A deeper dive into who I am
Heyyy there, I hope everybody is doing okay. Most of ya'll have a good idea of who I am by now, but I wanted to share a little bit more so you know who you're working with if and when you eventually decide to come see me for some brow and makeup things. And no cats were harmed in the making of this photo; Keke is a real a**hole when it comes to the couch and these very stylish nail caps were the remedy to this poor habit. And yes, I had to choose neon pink.
What I do
I am an eyebrow specialist and makeup artist and I co-own a shop in NW Portland. My business is all about simplifying beauty by offering a variety of brow techniques and makeup services for my clients. For eyebrows I am known for Nano hair stroke tattoo which is a specialized technique suitable for all skin types and tones (and I loveee it). For those that want to shape up and tint their brows, I kill it at the wax game, too. Last but not least, makeup has always been my baby. As a self taught pre YouTube artist and licensed esthetician, I provide professional makeup and hair styling, and I also teach step by step lessons. I break down each part of the beauty process and retail my favorite products all in one lesson, so my clients can stop throwing spaghetti at the wall, get what they need, and move on with their lives.
Who I am
I am a 33 year old bisexual woman living in PDX with my girlfriend Easton and the one and only cat Keke. I am constantly focused on my personal development by diving into my beliefs about myself and the world, analyzing my habits, and reading and listening to great thinkers, artists, and entrepreneurs. I am committed to anti-racism work, I strongly support the Black Lives Matter movement and I am constantly facing my own ignorance. I am a sexual abuse survivor and a deeply emotional person -- dare I say empath -- and at times I feel that I absorb the woes of the world and those of complete strangers -- placing all of it on my shoulders. I have learned over the years how *not* to take on the energy of others but feelingssss, man.
I love weight lifting and seeing my physical strength grow week by week. I love farmers markets with my girlfriend. I am a Kundalini novice and a kombucha home brewer. I love rap and hip hop from listening to my brother's parental advisory cd's as a little girl (sorry mom). I love deep belly laughs and being goofy as hell, and I am always trying to embarrass my girlfriend in the grocery store (but she secretly loves it).
What I stand for
Tying back to the sentiments of feeling feelings about everyone and everything, seeing injustice in any form is something I cannot tolerate. I've learned that when someone says they're hurting, you believe them, even if you personally can't understand. You can never know someone else's pain. And as for any individual's pursuits; do whatever it is you please, as long as one's happiness is not contingent on the pain of someone else. When you know better you do better, and that is my hope for each person on this Earth.
Why I got into it
I love making people feel good and I am an artist so my job literally is the best thing ever. As a kid, in between painting, drawing, and doing crafts with my mom, I was always doing my friends' hair and makeup (and shaping eyebrows by age 12)! My favorite canvas is the face, and I love bringing out the sparkly, unique features of each client.
I took a lot of detours to get here -- through college and corporate America where I was renting and selling cars ( and I would cry each morning my alarm would go off) -- to going through cosmetology and tattoo school, leaving with an absurd amount of licenses and an unclear path -- I am f*cking jazzed to be where I am. I am living in my authenticity doing what I absolutely love, allowing myself to grow into the big, beautiful, and bold person that I am.
How I can help
Of my 33 years on this Earth, I have seen my industry continually prey on the confidence of individuals by pointing out a "problem" and offering them thousands of "solutions" -- successfully confusing the f*ck out of everyone and their mom. I'm here to change that. I can help tat and/or wax those brows -- simplifying each morning and providing beautiful structure to even the barest of faces. Want makeup help? I got you there, too. I'll teach you in easy ways to understand and I offer the most delicious retail products at my shop. We can successfully avoid the noise from trends, department store sales, and influencers all in one swoop.
Sooo....what do ya'll think?! And yes, if I see you in the grocery store I will most likely try to embarrass you too.
Now, really though, how can I help? What are some beauty things that you would like to learn? What types of products do you struggle with? What "trend" do you just not understand?
I'm here to help, love.
Until next time.
xo,
Emily