So, how did you get into doing makeup?

A little bit about me. Growing up I always cared a lot about getting perfect grades so I could get a scholarship to a really good college. The turmoil started my senior year of high school when I knew in my heart that I wanted to move to Los Angeles to attend makeup school, instead of continuing my college education. The rational thing (plus the opinion of pretty much every adult around me) told me I should go to college because that’s the stable and wise thing to do. Considering my less-than-ideal family situation, I craved stability in my life, so looking back I’m surprised I didn’t take the stable route.

But it’s interesting how life’s challenges and hardships, can be what motivates and drives us.

10866216_10152627567133460_6507359322954562972_oSo at 17 (I was young for my grade) I graduated high school and had completed a couple of semesters of college, so I moved to Los Angeles to go to makeup design school. I was SO excited to conquer the world and I SO did not know what I was doing. But I was excited! graduation_vivian_web(on graduation day)

Keep in mind this was BEFORE the days of youtube, and blogs….I hadn’t even met a real makeup artist before. It was considerably less common, at least in my universe. At the time there weren’t a lot of options when it came to learning how to do makeup, you couldn’t really just google something.

So there I was. A determined teen in Los Angeles.

I even slept in my car and showered at the 24 hr Fitness I had a membership to for a little while when I was in between places to live. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND doing this! It is dangerous and scary and really UNCOMFORTABLE! 😯) 

I loved living in the city and Makeup Designory was awesome. Eventually the nagging question of “well, should I go to college?” got to me and I moved to go to BYU. I love learning so I did that college thing for a while and then put my full force into my makeup biz.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the last 14 years of chasing my dream:

-Be kind and loving. People, will be the reason you get jobs.

-Try to keep your word. And be dependable, even when it’s inconvenient.

-This industry has a strangely high overhead. Doing makeup just for kicks vs. running a business doing makeup, are very very different.

-Every minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution. (Every time I remember this, I am grateful!)

It’s been a fun journey and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

 

 

2017-07-14T15:43:14+00:00 April 2nd, 2015|About, Makeup, Uncategorized|3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Liz April 8, 2015 at 11:51 am - Reply

    Thanks for sharing this, I’ve been thinking about becoming a makeup artist and wondered what the best way to go about it would be. So do you suggest going to makeup school?

  2. nicole April 8, 2015 at 9:22 pm - Reply

    You are so cute!! I loved learning more about YOU!

  3. Erika April 9, 2015 at 1:33 pm - Reply

    Wow you’ve had such an amazing journey! I completely admire you for following your dreams, wish I had your guts 🙂

    http://www.erikarecommends.blogspot.co.uk

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