We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Audrey Babl. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Audrey below.

Audrey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

Starting out in makeup can be really hard because it begins with a long road of unpaid work until you finally break through and can starting making money from it. I was quite lucky to get hired at a local salon back home in Wisconsin at just 16 years old. I started out making $20/hr which was more than I had made at any job I had before that. I think this opportunity played a huge role in me deciding to move out to LA to make a career of doing makeup. I was shown at quite a young age that I could make money doing what I loved, if I worked hard enough. I think that even though my work as a makeup artist does not fully support me financially right now, I am still lucky to get paid to do something I love.

Audrey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Audrey Babl, I am 19 years old and I am originally from Wausau, WI. I moved to LA in September of 2023 to go to Makeup Designory in Burbank and start a career as a makeup artist. I started finding an interest in makeup at a pretty young age, I was a competitive dancer growing up so wearing makeup and doing makeup on other people became pretty normal for me. My mom is also a hairstylist, so growing up I was always surrounded by aspects of the beauty industry. I have also always been a creative person, I love to draw and paint, so pursuing a career in makeup has always felt quite natural for me. I have gotten to do some amazing things with my skills since I have moved here, but I would say my proudest moment in makeup was winning the IMATS BOTB Competition 2024. That was a moment where I really felt like I could let all my creativity loose, and it ended up paying off!

As a makeup artist it is my main goal to stay well rounded. I want whoever hires me to see quality work from me whether its special effects or a full glam look. That is so important to me because I never want to be a one trick pony. The industry of makeup is always evolving and I want to be able to deliver any look that is asked of me.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think that society tends to undermine the value of art in general. There is constant discourse about the monetary value of art, especially makeup. I think many people who are not artists themselves don’t realize that there is so much that goes on behind the scenes that plays a huge role in how much an artist charges for their work. In makeup specifically, artists spend thousands of dollars to stock their kit, spend hours planning/preparing for a look, sanitizing tools and products, and transporting everything on location. After all that is when they actually do the part that most people see which is the makeup. I think it is important for everyone to remember that if they don’t agree with the price an artist is charging or they don’t think it is fair, they only know half of the work that artist is putting in.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I will say, I did know about social media early on in my journey, but never realized how important it truly is. I feel like so many people will tell you this, but you truly have to experience it yourself to understand how valuable it is. I find so many unique makeup jobs from Facebook groups and have connected with so many other creatives through Instagram. It really is amazing how the right person can see one of your posts, like your work, and offer you a job that can change everything for you. I encourage all artists, makeup or not, to post their work consistently and follow any artist they look up to because you never know who will come across your account.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://audreycbabl.wixsite.com/audreybabl
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audreybablmakeup
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-babl?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits

Deverill Weekes
Ted Menne
Justin Carpenter