We were lucky to catch up with Paulina Buldumea recently and have shared our conversation below.

Paulina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

I discovered my passion for makeup at the age of 17 when I attended my first makeup course. At that time, the profession of a makeup artist was relatively unknown and considered more of a hobby than a career. I remember that when I started working in this field, many people asked me about my job, questioning its legitimacy and potential.

I decided to take the first course because I was fascinated by beauty and cosmetics, particularly luxury products. I always enjoyed applying makeup and seeing how it could transform and enhance a person’s appearance. Despite graduating from law school, my artistic background made it difficult for me to envision a career as a lawyer.

I concluded that to excel in any field, one must dedicate themselves out of passion rather than obligation. I firmly believe that when you pursue your passion and engage in your work with enthusiasm, the results will meet your expectations, and you will find fulfillment in your chosen profession.

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

I actually started my career when I was 19 years old, I was invited to work for a TV channel that was not well-known at the time. Unfortunately, it didn’t succeed, but I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work there because it allowed me to practice and develop my talents as a makeup artist. I gradually began working with bigger brands, and all along, the idea of having my own makeup school was always in my mind. Things didn’t happen overnight; it took about 10 years to finally establish my makeup school. I believe that teaching requires time and experience, which I gained over the years. The most interesting part was how I started teaching. I was working on a makeup project in Malaga, but when I got there, my beauty case broke, and I had to buy new productson my own. This led me to a store called Atelier Paris, which also had a makeup school. I was invited to teach there, knowing deep down that it was the next step for me. I taught there for five years before opening my own makeup school. From the very beginning, I was able to start earning money in this field, although it wasn’t as much as I had hoped for initially. I believe that in any business, not just the creative arts, when you’re starting out on a new path—especially if it’s a personal venture and not an inherited or family business—you need time to grow and evolve. This was particularly true for me, as I was also navigating a new country.
In the beginning, I took on many pro bono projects, which taught me invaluable lessons. Gradually, I transitioned to paid projects. This journey took about 2-3 years before I started collaborating with the people I really wanted to work with and on the dream projects I had envisioned. Reflecting on it now, I think this gradual process was essential for my growth and success.
When you aspire to excel in a certain field or be among the best, continuous learning is essential. I believe that the moment you consider yourself the smartest or the most talented, you risk stagnation and halting your progress. I’ve always invested in both national and international courses.
Twenty years ago, when I started practicing makeup, we didn’t have the online learning opportunities available today. Back then, I couldn’t just pick up tricks from international makeup artists without traveling around the world to gather information and buy makeup books. Despite these challenges, I continued to learn and stay updated with the latest trends and information in my field.
Perseverance is the most important quality; it’s crucial not to get discouraged during tough times and to keep moving forward. Every field has its challenges, and facing failures with determination is key. Being hard-working, responsible, and honest with those around you leads to inevitable success.
Personally, I’m not sure if I’ve faced many obstacles. I’m an optimistic person, and when something unpleasant happens, I try to get over it and learn from the experience. I can’t say that life has put many obstacles in my way, or at least, I try not to perceive difficult situations as such.
5 What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on? Tell us the backstory so we understand circumstances/context and why it’s meaningful to you.
My most meaningful project is the makeup school I created. It’s both my business and my passion project. At the school, I have the opportunity not only to manage and teach but also to collaborate with other great artists in the field. This truly is my passion; I love coming to work, and it never feels like a job. I am incredibly excited to share my knowledge with beauty enthusiasts. The school holds the highest value for me.
Even though it has been 20 years since I officially started working at a television station, the memory of my first client remains vivid. It was for an unknown, newly opened television station aiming to make a name for itself. Although it didn’t succeed in the long run, this project and job were extremely important to me. I spent six months there, honing my makeup artist skills, working with various clients, and advancing my career. Even though the salary wasn’t generous, it felt incredibly rewarding to receive it.
I encourage young beginners not to underestimate small opportunities and to be open to more modest projects at the beginning, as many valuable lessons can be learned from them. My first earnings as a makeup artist, obtained from my school business, were a significant milestone in my professional evolution. Instead of spending the money on personal pleasures, I reinvested it to support my business in the long run.
For a long time, I allocated financial resources to magazines, quality products, and necessary equipment, such as a photo studio, which contributed to the improvement of the quality of my school. As with any business, constant investments are essential for progress and continuous growth. When kids come to me a year after finishing the course and ask about the secret of my success, I realize that sometimes people are in a rush. As I’ve mentioned before, in any field, it requires patience, perseverance, and courage to progress.
When I opened my own makeup school, it was a magical moment. However, it also took time to promote myself and become known as a makeup trainer. Although I was recognized as a makeup artist for television projects and by my clients, I needed to establish my reputation as a mentor. The experience I gained over five years as a trainer at Atelier Paris was incredibly helpful, but I wasn’t known as a trainer because I worked under their brand name.
I am deeply grateful for the time I spent at Atelier Paris; all the experience from there helped me manage my business to succeed. Scaling up involved continuous learning and adapting. I invested in high-quality products, professional equipment, and stayed updated with the latest trends. I also reinvested my earnings back into the business to ensure long-term growth.
The journey wasn’t without its obstacles. There were moments of doubt and mistakes, but each challenge taught me valuable lessons. Building a business takes time and dedication. It’s about laying a strong foundation, making strategic decisions, and staying committed to your vision. This middle phase, often overlooked by the media, is where the real work happens and where the foundation for success is built. The most unexpected challenge we faced in our business was the pandemic. We were at a high point, with everything running smoothly, and then suddenly, the pandemic hit us hard. The impact was significant, especially in the artistic field and for our makeup school. In difficult times, like periods of war or epidemics, makeup becomes a low priority for most people. This posed a major challenge for us, as we were not allowed to work or teach for an extended period.
schools eventually began to reopen, we reopened our doors too, but it was very hard to operate while being required to wear masks in a profession where we work with people’s faces. The style of teaching also changed considerably with the emergence of many online courses. This shift, while innovative, forced us to rethink our entire business plan and start practically from scratch. It took a while before we could recover, and the impact was profound.
This period marked us deeply, just as it did for many others, but particularly for those in the artistic field. The pandemic challenged us in ways we never expected, but it also taught us resilience and adaptability. Through perseverance and creative problem-solving, we managed to navigate these tough times and come out stronger.
I had an intense experience that motivated me to become more punctual. I was late for an important project where a team of 50 people was waiting for me on set for about an hour and a half. I felt extremely bad about this delay, and beyond the guilt, I was also somewhat punished for it. For a year or two after this incident, every time I worked with them, they would call me much earlier than necessary!
This was their way of ensuring I wouldn’t be late again, and it inevitably made me realize the importance of punctuality. From that point on, I made it a habit to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early for every project. I also try to pass on this lesson to my students, emphasizing that punctuality is one of the most important qualities you can have. This experience taught me a valuable lesson and significantly improved my professional discipline.
The most important lesson I learned came from my time in law school, even though it wasn’t the path I wanted. I grew up in an artistic family—my mom was a set designer, and my dad was a musician. Living in such a creative environment made it hard to pursue anything outside of the arts. But my parents guided me towards law, saying that an artist’s life can be financially tough, so they didn’t allow me to follow my true passion: acting.
I went to law school to please my parents. After graduation, I chose to work in a completely different, more creative field and became a makeup artist. This experience taught me the importance of following your own path, even if it means going against others’ expectations.
Now, I make sure to support my children in pursuing their passions and finding happiness in what they do. When you do what you love, you are at your best. The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me was taking me under their wing. I started as an assistant to Anca Radulescu, who was renowned in this field. This opportunity changed the course of my career. I am deeply grateful for the trust and support she gave me, helping me to grow and evolve.
Her belief in me opened doors to the world of television, collaborations with public figures, and participation in remarkable projects. Since then, my career has taken a decisive turn, transforming me from a simple makeup artist into a professional. It was a combination of hard work, perseverance, and a bit of luck that made all the difference.
It’s essential for the youth to understand that all of us who are now successful in our field or run our own business started from scratch at some point. Whether we were assistants, interns, or in any other modest beginning, we all had a start. I want to share a significant memory in this regard:
One of my first clients, provided by my mentor Anca, was a lady who needed lifting makeup. Instead, I did an intense smoky eye makeup, which was completely unsuitable for the lifting requirement. I remember she looked in the mirror and her reaction made me burst into tears. I can’t exactly recall how I solved the problem, but I surely found a solution.
What I want to convey through this message is that mistakes are part of everyone’s journey and are essential for professional growth. Each mistake teaches us something valuable and brings us closer to the success we dream of. So, embrace your beginnings and learn from every experience – it’s all part of the journey.
As I mentioned before, that person is Anca Radulescu, whom I consider to be the individual who has helped me immensely. Besides introducing me to the glamorous world and involving me in significant projects, she took care of me as if I were her own child.
In the beginning, I didn’t own any makeup products, let alone complete kits; I only had a few brushes gifted by my mother, which I used for a long time. Anca offered me her own makeup products to work with, a gesture that’s rare in our field. She also provided me with confidence and clients to grow.
I will be deeply grateful for my entire life and try, in turn, to offer the same care and support to my assistants, just like Anca did for me. I am deeply happy and extremely grateful for the business I have built and for everything I have achieved so far. The idea of working for someone else or in a field lacking creativity is completely foreign to me. I am the type of person who easily gets bored with routine, which is why I always organize my schedule so that each day brings new challenges, is different, innovative, and full of creativity. The idea of waking up in the morning to go to an office with a fixed schedule does not appeal to me at all.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seriously considered what it would be like to be in a more traditional employee role. Perhaps only during the pandemic did I have a moment of doubt. When I saw how my friends with stable jobs enjoyed the comfort of their homes, relaxing and receiving a steady salary, while we, the business owners, faced intense challenges and strived to find ways to pay our employees, I wondered what it might be like. But that moment was more a fleeting thought than a real regret.
Overall, I am extremely satisfied and grateful for all the experiences and lessons I have learned so far, forging my own path.
My parents did an excellent job raising me with values I deeply cherish, even though, as I mentioned earlier, they didn’t manage to convince me to pursue a law degree. They did well in trusting me and offering their unconditional support for all the decisions I made after I had finished college. They were always there for me, believing in my choices.
Indeed, there were moments when they were disappointed that I didn’t become a lawyer and that I didn’t follow the path they deemed right for me. However, seeing my growth and achievements, they eventually came around and now I sincerely hope they are proud of me. Their trust and support have had a profound impact on my journey, giving me the confidence to pursue my passions and build the career I love. The essential lesson I quickly learned from this project is that we, as people, have the power to reach our goals as long as we believe in ourselves. Personally, I strongly believe in the law of attraction: when you genuinely wish to accomplish grand projects, they will undoubtedly gravitate towards you. This teaches us a valuable lesson: not to underestimate our capacity. With hard work, genuine desire, and honesty towards those around us, we can go much farther than we might have imagined possible. Life definitely holds beautiful and unexpected surprises for us. If I had the chance to turn back time, I would not change the moment I chose to start my makeup school. The period spent working as a freelancer and collaborating with television was invaluable, and the experience gained during this time proved to be essential. Teaching in this field requires not just theoretical knowledge but also a rich experience to share with your students, offering more than just information from books. People come to you to learn based on the real-world experience you have, seeking not just promises but genuine value.
Therefore, I believe everything happened at the right time. I opened my makeup school after 11 years of working in the field, which included seven years in television and freelance work for various significant projects, followed by five years of teaching at Atelier Paris. All these accumulated experiences gave me the confidence and resources needed to open my own makeup school, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my career. Probably the worst investment I made was not an unthoughtful one, but rather an unsuitable one. I decided to renovate my workshop and opted for a completely wrong design. Firstly, I underestimated the importance of lighting in a space meant for a makeup school. Being a makeup artist, I should have known that we needed plenty of natural light. I knew this in theory, but in practice, I didn’t consider how much the chosen design would affect our activities.
I created a very colorful workshop, predominantly in yellow, but as soon as we started working, I realized it was a huge mistake. The yellow color was tiring and agitating, and the space was very hard to use for makeup. The atmosphere became extremely noisy and exhausting, making it difficult for both myself and my students and team. I lost money because we had to renovate the workshop again shortly after.
The conclusion is that if you know something is technically incorrect or have a gut feeling that it’s not suitable, you should analyze it thoroughly before making a decision. You should not do something just because it looks aesthetically pleasing. Since then, I analyze my options carefully before making a decision because I truly threw money out the window with that renovation. At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, clouded with emotions and doubts, I reluctantly opened my makeup school business. It was just me and a single employee – my assistant – who quickly became indispensable. As the business started to grow, I realized that our team needed to expand. It wasn’t a sudden growth; I didn’t hire everyone at once. Instead, I gradually invited those I identified as essential for the evolution of my business.
Over time, I realized something truly important: the team and the employees eventually become like a family. This happens because we spend many hours a day together, sometimes 8, 10, or even 12 hours, if necessary, more than with our own families. The importance of a beautiful and constructive relationship with employees is undeniable. However, throughout this journey, I’ve come to understand that certain boundaries should be maintained.
In some cases, I became too friendly with certain employees, a situation I do not recommend to other entrepreneurs. When the lines between professional respect and friendly relations blur, work efficiency can suffer. There needs to be a balance; to be friends with employees, but not to become overly fraternal. From my point of view, this is key to maintaining a healthy and productive dynamic within the business.
If I were starting today, I would be mindful of maintaining this balance from the beginning, ensuring that professional boundaries are present.
There’s a very interesting saying I like to use often, “Who doesn’t risk, doesn’t drink champagne.” In any business, starting out is always a risk, primarily financial, because you inevitably pull a large sum of money out of your own pocket, investing heavily. Some businesses may bloom and grow, transforming into a beautiful venture, but unfortunately, there are also others where the project wasn’t well thought out, or we didn’t manage it as we should have for it to be successful. However, I recommend everyone to be brave because it’s this bravery that many people lack, hindering their growth.
From this viewpoint, many people do not evolve because of fear. I believe there are many talented individuals with grand ideas who could move mountains, but due to fear and negative thinking – the “what if it doesn’t work” – they remain stagnant and accomplish nothing. This is why I like to say, “Who doesn’t risk, doesn’t drink champagne.” Only if we risk will we see whether we succeed or not.
I admit that I have had businesses in the past that did not work out, ventures I tried to run concurrently. Yet, I consider that from these experiences, I have learned a lot, and surely, if another business idea comes to me, I will not stand still but will try again.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

The most unexpected challenge we faced in our business was the pandemic. We were at a high point, with everything running smoothly, and then suddenly, the pandemic hit us hard. The impact was significant, especially in the artistic field and for our makeup school. In difficult times, like periods of war or epidemics, makeup becomes a low priority for most people. This posed a major challenge for us, as we were not allowed to work or teach for an extended period. schools eventually began to reopen, we reopened our doors too, but it was very hard to operate while being required to wear masks in a profession where we work with people’s faces. The style of teaching also changed considerably with the emergence of many online courses. This shift, while innovative, forced us to rethink our entire business plan and start practically from scratch. It took a while before we could recover, and the impact was profound.
This period marked us deeply, just as it did for many others, but particularly for those in the artistic field. The pandemic challenged us in ways we never expected, but it also taught us resilience and adaptability. Through perseverance and creative problem-solving, we managed to navigate these tough times and come out stronger.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

The most unexpected challenge we faced in our business was the pandemic. We were at a high point, with everything running smoothly, and then suddenly, the pandemic hit us hard. The impact was significant, especially in the artistic field and for our makeup school. In difficult times, like periods of war or epidemics, makeup becomes a low priority for most people. This posed a major challenge for us, as we were not allowed to work or teach for an extended period. schools eventually began to reopen, we reopened our doors too, but it was very hard to operate while being required to wear masks in a profession where we work with people’s faces. The style of teaching also changed considerably with the emergence of many online courses. This shift, while innovative, forced us to rethink our entire business plan and start practically from scratch. It took a while before we could recover, and the impact was profound.
This period marked us deeply, just as it did for many others, but particularly for those in the artistic field. The pandemic challenged us in ways we never expected, but it also taught us resilience and adaptability. Through perseverance and creative problem-solving, we managed to navigate these tough times and come out stronger.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paulinabuldumea.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulinabuldumea/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

Image Credits
T.c. Andreea – Andreea Bratescu Airman Production – Catalin Muntean