Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa Walker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

When I was creating my brand and logo I thought long and hard about what I wanted it to represent and encompass. It was a challenge because my services cover a wide range of offerings from special events, bridal makeup, to private & group lessons, to film, print, runway, retail and more. Most importantly though, my goal has been and always will be to inspire confidence and creativity in my clients by offering my “pearls of beauty” tips and expertise I’ve gathered along the way. I want them to leave me feeling their best self, and if they’ve learned something, whether it’s a skill or an insight about themselves through our engagement, I’ve successfully done my job! This is the essence of Pearls of Beauty.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Becoming a Makeup Artist was a dream of mine starting from the time I would take my little makeup bag to school and practice on my friends. This was long before the era of influencers and social media. Just a girl and her Loreal making her friends smile at themselves. I have been an artist since I was born, but makeup has become my favorite art medium. What made me fall in love with doing makeup was the intimate human connection and gratification of seeing someone look at themselves for the first time in a different light.

I chased that feeling right to the makeup counter and began working in the beauty industry in 2005. Since then I have had the opportunity to help thousands of people fulfill their idea of beauty through the art of makeup. I’ve done everything from weddings and, special events, to photo shoots of all kinds, destinations, runway, sales, print and film. My sweet spot though is collaborating with clients and creating looks that make them feel like their best self. I call my style “polished beauty”. It is effortlessly blended paired with fresh looking skin. Clientele that gravitate toward my style tend to want to still look and feel like themselves after they look in the mirror.

Something unique I offer to my clients is a curated makeup lesson tailored to their specific needs and desires. I help by taking the guess work out of how to start and what products to use in a non- intimidating, judgment – free environment. Many of my clients have told me how overwhelmed they have felt by too much information through media. It can be very confusing to know what is best for YOU when there is so much information being constantly thrown your way via TikTok, You Tube, Instagram etc… on faces that look nothing like yours. I also hear my clients say things like “I’m sorry.. I don’t know what I’m doing.. I’m not good at this… the salesperson at the makeup store told me I needed this but didn’t show me how to use it…”. There is a bit of shame and embarrassment that women especially carry when it comes to these skills society has deemed necessary to femininity. As if we are supposed to be born possessing this type of knowledge. To that I say, it’s OKAY and totally normal to not know what you are doing when it comes to a skincare or makeup routine! These are skills just like playing an instrument or riding a bike. If you want to learn, you CAN become good at it with practice.

I believe makeup can be used as a tool to enhance natural beauty, inspire confidence, creativity and foster self expression. Makeup is an accessory like a belt or earrings. You should have some fun choosing what you are going to wear on your eyes or your lips depending on how you feel any given day and feel confident wearing it. I want my clients to take that feeling with them when they leave me.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There was so much uncertainty in the beginning of the pandemic about how to move forward as a business that offers services that require touching someone’s face.

Many people had to postpone or cancel big events which left most of us beauty professionals without any income. I shifted my business to providing value to my network through education and retailing professional skincare and cosmetics. I offered one on one and group lessons virtually through Zoom and Facebook. With so many folks working from home people had more time to dedicate to learning a new skill like doing their makeup.

I have retailed botanical skincare and professional cosmetics through Limelife by Alcone in addition to my other services since before the pandemic and was able to focus on sharing those products more in depth with my clients through posts and videos. I spent a lot of time curating custom makeup and skincare routines as a personal shopper. I also offered virtual mini lessons with clients who purchased products with me so they could have an elevated experience by learning how to use what they just invested in.

My experience during that time really helped stretch my creativity and find tune my skills in a way I never had before.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m inspired by the special kind of energy in watching someone start to glow. I see that in what I do and the people I collaborate with. Whether I am teaching, pampering, creating or healing others through my work, it is my mission to create an environment where my clients will feel their very best inside and out. Simply put, I want to help people embrace the beauty they already possess within themselves. That energy is what drives me and continues to do so.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pearlsofbeautymua.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pearlsofbeautymua?igsh=ZTJqOThwYXRkb2xj&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pearlsofbeauty?mibextid=2JQ9oc

Image Credits
Angela Majerus Photography McGowan Images