Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Savanah Norman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Savanah , thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

My brothers best friends little sister hired me to do her makeup for family pictures and she paid me $30. I remember feeling so proud and honored that she trusted me enough! That was back in 2018. I will always remember how nervous I felt doing it and I love to look back at the pictures to see how far my work has come! We still stay in touch and I did her makeup a few months ago!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Savanah Norman and I’m a self taught professional makeup artist. I have loved makeup for as long as I can remember and I would follow tutorials on Youtube and do my makeup. One day I got curious if I could do it on other people and I fell in love. Since that day, I just haven’t stopped! I have done it for 4 and a half years and I’m so lucky that I can do this full time as a freelancer.

I do makeup for weddings/special events, commercials/television, beauty campaigns and editorials. I have always made sure to showcase all skin tones in my portfolio and that has been something I feel sets me apart. As a black women who has grown up in Utah, I didn’t feel that there was a lot of inclusion in the creative industry here. I have now taught my own class teaching other makeup artists how to do makeup on deep skin tones. I have also had the honor to be a special guest speaker at beauty schools throughout Utah.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to learn to listen to the client in my chair and do what they wanted instead of doing what I think would look best on them. I had a client leave feeling frustrated that I didn’t do the look that she had communicated to me and it was an eye-opening day. The client is paying me to make them feel their best and every person can have different preferences when it comes to makeup style. I now make sure to listen to my client and ask more questions to make sure I’m understanding them correctly. I’ve had so many clients leave absolutely ecstatic after working on that!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started an Instagram account and posted daily. I also made sure to introduce myself and be completely authentic so that potential clients didn’t only see me as “Savanah the professional makeup artist”. I wanted them to see the side of my life outside of makeup! I think that has helped me grow a loyal and friendly following. That’s the advice I highly suggest taking into consideration.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.savanahnorman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savanahnormanmua/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savanahnormanmua
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/savanah-norman

Image Credits
-Sami Kim Photo -Courtney Gracie Photography -Caitlyn Krisle -Ashlyn Stott Photography -Bren Alyse Photographer -Whitney Finuf -Jesus Rodriguez -Kat Jo Photo