Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley Martin.
Hi Kelley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started out as a first-generation college student who thought if I made it out of my small town and could support myself then that would be all I could aspire for. I got my degree in Education and was a teacher for 5 years. I turned 30, and it was like a switch had flipped, and I knew I was headed in a different season of my life. I refused my contract for the 2022-2023 school year and dedicated all of my energy to creativity. I’ve always loved brows and had my brows Microbladed in 2016. I thought it was crazy, but I had a thought that I could do that too. So, in 2021, I booked a flight to Arizona to train for Permanent Makeup. I get to meet women and help them feel more beautiful each interaction.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The decision to become a Permanent Makeup Artist was truly… heartbreaking. I was giving up teaching and in turn, felt like I was abandoning my students. Abandoning children. In teaching, you are regularly expected to do things “for the kids,” even if it means taking time away from your own children and family. It was really hard to overcome the guilt of walking away from a profession built on unpaid labor to an artist who prices my time and services based on my skill and experience. The switch was night and day, but it has been a beautiful rollercoaster.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Permanent Makeup Artist who specializes in Eyebrows. I am certified in Microshading, which is a technique that uses a tattoo machine to implant permanent makeup pigment into the skin. While similar to tattoos, they are not the same. Also, while similar to Microblading, not the same. Almost everyone has some sort of asymmetry or sparse brow hair, and I love the challenge of creating an amazing set of brows every time I meet a new client. What sets me apart from others is my art and my personality. Truly, there are MANY permanent makeup artists to choose from, so many good ones and some not-so-good ones. A prospective client should choose their artist (for whatever service [hair/nails/cosmetic surgery/tattoos/murals, etc.]) based on their work. You should also choose someone you like. Some things can be chosen based on price, but permanent makeup is not one of them. So, if someone likes that I am a former high school teacher, mom and has made every client I’ve had laugh, AND you like my work? Well, I would be the artist that is set apart from the others.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
People truly can be so giving and kind. The women who I have learned from and worked under have changed my perspective on how kind we really are. And when you are in a position to give back to them, do it.
Pricing:
- $475 Brows (touch-up included)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.landofbrows.com
- Instagram: @landofbrows
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/landofbrows
Image Credits
land of brows, LLC
