The two questions that I get asked the most in my career are, What do I do as a makeup artist and how did I find a job doing makeup for a living? So, I thought I'd publicly give an answer description and how it all came about.
I am a "free-lance" makeup artist, meaning, I don't have a contract with one specific company. I bounce around from company to company and job to job depending on who I get a call from. It can be anything from a health seminar shoot at USANA, to a commercial for a BBQ/smoker grill. I also free lance doing brides and wedding parties. I have been contracting through a company called Signature Brides doing on location Hair and makeup for 4 years now. I am also currently working with BYU Broadcasting on a daily television news show. So that would pretty much sum it up for the "what do you do for work?" question.
Now for the, "How did you get into this?" question. Every makeup artist enters into it in a different way so, each artist has their own story. I find it very interesting that there isn't on way to break into the business. It's actually pretty hard to find your way in because it's mostly by word of mouth and networking. My story is a bit of a long story so, I'll give you the medium version. And it pretty much goes like this:
When I was 17 I started Cosmetology school near my high school. I loved the creativity of up-do work so that is what got me interested in hair school. Through out school I fell more in love with up-dos and makeup more than any other aspect of cosmetology. I felt like that is where I had the easiest time and where I had the most fun. I was so grateful to be in hair school, I tried to make the most of every day there. It wasn't always easy or fun, especially my schedule. I had to fit so much into one day, it was crazy. It went something like this... I got there at 8am, went to high school at 12 for a couple classes, headed back to cosmetology school til 5:15, Started work (Shopko) at 5:25, Got off work between 10:30-12:00 and finally, home! I did this for what seemed like eternity and it was one of the hardest things I had done at that point in my life. I had to pay for tuition so, I had to find a way to make the money I needed to finish school. It was hard but so worth it. It taught me a lot about work ethic, perseverance, endurance, determination and so much more. Traits that I was going to need for the rest of my life, in fact. What a great lesson of sacrifice and value of what I had learned.
The one thing I was disappointed about was that I didn't get the makeup training I had hoped for in school. We focused on hair for the most part. So, I did a lot of makeup practicing on myself and learned a lot on my own with the makeup station they had for us to use.
When I graduated I started working at a salon to start building my clientele. But I still had a thirst for everything makeup! I enrolled in a local college and signed up for a theater makeup class. There were only 3 people that signed up and the teacher was out of commission. They told me I would probably have to drop that class but, I wanted to go so bad I just went anyway. I would sit alone in a costume room watching videos on theater makeup application. After a few weeks they told me they had found a teacher! Yay! Turns out it was a free-lance makeup artist that knew the costume designer there at UVU. She was very friendly and knowledgeable, I just wanted to know it all! I would eat every word and technique up! This is what I had been wanting for so long! We had class once a week and on one specific field trip Janna took us to a film set that she was currently working on. I got to see how it was all done. I got to see how difficult everyone worked to make one little scene happen, I saw how amazingly talented everyone on the production cast/crew was to make a good product. It was so fascinating and intriguing to me, I wanted to be a part of it so bad!
When the semester came to an end, I got an invite from the teacher to come assist her on her next film. Of course said yes and that is it where it all began...
I was basically the assistant to her assistants (grateful for any position at that point) I got to help with hair styling, powdering masses of people in between takes, and anything else they let me do. I even got to learn the film set "lingo" that is standard on professional sets. I will never forget that day. It just felt like I had finally found my perfect place and I just couldn't get enough. (Still feel that way to this day)
After the shoot I didn't expect anything to come of it, but one day, I get a call from Janna, telling me her assistants had a better offer for a bigger movie (Saints and Soldiers) and she needed my help designing for her next project/film. I Couldn't believe the opportunity that had come knocking and I, with out any hesitation, hopped on board. We got to design 7 (Lion) makeup looks for "Daniel and the Lions" It was a blast!
I learned so much from Janna ( I call her the hair encyclopedia) any question I have about hair, I ask her knowing she will have a detailed answer and more. She became my mentor and friend. I am so grateful that she was willing to spend time teaching me and letting me ask question after question! I owe her so much for all her help.
Eventually, I started working on other sets and I met more people in the industry.That led to more jobs through word of mouth recommendations. Later on, I started keying (where you are the lead makeup artist) on my own. Around that time I also started with Signature Brides, traveling around Utah getting girls ready for their big day. Bridal work could not be more perfect for me because, I love styling up-dos and I love doing makeup! Perfect combo and it does help that it's that happiest day of their lives ;)
So, For a few years I have divide my time up between film/Television work, Brides, and salon clients. I had a pretty good system down and I felt lucky every day, to be doing what I did for "work". I have a bit of a different system now because, I had a baby about a year ago and time just doesn't allow me to do all that I did before. She is my priority and I always go by the motto "Family First" I used to work 12 hour days, weeks in a row, on film sets. That is not an option anymore so, I have stopped pursuing film work. I also used to quite a bit more bridal work and now, since they are early morning clients and travel is time consuming, I only do brides that are near by and close friends. With a few exceptions, of course. I just find it hard to be gone so long and I feel that as my family changes, my career will to. And I'm okay with that. The job I do the most now is, a daily Television show that lets my bring Stela with me. And it only consumes a total of 2 1/2- 3 hrs of my day. Honestly, this is a huge blessing for our family. I feel so blessed to be working on an uplifting, wholesome show with good people that want to help others. It's a great opportunity in my life, and I am very grateful for the chance to be a part of it.
I encourage anyone and everyone, to find you passion and make it into something that you can do for work or even a side job. You never know, it might become
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