We were lucky to catch up with Raquel Cohen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Raquel , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I have known I wanted to pursue a career in the arts from a very young age. Art is my passion, and to not pursue it really isn’t an option for me. The first time my work was ever published was a really validating experience for me, and I realized that I could make a career out of doing makeup. Not just due to technical skill, but also that I can be a valuable part of creative team, and help bring a vision or concept to life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started to pursue a career in makeup artistry in 2015. I had an interest and passion for it long before that. I had a friend who was a model, and she graciously had me do her makeup for a photo shoot, and the experience of being on a set and actually being a part executing a creative vision was so exciting to me. It’s an experience that is still rewarding, and never gets boring. My clients have mentioned that I truly seem to love what I do, and that comes through in their experience working with me. I think the most important part of my work besides the skill in applying makeup, is listening to my clients. Before my sessions even start I like assess their needs, and their goals for how they want their final look to be achieved. When someone hires me, it’s often for something important, and it’s for something where they want to look and feel their best. They are putting that trust in me, so it is imperative that I do everything I can to deliver quality work and make that client feel great for their occasion. I’ve had the privilege of working with all sorts of people, and I’m always finding opportunities to keep learning and honing my craft.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

There are so many ways to support creatives. Hiring a local creative is excellent. There are also many non-monetary to support creatives as well; share their work, recommend and refer them to anyone you know that could benefit from the service or products be offered. Even simply sharing a piece of art to one’s instagram, or networking with them to get attention for their ideas is a great way to support creatives.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There is something truly magical when I finally show a client their final look at the end of a session. Seeing their face light up, or seeing them snap a selfie and feel great about themselves never gets old. I consider my clients to also be my collaborators, so see to both our ideas come alive in a way that makes them happy, is an honor for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: Facebook.com/raquelmua
• Instagram: Instagram.com/raq.a.pella

Image Credits
Photo 1: photo by Jeremy Johnson Modeled by Dalia Fragoso Photo 2: photo by Elizabeth Desmarais Modeled by Kipriece Tate Photo 3: photo by Nicole Lockhart Modeled by Megan Lew Photo 4: photo by Gabriella Polisena Modeled by Bri Nguyen Photo 5: photo by Tobi Daniel Photo 6: photo by Emily Crombez Modeled by Mikaila Dennis Photo 7: photo by Brooke Elizabeth Modeled by Jenna Ode Hair by Naomi Trotto Photo 8: photo by Hillary Ilyssa Modeled by Korey Espinoza