Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique McLaughlin.
Monique, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started doing makeup and hair when I was in high school, where I was a part of the drama program. I am also an artist who suffers from painter’s block. Makeup artistry came more easily to me.
The face as a canvas inspired me much more than plain white paper. I see the beauty that is possible from the simplicity all around me.
As I entered the corporate world, I continued my makeup and hair artistry on the side. I would occasionally do weddings and got a job part-time at a salon. It wasn’t until I dealt with the worst of corporate politics during my 12-year career, that I made the decision to leave and start cosmetology school at the age of 30. I finished school within eight months when they told me it would take a year going full time.
During school, I assisted at a salon (shampooing, mixing color formulas and blow drying clients). As soon as I passed the state boards, I was hired to manage my first salon. After a year, I was promoted to an even larger volume salon. I left the corporate salon world a few years later to manage a private salon and day spa. After a year, I left to work for myself as a full-time freelancer.
In the past nine years, my artistry has graced many magazine covers, fashion editorials, look books, international campaigns, film, television, etc.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. When I managed salons, I wasn’t used to the lack of professionalism that existed within the stylist realm. It was completely different than what I had been used to in the corporate world. I couldn’t understand how stylists would complain about their paychecks, yet either not come to work or turn clients away because they didn’t feel like working that day. I struggle with instilling my strong work ethic and business sense into employees, even to this day.
It takes an extreme amount of self-discipline to be a successful freelancer and most people lack that trait. You have to be creative and have a keen business sense. That usually doesn’t live in the same house.
When I started freelancing, I woke up early every day and gave myself a schedule to network and market my business. I didn’t sleep in, even though I could. So many people I went to cosmetology school with no longer work in this field. It’s because they forgot that in the end, it’s a business and needs to be treated as such.
The other thing I notice with artists that are just starting out, is they don’t want to put the work in. They think there is some magical shortcut to success. Networking is one of the backbones of this industry. Building relationships and collaborating with other industry creatives by creating art together have given me a strong foundation since the beginning. Often, we get paid to do what’s considered the “boring” jobs, but those jobs and connections are what lead to more lucrative gigs. When I started out, I did a lot of collaborative projects where I didn’t get paid (or paid a low rate), but the work benefited my portfolio. The first big commercial shoot I booked came as a result of a novice photographer I agreed to shoot with when he was relatively unknown, but then he started booking a lot of the bigger gigs in my area.
That being said, I’ve also been burned in this industry by taking on hungry assistants who tried to steal my clients by either lowballing my rates or trying to make it seem they had credentials or experience they didn’t have. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to not burn bridges and take every opportunity to learn, regardless of what stage of your career you’re in. I’m not the most famous or well-known makeup artist in the world, but I offer a great service. When you book me, you are booking my personality and ability to connect with the clients. You’re booking my social media savvy. Photographers tell me that their clients enjoy the time in my chair before the shoot starts because I make them feel at ease and empowered. As a result, the pictures turn out better. It’s hard to put a price tag on that.
What should we know about Makeup and Hair by Monique? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
By trade and title most times, I am referred to as a makeup artist, but I feel like I am so much more than those words. Not only am I a licensed cosmetologist, I feel that I am a rarity in this industry as I can easily do both makeup and hair. In California and New York, most agencies want you to pick either makeup or hair as a specialty when they sign you on. I am lucky that I have been able to book gigs in Florida where I have done makeup, hair and even manicuring. My first big International campaign was as a manicurist for a Roberto Cavalli video and photo shoot. I have also done manicuring for Christie Brinkley and Deborah Lippman. I’m known for my versatility within the beauty world. If I don’t know how to do it, I make it my priority to learn. Being humble has helped me to learn and grow.
My original career path was to be a journalist. I interned at the local Times, writing articles and working on the design layout. I’ve been lucky that in working for myself in the beauty industry, I’ve been able to incorporate the love of the written word into my business as a blogger (including my own blog: The Traveling Makeup Artist) and published author. My theatre and corporate marketing background and love of the spoken word has helped me to enter the arena of public speaking. Last year, I spoke at a conference for Television and Filmmaking. I was elated after the conference when a public radio show host approached me and said that he enjoyed my speech, stating he thought I should do stand up comedy.
The diverse background I have had helped me with my business. I can speak to many subjects and relate to most people. That is a skill that can take you far in this business. As Queen Victoria once said, “Beware of artists. They mix with all classes of society and are therefore the most dangerous.”
Being able to meld the business and creative mind has been a huge advantage in succeeding where others have not. Typically you find that most artists are right brain people, meaning that side of the brain helps performs tasks that have to do with creativity and the arts. Business people are typically left brained and are more logicians, scientists, and mathematicians. I feel that I am a good balance between the two. I understand the business aspect of a creative industry and that is what helps me to do well.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
The best advice I can offer in finding a mentor is to find someone that you want to be like. The two artists that have worked with me the longest, found me and asked me years ago how they could do what I was doing. One was a salon stylist, who wanted to branch out into commercial and editorial work. The other was a retail salesperson who wanted to be a cosmetologist and educator. My goal then, as it is now, is to be what I never had as a mentor. I strive to be approachable and informative. When I was starting out in production makeup, I didn’t have a resource that I could ask questions to. I had to essentially fake it until I made it. I never wanted to send my people into situations where they weren’t prepared for the work they were expected to do.
Back in 2005, I was learning how to do makeup and hair for film and television in Los Angeles. I studied under a celebrity movie makeup artist. I was one of five artists invited to a boot camp, where we created a production for our portfolio. When it came time for the group to choose a makeup department head, our instructor was convinced they would choose the most experienced makeup artist. My boot campmate was someone who had worked with R Kelly and had more experience than the rest of us. In a surprising turn of events, they all nominated me. My instructor said he finally understood why they chose me, even though she had much more working production experience. I had noticeable skills as a makeup artist, but it was my demeanor that made them choose me. I could lead a crew effectively, even if I didn’t have the most set experience.
I still take on assignments occasionally with other high profile artists whose work I feel is what I strive to accomplish. Artists specialize in so many different genres and have varying skill sets. I enjoy seeing what other artists use for products in their kit and how they do their jobs.
Networking is always going to a necessary evil, but I’ve found that social media has been very helpful in my market. Since our business is a visual one, I make sure that I am always posting pictures of my work. I usually don’t ever post pictures of makeup on me, but rather my models and clients. I also make sure that I am posting pictures with every skin tone. Showcasing diversity is very important to me. People feel comfortable referring business to me because they know what my work looks like, even if they have never worked with me.
Always update your portfolio. I always do shoots, when I’m not working on set. Any free time I have, I try to schedule shoots where I can try something new or showcase a different makeup/hair look. The mistake that many artists make is that they don’t have to do portfolio work ever, but that should never be the case. You just have to be selective in what and who you work with for your portfolio. Make it worth the time and money invested.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.makeupandhairbymonique.com
- Phone: 813-765-1354
- Email: info@makeupandhairbymonique.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/moemakeup
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/makeupandhairbymonique
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/moemakeup
- Other: http://linkedin.com/in/moemakeup
Image Credit:
Brian James Gallery Photography, Adrienne Andersen Photograph, Acailawen and Wright Photography, Chris Zupo Photography, Lali Natali Photography
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