My personal relationship with beauty
From my earliest encounters with makeup as a young child to my professional growth as a beauty expert, the world of "beauty" has captivated me. Like everyone else on the planet, my relationship with “beauty” is deeply personal and complicated. But unlike everyone else on the planet, my relationship with beauty has a profound impact on my work, and I think my clients are entitled to part of my story.
Discovering the Thrill of Makeup:
My obsession with beauty began at a tender age. I vividly remember wearing stage makeup for the first time at just four years old and forming opinions about my moms vibrant lipstick (I loved it) at around the same age. I was 10 when my older sister gave me and my friends (as seen in the image below) our first makeovers, and I still remember the thrill of seeing myself in makeup-makeup. It was as if every single fleck of mica on my lids was a conduit for electricity that bounced from my lids, to my toes, and back up again. I was electric. I rode that high for days. It was different than wearing stage make up--that was creating a character. But this? This was all me.
Love for the Artistry:
As I grew older, my interest in all things beauty grew. I found joy in the artistry of playing with colors, textures, and shapes and fell in love with hairstyling. The beauty industry and all of its tools have extraordinary potential to help people tap in to different, exciting iterations of themselves. And I love, so much, being a part of evoking that electric feeling in my clients. As a makeup artist and hairstylist, nothing brings me greater satisfaction than evoking that electric feeling in my clients, helping them embrace their unique beauty and confidence. I derive the same pleasure out of helping people create skin care routines that they’re excited to use.
Navigating the Dark Side:
While the beauty industry offers tremendous positive potential, I have lived the hideous side of it. As an American woman in my 30’s, I grew up in the “heroin chic” 90’s, went through puberty in the low-rise-jeans-2000’s, and survived the subsequent eating disorder and feelings of insecurity and inadequacy that those decades inspired in so many people. I have spent over 15 years developing a healthy and loving relationship with my body and appearance. Embracing my passion for hair and makeup and using those skills for self-exploration played a significant role in my personal journey. I firmly believe that nothing is more special or personal than how we use our bodies to feel: powerful, grounded, proud, confident, sexy, authentic... there is so much that we can do for ourselves when we have an intentional relationship with our bodies. Now, sharing those skills with others allows me to continue on this path of self-love and empowerment.
Unveiling the Power of Skincare:
Hair and makeup are both amazing tools, but in the last few years of my career I have found skin care to have exciting potential that I am having so much fun exploring with my clients. Our skin is our largest organ, and it is probably the one we interact with the most. Very few people really know what their skin does, their skin type, or how to care for their skin in a realistic and practical way. Moreover, the realm of makeup and skincare bombards us with messaging about how our skin should look, yet fails to provide practical education on proper care. Developing a skin care routine, creating a thoughtful relationship with your skin, is an amazing opportunity to develop an intentional relationship with our bodies and ourselves.
Seeking out the positive potential of the beauty industry has been a transformative journey for me. From my earliest experiences with makeup to my growth as a beauty professional, I have witnessed the remarkable impact it can have on individuals' self-expression and confidence. Being able to walk this path with my clients is an honor and a privilege. Thank you for being a part of it.