makeup makeup makeup.

When I was about 10years old my mom was already a successful photographer in the small town I grew up in. She was even more talented than i can put into words. She would take beautiful photographs of people, have them printed in black and white, bring them home, spread them out on our gigantic dining room table.. take out her colored pencils and paints.. and hand color the photographs to make them look like paintings.

After staying up together many nights and watching her for hours on end.. she ordered me a few photos of girls to paint myself. I'd sit next to her and paint little girls cheeks rosy with pink paints.. then use black pencil to draw on eyelashes.. red lips, pink lips, coral lips. It was the beginning of my love for transforming the beautiful faces of women.

The most common thing people ask me is... what would you change about my makeup now?
Obviously that's an extremely hard question to answer on the spot.
But the amazing thing about makeup is you can express whoever you are.. and if it doesn't quite work out you can wash it off and start over.

A lot of women are "anti make-up". They claim it makes a woman "fake", "artificial", or "clown like".. But in my experience as a professional makeup artist these woman are usually (except for the few who are absolutely drop dead gorgeous without a stitch of it) afraid of makeup because they have no clue how to apply it or where to start. That's where I come in :)

The most amazing thing about makeup is the fact that it can be worn in ANY WAY you want it to be. If you are a simple girl and you really don't feel the need to take an hour in the morning to get ready for your day.. All you need is a great skin care line.. a little tinted moisturizer, mascara and lipgloss. If you're someone who LOVES to play with colors and textures... then you're in for fun.

I can still remember the first time I went to MAC.
My mom and I walked in, and the music was blasting..
and all the beautiful girls who worked there were dressed in black.
Not just black clothing though. Black art. They all wore the most amazing black high heels...
Some wore pencil skirts and others wore outfits that you look at and think..
"Wow I would have never thought to wear something like that."

The place has something about it that makes you not only envious of the artists who get to work there but theres also something that makes you want every single item they sell, even if you really aren't a makeup "enthusiast".

The best way I can describe MAC if you haven't ever had the privledge of visiting a store is like driving into a beautiful city at night and being in total awe.

Needless to say I became obsessed with the makeup but also becoming a part of the MAC world. It was just so much different than any of the other cookie cutter stores.

My first day working for MAC was pretty much like any other first day. Except that I was completely intimidated by the beauty that existed behind the counter. I very quickly made some of the best friends I've ever had. We would dress up like we were going out to a club for work.. make people look freakin amazing.. sell them the makeup.. then go out together. It was definitely the funnest job in the world and I couldn't believe I was getting paid the amount I was to do something I loved to do and hang out with my best friends.

All I wanted was to be promoted. I wanted to be a trainer for MAC. I wanted to be the artist who taught other artists technique and skills. The trainers were the MAC artists who walked into the room and you were at a loss for words. The were the celebrities of the MAC world.

I moved to California to work for MAC and still loved work just as much as the day I walked in for the first time.. But California was insanely expensive and I was in love with a boy who lived 7 hours away.

If you ever have the opportunity to work for the company.. you have the artistic ability and communication skills... my advice is don't give up until you're in.