We were lucky to catch up with Joanna Faivre recently and have shared our conversation below.
Joanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I have learned the craft of makeup in a professional school in Paris (Ecole de maquillage Avant-Scène) and that was one of the best decision of my life. To begin discovering the world of makeup, we first learned art, I drew, painted, played with primary colors and learned how to create 3d dimension using light and shadows, first on paper, then only on a person. That gave me a base technique and knowledge I couldn’t live without.
During my first year I only used color theory to create all my products from scratch : foundation, concealer, blush, etc. That is how I trained my eye to know what to apply and be capable of working with diverse models.
Before applying makeup on someone’s face, it is important to understand morphology, carnation, style, and personality, for all those reasons I recommend taking a full course as I did when I first began. I continue to learn daily, with other muas, but also photographers and dop. Light in everything when it comes to makeup, it can enhance or destroy a mua’s work, it is crucial to have that knowledge.
Joanna, 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?
I have always been sensitive to art and beauty. In my 20s I used to wear a lot of makeup and did it for my friends, I never thought about making a career out of it, but when one of my relative pointed it out, it became obvious. I searched many different schools until I found one that resonated my core values, and I began in 2015 that way!
I started working right away on music videos with my favorite artists, then photoshoots came along, and the world of movie-making, live shows..I have been blessed with great experience from the get go.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I play with what I have in my kit, I don’t think this or that brand makes a difference in a makeup, it is more how you apply it, how you bond with your client and make it about their particular taste or demands, not the latest miracle eyeliner. Of course it is important to respect sanitary and allergy requirements in my profession, but once I have that, I think my craft is more important that my products.
What I am most proud of is having built a career in this industry without the use of social media, it is a tool that works great for many of my colleagues, but for me it has always been a brake. I have made a path for myself in the makeup industry using word of mouth and I met so many amazing people along the way, that for me is the biggest blessing!
Today I work full time as a mua in two countries, and I continue to expand my network while meeting people the genuine way. I also don’t have most of my work online, so when I start working on someone for the first time, I always get “I didn’t know you could do that!” and that is the best ego booster haha!
My goal is to just keep doing what I do because it is an honest formula, and not betray myself or my clients trying to sell them unnecessary items they don’t need.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
In my field of work, the most rewarding aspect is when I am done applying makeup, and have my model look in the mirror. When I hear “Omg is that me? I didn’t know I could look so good!”, it brings me so much joy! Some reactions can bring me to tears, honestly.
Unfortunately I have leaned that a lot of people don’t like themselves, think they are ugly or average, and bringing them that boost of confidence, showing them they are indeed gorgeous, is heartwarming!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The one thing I had to unlearn was about working for free. I was advised my professors to first work for free to build a portfolio, which absolutely, yes, you do need a portfolio, and you do need to network when you start. However, there is a way to do it, between makeup school and photography schools for example, trading the financial value of your work with an equally rated service etc.
I wish I wasn’t told to just “work for free because this is how it starts”. Absolutely not. It is actually doing a disservice to other creatives that have been working for decades, because of that they are forced to lower their rates, can’t find a job because so many new creatives work for less etc, and in general, I can tell you I have been abused and exploited but many big brands and companies.
I had to re-learn that it is important to have boundaries when it comes to make a living as a creative, as much for me as it is for the profession in general. No matter how prestigious the job offer is, if it is unpaid or minimum wage, I do not take it.
Contact Info:
- Website: joannafaivre.com
- Instagram: joannafaivre
Image Credits
Sarah Desti, Margaux Rodriguez, Ami Colberg, JF Jullian