Makeup chose me.

1999.

   I was 15yrs old when I was able to wear makeup, and the only references I had to any kind of makeup looks were my mother and my older sister.  They always focused on the lip color; My mom, a bright red from Max Factor… my sister, a more chestnut lip which I loved!  I opted for nude lip colors with focus on the eyes… I was such a beginner, definitely scared to try bright or deep tones. My first experience with bright/deep tones wouldn’t come for 12yrs. (However, the focus on eyes, has stayed throughout the years, it is my favorite feature!). 

   Most of my high school years were spent doing “twisties” and braids on classmates and friends during break. I was known as the girl with a different hairstyle every day {which seems to be true even now}. At the beginning, it was just hair… slowly I got asked if I could do eyebrows… and well, after practicing on my best friend, who had the bushiest eyebrows in town,  I was open for business! $3 eyebrows, yes, a freakin deal!

   By the time I turned  16, I was doing hair and eyebrows regularly… and had gotten much better in doing my own makeup. I had perfected a winged liner and smokey eye which I was super proud of. Bright colors on my eyes were also the norm!  Foundation was always very minimal… and mascara, Id pack that on my lashes as much as I could without them getting clumpy. Haha.

   

  Girls started noticing my makeup skills were getting better and soon began asking if I could do theirs… for a party or date with their boyfriends. I wouldn’t charge them because well, I really didn’t know what I was doing, I had no training and hadn’t even crossed my mind that I wanted to be a makeup artist or that I was actually becoming one. I do remember touching up my makeup during class and in between classes, haha.. I had no one to impress though, I went to a private all-girl high school...fun! Catty girls with nothing but boys on their mind, yup,  that was high school! 

FIRST REAL PAID GIG. 

   It came at the end of my senior school year, when I was asked to do my friends makeup for prom! I had already read Kevyn Aucoin’s Making Faces which is still my MAKEUP BIBLE. I charged her $35 Full face with false lashes. It was my first time ever working on someone who was medium-deep skin and I must say, I did a pretty good job.

[Side note: Makeup artistry came natural to me as I had been drawing and painting already for many years. I took every art class I could in Junior High and High School… even Theatre Arts, which was irrelevant to makeup at that time but looking back, it helped me in concepting an overall look!]

2002. 

   Graduation came and went… I entered college thinking I would become a Criminal Investigator, in hopes of one day working for the CIA.

Boy did LIFE have another plan! The pattern of being asked to do makeup continued through my first year of college and never stopped… I wasn’t a makeup artist or even lover but I had enough makeup to make SOMETHING HAPPEN. I went to school full time and worked part time for Farmers Insurance.

Sadly, LIFE HAPPENED and I only finished 2 semesters of college and was unable to go back.

   I went crazy not knowing what to do!  I immediately landed a job at a hospital, moved out of my family home and worked Mon-Friday.  It was during this time, I decided to learn everything about the artistry and business to go LEGIT, doing it on weekends.  So I spent $150 on drugstore  makeup.  LOREAL to be exact…!  Rite Aid was having a huge sale and everything was  40% off, something crazy like that! 

  I showed up to my first ever  wedding trial with Loreal makeup and a Caboodles makeup case (I was so embarrassed!) buuuut I nailed it and was booked ON THE SPOT for the wedding day.  (HAIR & MAKEUP for bride, mother-in law and flower girl) whaaaaaat?! 

Yup! I remember feeling proud that someone would book me on their special day!  

   My time at the hospital was short lived due to a health issue (nothing life threatening) but I had to be off from work for a while, which my boss didn't like so much and I was forced to resign. I was outta commission for 3wks!

MAC COSMETICS. 

  Once I got better, I applied at MAC, went through the entire process to just be told no, try again. (come to find out, I wasn’t given a chance, 10min full face including falsies. Had to recreate Pam Andersons Viva Glam Look!) was later called and offered a freelance part time which I shot down. I was OVER IT and needed FULL time work!.

WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO?!

     As time passed by, I was getting more referrals for makeup/hair and no professional makeup kit. So what did I do?! THE UNTHINKABLE!  Went online looking for MAKEUP jobs and I found GLAMOUR SHOTS, a photography studio, hiring for makeup artists [*must have kit*, it stated] I  HAD NO IDEA what I was getting myself into!  I called to see if the manager was in, went the same day to meet him and told me to come in the next day, ready to do a makeup test!  

 Makeup interview day came, I was nervous as sh%^#! I had to do makeup on the photographer because everyone else was busy……a male photographer with full beard and deep skin tone. (Mind you, I had only worked with one deep skin toned client, back in high school.) I was shitting bricks! I had no idea what colors to use on his lid or anything! But I did the best I could with what I had to work with, thick manly brows and all! Hahha!  Full makeup, individual false lashes, dramatic eyes and  a bomb ass winged liner!

I stood there being critiqued and underestimated by the other experienced artists. I never broke confidence though,  I knew I was good enough to be there. 

 I realized quickly, they felt threatened by a girl who had only been doing makeup for a short period of time who already PERFECTED individual lash application and highlighting/contouring when only celebrity artists were known to do so.

I got the job ON THE SPOT.

I AM SELF TAUGHT. 

  The manager  loved my work so much that I started a couple of days later as a FULL TIME artist! And with the help of my uncle and dad, I had a professional makeup kit with Shiseido, Clinique, MAC , quality brushes AND BUSINESS CARDS! 

  Soon after, my sister bought me a brush belt! (the same one I use today!) 

  My entire time there, I was looked down on by some fellow artists who didn’t want to lend a helping hand. One in particular, who later became a close friend, thought I was a joke  and unworthy of such TITLE because I didn’t go to “makeup school”…

  One day, he asked me if I could teach him how to apply individual false lashes and how to do hair waves...  (the kind that has been trending  these last few years) and you know what I did?! 

                                I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO DO BOTH THINGS.

    He THANKED me and never forgot that I was kind to him, regardless of how he treated me… and on top of that, happy he was making more money due to his new found skills..  

CONSTANTLY CREATING.

 I worked there for 4 years, I did makeup ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. Every texture, skin type, skin tone, face shape/brow shape!

I ended up being not only one of the top earners as a makeup artist but also became a sales rep and photographer! 

 Unfortunately,  it closed down in 2007 and I was left without a consistent paycheck . The only thing I had to rely on was my talent, skill, experience and business cards to get jobs!

MAJOR LIFE CHANGES.

   At this point in my life, hustling had become second nature… I  was giving business cards to everyone and anyone I met, in order to make a living. At the club, the bar, the grocery store, restaurants… anyone I came across! Makeup was my backbone, it was the only constant in my life during that time.

   I didn’t want to get  a “corporate” job, I knew it wasn’t for me but at the same time, my father had been diagnosed with Leukemia in late 2006 and not knowing what would happen, I didn’t want to start a  new job.

   I lost my father on June 29^th, 2007. I’ll never forget that day. It was the day I felt my world crumble and come together all the same time.

I knew that if I didn’t continue doing something I loved while helping others, it wouldn’t be worth anything.  

LIFE IS WORTH LIVING.

   Many days I didn't want to wake up and live as if I hadn't lost my father... but I had to follow my dreams and live my passions; not only for myself but for my dad, who believed in me more than anyone. 

   As much as I hustled, I still didn't make enough to live a quality life!

 So in November 2007 I interviewed at a Spanish Language Advertising Agency and nailed it! Business Affairs Coordinator for Toyota/Tmobile. 

I was still doing makeup on weekends but I was bummed I wasn’t doing it FULL TIME! At the same time, I wasn’t able to do my current job to my full potential at the agency, so in August 2010,I quit.

IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST and SCARIEST decisions IN MY LIFE.

I often wondered if it was the right thing to do; wondered why I was giving up a life , to live another I've yet to have but CRAVED so badly.  

I am as passionate as they come, makeup is all I have, all I know, all I dream and think about. 

NOT SETTLING FOR LESS.

MAC, we meet again.

    In mid 2012, I applied for MAC Cosmetics once again. First interview: I was hired on the spot but still had to do a makeup demo, part of the process! Nailed it. Got called the next day, I was offered a permanent position... but sadly, when it came to sign the papers, only Freelance was available. I took the offer and well, I worked with MAC, it's been a while so doubt my Employee Number is still active. Hahahaha

    December  of that year, I had the opportunity to work on a Verizon print shoot for a huge campaign. My work got printed! It was a great accomplishment to see an end result of hard work and connections of course but I wasn’t content.

  

  2013.

 LIVING MY PASSIONS.

      If I want to live the life I always dreamed, it was time to be 100% FEARLESS.  

  

    That summer, I contacted a reality TV cast member which I wanted to work with. She actually responded a few days later wanting me to do her makeup and let me tell you, I had 1 hour to get my stuff ready but I MADE IT.

It was great at first but as time passed, I felt we weren’t compatible to work together. I won’t go into details but it wasn’t the best experience. We worked together about 7 or 8 times....
     The last day we worked together, as I left her home, my makeup kit fell apart. LITERALLY. 2 wheels broke off and 3 buckles that kept the entire thing together! Ahhaa!  

It was a sign!

  What I learned about myself, my artistry and my business is far greater than seeing my work on TV. I am not the same artist/person I was a year ago.

FAST FORWARD.

For the last 4 years, I have struggled…  to make ends meet but despite of dealing with my HUGE DREAMS, struggles and family life,  I keep going.

August 2014.

Social Networking rules the world. 

I have been doing Bridal and Special Occasion work for over 13yrs. Social networking didn't exist. You wanted to work? Wanted clients? You got off your butt and went looking for them.

 It’s a new era in makeup, the kind that mostly matters only if you have thousands of Instagram followers.

   Ive met beautiful people through Instagram and I can't knock it. I've made many amazing connections and have gotten work through it but dont let 27k followers fool you, I am in constant struggle with my career.

   Afterall, I didn’t choose IT. MAKEUP CHOSE ME. I HAD NO PLAN. People wanted ME to do their makeup and now I know nothing else. I couldn’t IMAGINE doing anything else, without it, I would be lost.

I don’t want people to be inspired by my work, I want them to be inspired by my journey. 

                    My passion, drive, and hustle. 

REINVENTION.

  As I started focusing my energy on my ULTIMATE dreams, there were many changes;  for one, I deleted all Instagram pictures of my client work and posts that I felt werent 100% ME in the way it was either presented or put together; I allowed to be influenced by what was trending. I am a REAL life makeup artist, with REAL clients, experience, knowledge, skill and talent. °I didn't want an app to cheapen my craft in any way°.  Social networking shouldn't determine how great you are at your craft.. I have more to offer than what new company sent me free product. 
  
Everything real about who I am started to diminish with every post. 
    Isn't it amazing how powerful social sites are? It may be hurting my business not posting my every client but I don't care. Instead, I want to show my craft through education... I want to tell you the truth about makeup, not show you another overly contoured, glitter cut crease, smokey winged look. At some point, we have to take responsibility of how our craft is being perceived through the eyes of others, especially aspiring artists.  

And yes, some client work will eventually be shown...in the very Near Future. 

 
  I cant wait to show you my ARTISTRY… and I will, ON MY OWN TERMS, in my STYLE… with no outside influences. RAW TALENT AND SKILL. I'm excited to share this part of me with you… which consumes my entire being.

                               

 MY ULTIMATE DREAM is to travel doing what I love...while being a personal makeup artist to a celebrity/music artist because they seem to allow their MUAs to CREATE.
{I have a few I would LOVE to work with...}
 
    However,  I want to PERFECT ONE FACE, that would be the BIGGEST accomplishment, I see it as THE MASTERPIECE... (Jlo, where are you?! #1 Dream face to work on since I became a makeup artist but whoever is meant for me to GLAM up, would still be amazing!)

OR  I would love to travel teaching my techniques to aspiring artists and everyday women around the world (while sharing my story).

          Soon things will change, for me and around me.

   We all have our time for success,  for some it comes sooner  and  for those that experience it later, its for a reason…. what reason? I don’t know and it doesn’t matter, as long as it comes! 

Show your true skill/talent and passion through every stroke, not through a trend. 

                                                      

                                        CREATE don’t REPLICATE. 

Become the artist YOU want to be. Don’t let ANYONE, not even a celebrity, make you feel like you are less than them or like they’re doing YOU A FAVOR.
  
                                     You owe them NOTHING.