I’ve always loved makeup for as long as I can remember. Watching my mom apply makeup from a very young age was always mesmerizing for me. I remember her taking out the little sponge applicators and swiping browns over her lids. As I grew up, I saw her experiment with more daring colors like blues and pinks of the early 80s. I was fascinated by how she looked at herself in the mirror while applying her makeup quickly. I loved spending as much time with her as I could.
During my middle school years, my mother was absent, so I had to learn about beauty and fashion by trial and error. I experimented with different products and looked at the latest trends in magazines and ads. Fortunately, my grandmother was a fashionista and gave me a subscription to Vogue magazine, which I became obsessed with. To expand my knowledge, I also read Teen Magazine and Cosmo. My best friend and I used to walk to the local drugstore where we would spend hours shopping for makeup and nail products. It was my happy place.
When I moved in with my mom to a town just outside of Los Angeles, that’s when I discovered my love for makeup. It was the early 90s, and department store makeup was all the rage. I always imagined myself working at one of those counters, applying makeup and selling products. However, when I got my first “real” job at the age of 15, I was disappointed to learn that I couldn’t work at one of those counters since you had to be 18 to work there.
When I moved to San Diego to attend SDSU, I discovered MAC Cosmetics at Nordstrom in Fashion Valley Mall. Watching the makeup artists at work and sometimes getting my makeup done by them, I realized that they were true artists with remarkable creativity, skills, and real brushes. They became my idols and taught me all the basics. I still remember my first purchase – a mahogany eye shadow and a crease brush that I bought when I was 18. Even though I don’t use it anymore, I still have that brush. I was eager to learn and did everything I could to improve my skills. This experience was important to me as it helped me develop a passion for makeup and a desire to learn more about it.
Fast forward a few years after I got married, my husband and I moved to Italy. During this time, an opportunity at Clinique in the Exchange became available, and I immediately applied. I was thrilled to be hired on the spot and learned all about different face shapes, skin tones, and basic color theory. I worked at Clinique and also subbed at Estee Lauder, eventually making my way to Lancôme. One day while watching Oprah, I came across a makeup artist named Kevyn Aucoin who had just published a how-to book on makeup. He was a makeup artist to the stars! I ordered his book which I devoured the minute it arrived. I practiced every look in that book over and over again.
I have personally worked at various makeup counters, including the prestigious MAC Counter. My love for makeup continues to this day!