We recently connected with Jena Sanchez and have shared our conversation below.

Jena, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

My business name – Magix In The Makeup – comes from the No Doubt song of the same name, just spelled differently. Gwen Stefani was a huge fashion and beauty influence on me as a girl growing up in the 90s. I loved how she experimented with different styles and had this dope mix of feminine & masculine, classy & grungy. I fully wore the space buns & did the face jewels and everything. That being said, the album “Return of Saturn” is my all-time favorite No Doubt album, so when I was thinking of a name for my business, this seemed like a no-brainer. The song “Magic’s In The Makeup” talks about wanting to be your authentic self, but hiding under makeup as like a shield or a persona, and I feel like that’s something most girls & women can relate to. While that may not seem like the message you’d want for a makeup business, I think that’s just part of it. There is magic in wearing makeup; it can be a shield (which has it’s purpose), but it can also be an expression of your most authentic self. Makeup can transform you into a whole new person and you get to decide who that is. I have seen the power of makeup completely change a person’s whole demeanor. People have walked into my studio feeling super down (for whatever reason), then after our session, they leave with their head held high, ready to take on the world! I love getting to be a part of that transformation. To me, that is magic.

Jena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an Elder Millenial, so I grew up and started wearing makeup way before YouTube tutorials and influencers. Most of what I know and the skills I have developed have come from trial and error – lots of error! I was always into makeup from a young age. I used to watch my mom use those old school mirrors with the different light settings to do her makeup and I would play with it when she wasn’t around. So, makeup was never that thing that intimidated me, it was something that excited me and I was always trying things out and even doing makeup on my friends.
I didn’t even start doing makeup professionally until after college. I had my degree and was working jobs I hated and decided that needed to change, so I quit the job I had at the time and got a job working the Dior counter at Macy’s in Waikiki. The Waikiki Macy’s was one of the busiest (if not THE busiest) Macy’s in the country at the time, so I got lots of practice doing makeup on a wide variety of people. That lead to a freelance position with Dior Beauty directly, which I was able to do for many years, not only in Hawaii, but also in San Diego. It was honestly the thing that changed everything for me. Not only did I get a ton of real world experience, but I met so many people that opened up lots of doors for me. I’m so grateful for that job.
Making money as a full-time Makeup Artist is not easy, so I decided to go to Beauty School to get my Esthetics License, so I could get a job at a spa and have more consistent work. I did that for about 10 years, all the while doing makeup on the side whenever I could.
When the Pandemic hit, not only did I re-evaluate my priorities (as did a lot of people), but I was able to save some money. That little bit of savings was enough to launch my business. Makeup is my passion, and I decided I had to stop treating her like a hobby. While makeup will always be my main focus, I do offer other services like waxing, lash lifts, lash & brow tints & brow lamination. Those are also services I genuinely enjoy providing and allow me to have a consistent clientele.
I think what I’m most proud of is launching my business altogether, and still being here almost 4 years later! It definitely has not been easy, and continues to challenge me all the time, but I am so happy I have been lucky enough to pursue this dream of mine.
One surprising thing that has come of this, is how much I enjoy teaching people about makeup. I offer makeup lessons, and that has really blown up for me. The amount of people who don’t wear makeup simply because they feel intimidated by it, or just feel lost with it is really shocking. I have taught people from very different ages, backgrounds, upbringings, careers, etc, and every single time they leave feeling so empowered; it’s been super rewarding. That is definitely something I am trying to foster more. Another example of how makeup is magic.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I shared a little about this on an earlier question, but I think it’s worth revisiting. I’ve pivoted a few times in life and career. I got my Bachelors Degree in Psychology, but realized pretty quickly that I did not want to pursue that career path. As a result, I just began working jobs that would pay me well, but I was miserable at because I had no direction. After a few years, I had to think about what I actually love doing – what excites me; and that was makeup! I got a job working at the Dior Makeup counter at Macy’s Waikiki and that launched my career as a working Makeup Artist. Over time, I realized that it was very difficult to make a living on just doing makeup (and I was not in a position to take the steps necessary to make that happen), so I pivoted again. I had the opportunity to go to Beauty School, so I did and I got my license as an Esthetician. I knew, at the time, that this was only supposed to be in service of me pursuing my career as a Makeup Artist. Skincare and makeup go hand-in-hand, and getting a job at a spa was going to give me the consistency to save money, which it did. Along the way, other life things happened and I ended up staying in the Spa Industry as my primary career a lot longer than I wanted to, but it still helped my career as a Makeup Artist. In that time, not only was I able to get more financially stable, but I learned a lot about working in luxury spaces and, of course, skincare. All of that time still served me and my current career. In 2021, I pivoted yet again when I officially launched Magix In The Makeup Beauty Studio, focusing specifically on the things that excite me and bring me joy.

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

I think there are 2 things that have helped build my reputation: 1) being myself, always; and 2) work ethic.
One of the biggest things that killed my spirit working for other people, was putting on a persona to fit the needs of that business. One of the best things about running my own business is I get to show up exactly as myself. Not only has this been so freeing for me, but it has allowed me to build the right clientele for me and my business. Not everyone is for everyone and that’s okay. When you get to be yourself, it allows you to build a more loyal clientele because they know they can trust you, and they like you. That feels good for everyone.
As far as work ethic goes, the main theme for that is accountability. I may be flakey in my personal life, on occasion, but when it comes to work, I will show up and I will show out. One thing I’ve noticed about my industry, is that people can be flakey, and if you’re a client, that is super frustrating to deal with. I can’t tell you the number of times, me simply answering a client call or calling them back right away has shocked them; and when I do mess up, addressing it, apologizing and correcting it. Also, knowing how to talk to people and showing up with a good attitude, goes a long way. Honestly, these seem like simple, obvious things to me, but the stories I’ve heard and the experiences I’ve had tell me otherwise. I think it’s those things that have been really beneficial to me in my industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.magixinthemakeup.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magixinthemakeup/
• Other: https://magixinthemakeup.glossgenius.com/

Image Credits

PHOTOS 1 -3: Aida Visuals; PHOTO 4: Nilas Photography; PHOTOS 5-6: Taryn Schubert Photography; PHOTO 7: my own