We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeanna Doyle Ruhl a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jeanna , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many clients who have deepened my “why.” One client, in particular, will always stay with me.
Now in her early forties, she experienced a life-changing accident at just thirteen years old, resulting in the loss of one of her eyes. At a time when she should have been dreaming about cheerleading tryouts, giggling about crushes, and savoring the excitement of teenage milestones, she was instead facing a devastating trauma that permanently altered not only her appearance but also her sight.
She shared with me how, in those early days after her accident, her best friend would come over every morning before school to help her apply artificial eyelashes — an act of pure love and understanding. That friend grasped something that countless doctors overlooked: how essential it is for a young girl to feel like herself again.
Despite undergoing more than forty surgeries over the years, she was never once offered medical makeup services — specialized, compassionate support that could help restore a sense of balance and normalcy to her appearance. When we met, she looked at me and said, “Where have you been all these years?”
Her words stay with me every day and continue to fuel my mission: advocating for medical makeup services to become a natural, integrated part of healing in healthcare settings. Medical makeup isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about restoring confidence, helping patients reconnect with their lives, and honoring every stage of their healing journey.

Jeanna , 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 journey in the beauty and wellness world began in 1986 in Lexington, Kentucky, when I started working at a skin and body care spa — quite an unusual setting at the time, especially since the beauty scene there was largely dominated by hair salons. I fell in love instantly with the transformative power of this industry.
Soon after, I expanded my work to collaborate with a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, offering skin care and corrective makeup services to his cosmetic patients. This early experience opened my eyes to the profound impact beauty services could have in a medical setting. A pivotal moment for me came when the surgeon was called to treat a young woman whose nose had been severely injured in a dog attack. Witnessing her resilience, and seeing firsthand how our services could help her through the long recovery process, cemented my belief in the power of medical makeup and skin care as part of the healing journey.
In 1995, I moved to Dallas, Texas, where I built a career in fashion and advertising makeup, traveling extensively and honing my skills. The transition from traditional photography to digital gave me a powerful new perspective, allowing me to enhance my craft.
After 9/11, when travel slowed, I found myself seeking deeper meaning in my work. With encouragement from colleagues in oncology, I returned to the medical side, doubling down on training, developing my own educational materials, and even founding a nonprofit. I authored WigED, the first resource book to help women navigate the overwhelming process of selecting and caring for their first wig.
Though I eventually closed my nonprofit to open a spa focused on everyday and oncology aesthetics (ahead of its time but impacted by the pandemic), my commitment never wavered. Today, I partner part-time with a nonprofit offering oncology skincare services while I build my medical makeup practice.
My work is about much more than traditional makeovers — it’s about helping clients look and feel like themselves again. I use the simplest ingredients and as few products as possible to create wearable, practical looks that fit any stage of healing. The goal is for the makeup to feel like a natural part of them — not something done to them, but for them.
I truly believe that all my experiences, challenges, and setbacks have led me exactly where I am meant to be. Progress doesn’t always look the way we expect it to — and sometimes that’s because we are creating a path that’s never been walked before.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

When you work in a field that’s still in its infancy, like oncology aethetics or medical makeup, it can feel challenging to find traditional training opportunities. Over a dozen years ago, there were no formal trainings for oncology makeup or wig services — so I had to get creative.
I pursued adjacent education through oncology skin care training, even though it wasn’t a perfect match, and built relationships with industry pioneers. They encouraged me to create the trainings I wished had existed when I started. That foundation helped me develop specialized techniques for working with sensitive, highly reactive skin — skills that I now apply across many different types of cases, not just oncology.
So if you can’t find a clear path in your field, find something similar — and build from there. Sometimes, even if the comparison isn’t direct, the foundation it gives you can be invaluable.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

For me, building a strong reputation has always been about connection and consistency. I talk about what I do with everyone — not because I’m selling something, but because I truly believe in the impact of my work.
Over the years, people have remembered, and when someone they love needed support, they reached out. That’s the beauty of networking: people may not always seem to be listening, but when the moment is right, they remember exactly who can help.
Speaking at medical conferences and nurturing relationships with providers has also been crucial. In fact, the very first plastic surgeon I ever worked with is still a friend and colleague today. He even invited me to present a training that has now been taught internationally — something I’m incredibly proud of.
Another key? Never stop learning. Curiosity keeps you sharp. Commitment keeps you steady. Passion keeps you resilient. If you stay grounded in what made you fall in love with your work to begin with, your reputation will grow naturally over time.
Just keep going. Keep loving what you do. And trust that even the small steps forward are building something beautiful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ruhlbeauty.com www.wiged.com
• Instagram: @ruhlbeauty.com
• Linkedin: Jeanna Doyle

Image Credits

For the bio picture and book cover photo credit Tim Boole.