How I Became - a Makeup Artist.
How I Became - a Makeup Artist w/ Stella Hansen.
Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!
Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.
HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.
Name: Stella Hansen
Age: 21
Current job: Freelance Makeup Artist
Firstly, what drew you to makeup artistry?
From a young age I always loved playing with my mum's makeup and around the age of 16 I started to do makeup looks on myself and discovered I really loved it!
What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?
In year 12 I did a Pathways course which allowed me to attend EIT polytechnic in Napier every Friday to gain a Certificate in Hair and Beauty styling. Then in year 13, I attended the Premier Institute of Education every Wednesday earning credits in Makeup Applications. These both allowed me to explore my passion before leaving high school, which helped me answer the big question of “what do you want to do after high school?”.
What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?
When I first discovered my passion for makeup, I started an Instagram page to use as my visual portfolio, which also helped show my progress with makeup. After finishing school I moved to Sydney to study. Gaining my Diploma in Screen and Media makeup gave me an insight into what areas of makeup I wanted to further explore. I then researched as many Auckland-based makeup artists as I could, while completing my two week quarantine period returning home to New Zealand, and contacted them with my CV offering to assist them for free. This then gave me the opportunity to move to Auckland and gain more knowledge and experience in the industry first hand, as well as being guided by experienced makeup artists who shared their tips and tricks to help me. Once I had assisted these makeup artists, I then started to create and establish relationships in the industry which led to paid work.
What did you study/where/how long did it take?
I studied a Diploma in Screen and Media Makeup and a Bridal Certificate at The Makeup Technicians in Sydney, Australia. This was a year-long, part-time course which was assessed via practical exams and research assignments.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I love meeting a range of people and hearing about their experience with makeup, as well as being able to enhance their natural beauty, leaving them feeling their most confident.
What’s the hardest part?
Balancing jobs to sustain relationships with contractors and keeping motivated to find work when the workload of being freelance gets busy.
What surprised you most about your job once you started working?
How over prepared you have to be for any makeup job as you may need to do something unexpected. You may take on many roles at a job, so best to be overprepared!
What does an average day look like for you?
Everyday is different. I usually prep my kit the day before so it’s all ready to go. Some days may be ten hours on a handful on clients while standing by on set and some may be two hours on four clients, it really depends. I’m usually washing my brushes as soon as I get home, ready for the next day!
What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?
Be determined! If you really want to work for something you have to be persistent. Also don’t sell yourself short, whether that be time or money.
What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into makeup artistry?
Getting started in the industry is difficult, you feel like you're on your own in the deep end, but once you establish those relationships the ball will get rolling. Running a business on your own can be hard, but you get to advertise it how you want and choose what area of makeup you want to work in.
What kind of skills does your job require?
Time management, determination, cleanliness, patience and passion.
What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
Seeing my clients feel like their most confident selves after we’ve achieved the look they were after as well as simply helping clients with easy tricks that can elevate their makeup routine. It doesn’t feel like work when you love what you do!
What has been an absolute highlight of your career?
I’ve been lucky enough to have a few so far! I would have to say seeing my makeup on TV ads has been pretty cool or even in a shop window.
What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?
I would have to say the behind the scenes, the planning involved in some makeup looks, the kit control and doing all your own advertising to reach your target audiences.
Describe your job in three words
Fulfilling, Fun and Creative!