My name is Brianna Ruiz, and I am a self-taught freelance makeup artist in Orlando, Florida. Although, it took me a while to get to where I am today, I still have so much more growing and improving to do.

 

          I first became interested in makeup when I was in the eighth grade. Although, at first I was actually interested in special effects makeup rather than beauty. When Halloween came around I would experiment with any products I could find around my house. I preferred home made costumes over store bought because I enjoyed being able to use my creativity to create something original. I loved creating new looks and seeing reactions from other people and hearing their responses.

 

          When I was in school I would always participate in my school's Spirit Week. I knew this meant I would be able to dress up and do my makeup a different way every day that week. I would wake up at 4:00 am to give myself time to do my makeup. I always went all out for Spirit Week. My friends would wait to see what I would come up with next. I enjoyed this so much but I found myself having to wait for Halloween or my school’s Spirit Week in order for me to do the kind of makeup I loved. I wanted to be able to do this more than just once a year. I wanted to do this all the time. The only problem was that it's not very ideal to walk around looking like a zombie or to have half of your face ripped off.

 

        That is when I discovered beauty makeup. I went to YouTube and that is where I found Jaclyn Hill. I began to watch all of her videos and fell in love. I had found a form of makeup that I could do every day. Everything I have learned about beauty makeup, I learned from her. She is absolutely my idol.

 

      From that moment on, for any birthday or holiday I would ask for makeup products or makeup brushes. If I ever got money, I would spend it on makeup products. Any time I got a new makeup product I would get so excited to play with it.

 

            Eventually, friends and family members would ask me if I would do their makeup. My friend asked if I would do her makeup for her Homecoming dance. At first I was a bit nervous because I had never done anyone else’s makeup except my own. As I was working I became more and more confident in what I was doing. After I had finished and I handed her a mirror the look on her face was priceless. She was so happy with the outcome. She said that she felt so pretty. The feeling that gave me was like no other. I knew at that moment that this was what I wanted to do.

 

      Makeup artistry is my passion. I find it incredibly fascinating to be able to completely transform someone's appearance with the power of makeup. I love putting a smile on someone's face and making them feel beautiful and I love being able to meet new people. I see myself doing this for a very long time and I am excited for you all to witness my growth with me.

 

-Brianna Ruiz