It's Not Just Makeup: It's Culture

The best part of being a makeup artist is not the makeup. It's the people. More specifically, learning about my clients. I'm a geek (I've said this many times). I'm extremely intrigued by learning about various cultures. I am an avid documentary watcher. I JUST love learning about people. 

Makeup has served as my conduit to learn about various cultures. It also helps me learn the proper etiquette when dealing with clients. It's good to acknowledge and show sensitivity to their values. 

Here are 2 things that I've learned about various cultures in the past 3 months:

Orthodox Jewish women must cover their hair once married. Only their husbands can see it. Therefore, many will wear a snood or scarf during normal daily tasks. Some even wear high quality wigs called "sheitels". These wigs are handmade with premium virgin (unprocessed) human hair. Sheitels can cost upwards of $5K depending on the quality. The women care for them like their own hair with regular cuts, color and styles.

Latin women LOVE makeup! They are beauty goddesses. I have a Venezuelan client who squealed with delight when she saw my makeup arsenal. Latinas celebrate their beauty regardless of age, lifestyle or status. She's secure of her role in her family and society. She embraces the "joys of being a woman". When you see her, she'll always look good from head to toe. She will capture you with her confidence and sass :) 

As an American, I'm always captivated by people who live by different values and don't compromise for society. It shows such confidence and conviction. Rock on!  

The Vixen Box: Vixens: Jamaya the Beauty Guru

Thanks to the Vixen Box for featuring me as a "Beauty Vixen". Click on the link to learn more about me and my beauty journey!

The Vixen Box: Vixens: Jamaya the Beauty Guru: What’s your name and where are you from?   Jamaya Moore from Baltimore, MD  How has being natural affected your life? How do you feel ...

Five Attitudes You Should Eliminate If You Plan to Work for MAC Cosmetics (or any other makeup brand)

As a MAC alumni, I get a lot of calls from aspiring makeup artists asking if they should work for MAC. It’s not an easy conversation. For one, MAC is not the easiest job to land. There are countless interviews (at least 3). You have to have something special to be a MAC artist. It’s not for everyone; yet, everyone thinks they can do it...NOT! Call me what you want, but I love that company. They have strong branding and they never compromise. Their products are always evolving.

I am a MAC girl. I love other brands too, but I don’t know of one artist who does not have a MAC product in their kit. 

Enough of the sappy-ness, here are my 5ive Attitudes You Should Eliminate If You Plan to Work for MAC Cosmetics (or any other makeup brand)

1. You don’t like teamwork.

Being a makeup artist involves a considerable amount of collaboration and teamwork. On counter, we also share products and knowledge. You will always hear “Who has a Blacktrack or Spiked?” by artists searching for products at one of their colleagues work stations. Artists always ask each for help during foundation matching. Every artist sees something different. Someone is always there to offer tips and tricks on new products. At the end of the night, everyone has to assist with cleaning the store. So, it’s never just about YOU! You have to work as a unit. Working at MAC will prepare you for working on set with other creatives (photographers, hairstylists, manicurists, wardrobe stylist, etc.)

2. You don’t like change.

Business + Personal: Working with Friends

In business we work with people that we have mutual interests with. Sometimes friendships are developed during this process. Heck, it can be inevitable at times. Your creative colleagues are sometimes the only folks who you could watch a documentary on Helvetica (yes, the font). We can be nerds with these folks and they really get it or add it to it. You may even have a friend that was your 1st client and continues to support you through your process. Support i.e. embarking on business ventures together and hiring you for personal projects.

Just because we’re friends, you don’t have a pass to be late for a job. Or to forget about an appointment. Or to jeopardize your clients for the sake of a project with your friend. Or to assume that I will work with you on a project when I said “maybe”.