The Beauty Bar
Mission: The beauty bar was initially designed to create a relaxing atmosphere
to service each client and allow them to have a complete beauty experience.
The purpose turned into a goal to have each client have the ultimate beauty
experience for the mind, body and soul. Thank you for going on the
journey with me and my lovely clients as I help them naturally transform
broken pieces into powerful, lovely masterpieces!
My YouTube Video
Labor Pains
I knew 2012 would be the year that I would move forward on my journey to
realize my dreams and operate in my purpose. But finding your purpose is
no easy task. I am a Professional Makeup Artist from the DMV area and a
mommy to a beautiful 7 year old boy. I am also a legal secretary. I am
many things. I am a Cancer/Leo. Those who know me know I am an
introvert. Conversely, I like to stand out. I like big ornate jewelry and
colorful, sky high heels. I am silly and love to laugh but I can be very quiet.
I am the gatekeeper of my emotions. Because of all of the hills and valleys
life brings I am often told I look mean and need to smile more :) Yet, I am
the person strangers often come up to and reveal their struggles, and triumphs to.
Why? I haven’t quite figured that out yet, but I guess I can also add to my list that I
am an open ear and at times a shoulder to cry on.
Since I have come to learn that everything happens for a reason, I began to
look closely at the things that have happened in my life and continue to
happen, and try to figure out how it all fits together.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be in the fashion world in some
aspect. But my brother got the drawing genes. I couldn’t draw a dress on a
stick figure. But I didn’t let that stop me. I got fashion stencils! But my
stencil set didn’t come with a set of confidence; just a lot of “who would’s
and what if’s?” Since I always aiming to quietly stand out, I eventually
gravitated to eye shadows and eyeliners. People took notice. They actually
thought I did a good job at it too. So I thought, makeup? Why not?
My first job at the M.A.C. Makeup counter was unnerving at first. I had not
had any formal training, just the love of making people instantly feel really
good about themselves. I also had the desire to help people fix their
problems. Lucky for me, most of their problems consisted of if we still
carried Ruby Wu or did we have any more Oh Baby!?
M.A.C. Ruby Wu
As the years went by, life happened, and if you’ve been living on this earth,
not all of life has been pleasant. Sometimes life has gotten extremely
challenging. People have lost, friends, family and jobs. Unfortunately,
everyone didn’t have the opportunity today to tell someone “Good
morning!” But one thing never changed, my desire to help women find
instant confidence and happiness. That’s what I search for myself;
confidence and happiness. Sometimes a boost of confidence is what
someone needs to help them get through to the end of their day. When
people are excited about something, it’s amazing how things that were just
weighing them down a second ago, seem not so life altering.
I have come to realize that because I like to quietly stand out, I am making
myself approachable. Whether people want to know where I got my
outrageous boots, or if my extremely long eyelashes are real? (shout out to Amazon.com)
Because I love to help people, I am open and respond honestly and then dialogue
begins. And somehow, the curious stranger has ended up sharing some
really personal aspect of their lives with me. Although it seems a little out
of the ordinary, I actually feel honored. It’s hard to trust people. However,
sometimes people really need to get things off their chest. It's also much
easier to offer help to someone when you are able to empathize with them.
So, what does beauty have to do with any of this? And why a Beauty Bar?
Some people go to bars/lounges to eat, drink, to get away, to de-stress and
some for medication. Some people just wanna go where everybody know’s
their name. lol OK. I know I’m corny, but who didn’t love Cheers? It was
like a place of refuge. Upon entering the Beauty Bar, all of your senses will
be tangibly and lovingly met with pleasing sights, sounds, smells and tastes.
I personally understand that something people really fear is being
uncomfortable. Whether it is with a stranger, a situation or themselves.
Relaxation allows you to feel like you are safe and accepted. The Beauty Bar
is designed to be a relaxing place of refuge. And besides, who doesn’t like the
idea of feeling like they’re being pampered?
Inside The Beauty Bar
Whether people want to admit it or not, there is an overwhelming feeling
you get of confidence after you have undergone a transformation process:
like you can now take on the world! And guess what? YOU CAN! Everyone
is naturally beautiful, simply because they were fearfully and wonderfully
made. But natural means that you have undergone little or no process.
Having lived as long as we have, at some point you have had to go through
some sort of a process in order to make you into the person you are today.
We should all embrace the transformation process. As a Makeup Artist in
my Beauty Bar, I want to make sure that you learn to take all of the natural
pieces that make up you and learn how to arrange them in a way that you
become a powerful and lovely masterpiece. Works of art can only become
such through actual work. So makeup is not something to be afraid or
ashamed of. It’s just a step in your transformation process.
Model: Jasmin
Photographer: AWJ Photography, MUA: nicciricciThe MUA
We were all put here for a reason; to love others, to be the best US we can
be and to help others do the same. I would love to help as many people as I
can achieve those things, through the loving act of service through beauty
and transparency. So, yes, I am many things; a mom, a daughter, an aunt, a
friend, a business woman, an artist, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a
personal cheerleader, a fashion adviser, etc. In the words of one of my favorite authors,
Marianne Williamson “...I am powerful beyond measure.”
And so are you! Let me show you how.
See you at the Beauty Bar!
Love,
