The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE local beauty industry has seen the interest in makeup artistry rocket over the past few years, with more and more Bahamians learning various techniques to make themselves and others look beautiful, often with the benefit of an additional income.

For those wanting to pursue makeup artistry as career, professionals warn to be aware that the glitz and glamour that surrounds the craft is not all there is to the business.

In fact, those seasoned professionals will be the first to tell makeup artists coming up that being successful in the field is no easy feat and requires a combination of talent, skills, dedication and the necessary business sense.

Italia Williams, co-owner of Eye Candy Make-Up Store and Studio, told Tribune Woman that makeup artistry has suddenly become a very appealing business venture for many people because it is an easy “start up” – aspiring artists can learn techniques online and can easily gain the trust of close relatives or friends who would not mind paying a minimal price for services.

“The average MUA (makeup artist) starts with what they have in their makeup bag. There is really no overhead expense and the clients will come to you,” said Italia.

“You may know someone at work, a cousin or a friend; therein lies the danger. It’s more than using the lipstick you have at home. There is so much to consider.”

Italia, along with her sister Joconda, have effectively managed their business for many years, which has now expanded to several locations around Nassau.

“First of all, it’s not a fad or hobby for me. When I got into the business it was always about giving 100 per cent and going over and beyond in delivering my products and services. In fact, I wasn’t even aware that we were revolutionising the beauty industry. So for me (going into the business meant being professional), having a clean and proper environment for members of the public to come to and so that I can be taken seriously. It meant investing in my makeup and investing in training. Can I tell you my personal kit at home has little to no makeup, but my makeup kit (working tools) is worth thousands of dollars. It’s about putting measures in place and being business-like with what you do,” she said.

D’Angelo Bethel, resident makeup artist at Bliss Wax Boutique, has worked in industry for nearly two decades. Today, his work speaks for itself and he has become a well-known name amongst makeup artists in the Bahamas.

While he is enjoying success now, things were not as easy for D’Angelo in the beginning, especially given the fact that he was one of very few male makeup artists breaking into local market at that time.

“In addition to other challenges I had when I returned home to work at MAC downtown after being in the UK and US, I was bashed. And at MAC there is a big glass window so people saw me doing makeup there. They would insult me. At one point I was even attacked when I was leaving work, all because I was a male doing makeup,” D’Angelo said.

“Times have changed though and people are more accepting of it. There are even more and more men getting into the business.”

The bad times D’Angelo has had are, however, are nothing in comparison to the good experiences his career has brought him. Over the years, he has gained a wealth of knowledge that he shares with other young up-and-coming artists.

D’Angelo said while he is aware that many makeup artists learn from Youtube, he said they “should not stay there”.

“I feel like it is good and everyone should start off there. But if it makeup artistry is something you want to pursue you should go to school and get your knowledge and get certified. I got certified with MAC and went abroad for my schooling,” he said.

“Product knowledge is prime. If you have no knowledge about the ingredients, or the way you are applying the makeup to someone’s face, then it defeats the purpose of being a true artist. Everyone is watching the Youtube channels and going off of that, but that is also a double-edged sword.”

D’Angelo said a big pet peeve of his when makeup artists are only interested in the craft for the money.

“And because of that everyone is doing the same looks. I see there is a lot of extreme contouring and highlighting and extreme eyebrows. No one is venturing off and doing other looks,” he said.

Lucy Lu Sawyer, a newcomer to the industry whose career started a little over three years ago, quickly learned that being a self employed makeup artist can also mean unreliable work loads – you can be very busy for a couple of weeks and then have nothing lined up.

But the good thing for Lucy is that she is also a hairstylist, so when there are few clients on one end, her income is not impacted in a major way.

“Makeup artistry definitely has slow periods, but I have noticed it’s beginning to pick up,” Lucy said. “When things are slow, I use that time to do research, or to think of new marketing ideas or to learn a new technique. It’s definitely a must to keep saving up for rainy days because the makeup artist job is very unpredictable.

“I would say it was difficult starting my career. As with any business I needed start-up money to build up my kit. I also had to build my brand and make a name for myself, not to mention hone skills. At the beginning there wasn’t much competition in makeup artistry, but the artists that were there had the industry on lock. I had to break into the industry, which was not an easy task. Reality had hit that this wasn’t just applying makeup, but it was a full-fledged business. Marketing my brand and learning customer service was relevant to my company’s progress. It wasn’t until three years in when I began getting a response to all my efforts,” she told Tribune Woman.

Lucy said the most difficult thing about being in the business is staying motivated.

“Being self employed you can easily be discouraged by lack of sales or seeing others around you succeeding. But it is important that you do not let the competition get to you. I have learned to completely run my own race and keep pushing to become better and better,” she said.