We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jackie Romero a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jackie, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I always loved art and painted for years just for fun throughout my childhood and young adult life. As I got older I started having a love for makeup especially helping other people with products and what colors/looks would fit them best. I also started using makeup and hairstyling as a creative outlet when doing my own but never considered it could actually be a career.
When I was 18 a friend told me about a makeup school program you could sign up for and I thought it would be something fun to do over the summer while I was taking college classes. I ended up loving it so much and became very close with my teacher who had been in the industry for over 30 years. She still inspires me until this day and is the reason I started seeing makeup as a career instead of just a hobby. She also encouraged me to get my cosmetology license after the makeup program which was a two year commitment I did on the side while I started working as a makeup artist and although it was a lot at the time I am forever grateful for her guidance.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Jackie and I have been a professional Makeup Artist and Hairstylist for the past 12 years. Although I always had a love for makeup, hair and anything beauty including the entire beauty industry, I never thought of it as something I could ever turn into a career. I stumbled upon doing it professionally when I signed up for a makeup course at 18 years old as something that was supposed to just be for fun. After being so inspired by my teacher who had been in the industry for over 3o years at the time, I decided to go for it professionally with her blessing of course. I am so glad I did and feel so beyond lucky to do what I love every single day!
I offer professional makeup and hair for all types of special events but for the past 7 years I have chosen to mostly focus on weddings and working with brides. I feel it is so special to be such an important part of someone’s big day and I love being able to connect with my bride’s and bring their vision to life. It is the most gratifying experience! I also have amazing girls I work with who help me with larger wedding parties so we can accommodate large groups. I love the girls I work with and their work speaks for itself, we have turned into a little family from working together for so many years.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and getting to provide my services is the feeling I give others when they see themselves after our appointments. I love when I can make someone feel beautiful and see them radiating their new found confidence. I especially love when I work with a bride and show them the grand reveal of their look at the end, there is no better feeling than seeing their happy expression.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I was lucky enough to discover social media at the beginning when it first started getting popular which is a huge advertising tool for any artist. However I wish I would have discovered all of the online mediums that can help you get the word out about your art/business sooner. I always encourage anyone who is just starting out to make a website and any other online web pages such as yelp, google business, etc. in order to start getting discovered by potential clients/opportunities quicker.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jackiemakeup.com
- Instagram: jackiemakeup11
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackiemakeup11/
- Twitter: jackiemakeup11
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jackieromero7971
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/makeup-and-hair-by-jackie-romero-encino