host: Lisa Opie
Guest: Madison Nero
Date: September 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Miss Represented features Madison Nero, national finalist for Miss Earth USA 2025, climate advocate, cruelty-free makeup artist, and creator of the Lady Code "Story of You" palette. Host Lisa Opie and Madison dive into the intersection of beauty and activism, the transformative power of makeup, and Madison’s journey from adversity to empowerment. The conversation highlights Madison’s hands-on environmental advocacy, her role leading the Citizens Climate Lobby at Michigan State, and the collaborative process of developing an inclusive, meaningful makeup product.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Madison’s Miss Earth USA Journey and “Pretty Down to Earth” Reality Show

• Format Change: Madison shares excitement about the shift to a reality show competition, “Pretty Down to Earth” (01:23).
  • “This year, Miss Earth USA has changed the format… we have competed on Pretty Down to Earth, which is the first ever pageant reality show in the U.S.” — Madison (01:28)
• Lady Code Palette Pitch Challenge: Madison details the competitive process of pitching and creating the "Story of You" palette with Lady Code (01:36).
  • “I came up with the Story of You palette, which is all about transformation, storytelling, memories. I used to use makeup to really escape…” — Madison (01:41)

2. The Story Behind the "Story of You" Palette

• Personal Transformation: Madison recounts how makeup empowered her to overcome adversity and build confidence.
  • “I did grow up in an abusive household, so being at my vanity allowed me to find so much strength, so much confidence, and really transform.” — Madison (01:54)
• Inclusivity: Madison wanted each finalist to have a shade in the palette, reflecting personal stories and fostering inclusion (03:02).
  • “Having everyone involved in the palette was really important to me… I wanted this palette to encapsulate a lot of those feelings.” — Madison (03:15)

3. Creative Collaboration & Emotional Impact

• Winning the Palette Pitch: Madison shares her feelings upon winning, emphasizing support from fellow contestants (04:15).
  • “To be surrounded by so much love when that hard work all finally came to fruition was beautiful. You can hear all the girls in the background being like, ‘yes, we told you, Maddie.’” — Madison (05:03)
• Shade Naming Stories: Madison describes the meaning behind shade names, such as “Tea Time” in honor of her grandma who inspired her environmentalism (05:26).

4. Cruelty-Free Beauty Advocacy

• Importance of Cruelty-Free Products: Both Lisa and Madison stress the ethical imperative.
  • "It is so hard when you go out shopping and realize 88% of the 50 largest beauty companies are not cruelty free. So it’s super important to support brands like Lady Code..." — Madison (06:47)
  • Lisa highlights the performance standard as well: “It’s really important to be cruelty free but also have a product that delivers.” (07:40)

5. Inspiration & Artistry in Makeup

• Creative Direction: Inspiration for the campaign draws from the movie "Inside Out" and the idea of memories as shades.
  • “One of my main inspirations was the movie Inside Out and how each of those memories is kind of, you know, a little circle. So I thought that was representative of each shade.” — Madison (08:12)
• Makeup as Emotional Expression: Both discuss how makeup served as a therapeutic outlet.
  • “I relate to you so much because I was bullied for being Asian in school, so I had to teach myself how to make my eyes look bigger with makeup. And that transformation for me was healing.” — Lisa (09:41)
  • “Yeah, I love that makeup. Therapy is free.” — Madison (10:04)

6. From Trauma to Advocacy

• Nature and Healing: Madison shares how time in nature with her grandma anchored her environmental passion, despite a difficult childhood (10:22, 11:00).
  • “Tapping back into my childhood has been hard… but then when I think back to times with my grandma… she instilled this instinctual love for the environment into me.” — Madison (11:01)
• Metamorphosis with Madison: Her initiative focuses on building eco-conscious youth leaders (12:03).

7. Leading with Love and Empathy

• Daily Actions: Madison urges compassionate choices from not harming insects to advocating for climate policy (12:13).
  • “Leading with love is… leading with empathy. Really thinking about every living thing around you…” — Madison (12:14)
• Long-Term Impact: Small acts like gardening or lobbying lawmakers can spark lasting change.

8. Grassroots Climate Lobbying

• Role in Citizens Climate Lobby: Madison shares her hands-on advocacy at local and federal levels.
  • “I am currently the president of Citizens Climate Lobby at Michigan State University...I am headed to Washington D.C. at the end of July to lobby on Capitol Hill for climate legislation.” — Madison (13:43 - 14:04)
• Approachability of Legislators: Encourages others to get involved—politicians respond to persistent constituent advocacy (16:01).

9. Filming the Reality Show & Sisterhood

• Filming Memories: Madison describes the camaraderie and support among contestants during long filming hours (18:06).
  • “That bonding, that late night together really helped us come together as one… and seeing everyone support each other along the way was so perfect.” — Madison (18:23)
• Trust in the Production Team: Unlike some reality shows, the process was uplifting and devoid of manufactured drama (19:38).

10. Fun Rapid Fire (“This or That”) Questions

Lisa wraps with quickfire questions that reveal Madison’s preferences and personality (20:46 – 23:27), including:

• Matte over dewy finish (21:01)
• Thrifted pieces over swaps (21:21)
• Clean skincare (21:40)
• Butterfly as a symbol (22:00)
• Big and bold change (22:12)
• Podcast binge (22:40)
• Solo walks to recharge (22:32)
• Eyeshadow palettes over lipstick (23:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Makeup is so much more than just what meets the eye… it was important to make a palette that tapped into the more emotional side of it while still being fierce and glamorous.” — Madison (03:55)
• “If you know, you know. I knew, like, you were gonna be.” — Lisa (02:42)
• “Maybe planting my garden won’t change the world, but continuing to share that story or continuing to advocate… will eventually make a difference.” — Madison (13:09)
• “We have one Earth and we really need to take care of it.” — Madison (12:24)
• “I don’t recognize the person that I was when I watched that podcast last year.” — Madison, on her personal growth (17:10)
• “That was a day I’ll never forget. Even if we were exhausted, even if our feet were hurting us, those memories are just perfect.” — Madison (18:47)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [01:23] – Madison introduces her journey on “Pretty Down to Earth”
• [02:33] – Madison describes the personal story and impact behind her palette pitch
• [05:26] – The significance behind shade names and palette details
• [06:36] – The importance of cruelty-free beauty
• [10:22] – How nature walks and family shaped Madison’s environmental advocacy
• [12:13] – Madison discusses leading with love and empathy in advocacy
• [13:43] – President of Citizens Climate Lobby; lobbying for climate legislation
• [17:10] – Madison on her transformation through pageantry and the reality show
• [18:06] – Favorite filming memory at the Utica train station
• [20:46] – “This or That” rapid-fire fun questions
• [23:34] – Where to watch “Pretty Down to Earth” and details on upcoming events

Where to Watch & Follow

• Pretty Down to Earth: Queen Beauty Network, Roku, Apple TV (23:34)
• Madison on Social:
  • Instagram: @maddie_nero
  • TikTok: @maddineiro (24:51)

Episode Tone

Upbeat, inspiring, supportive, and authentic—Lisa and Madison cultivate a space for vulnerability, encouragement, and celebration of both personal and collective growth.