Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheleatha Maxine.
Hi Sheleatha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well, I started doing makeup on myself since my senior year in high school & it wasn’t until 2012 where I was asked to do my very first face. I would be asked to do makeup for friends & family from time to time but never really considered exploring it as a career. The fall of 2014, I decided to create a Glam Day & asked my Facebook friends for 10 women of all different complexions, ethnicities & facial features who would volunteer their beauty for a day of glam. to really see if this was something I could take serious. I decorated my father’s art studio at the time, brought wine, fruit & cheese & all the makeup I could afford for that special day. I did makeup for almost 11 hours straight & at the end, I felt ALIVE! Since that day, I’ve been consistently doing makeup & growing in my craft. After I got married in July of 2019, gathered the support of my husband & parents, & prayerfully asked God for courage, I took a huge leap of faith that August, quit my career job & became a full-time makeup artist. And wouldn’t you know it… I haven’t looked back since! My husband & I decided to take another huge leap of faith and moved almost halfway across the country to Dallas, TX. Marketing myself, building my clientele & somewhat starting all over has truly renewed my passion for makeup. Here I am, 16 months in & I’m successfully growing my clientele each day. Although I am a new mommy & my availability has changed to fit the needs of our new bundle of joy, I’m so thankful that I’m still able to do what I love SO MUCH & that’s bringing smiles to every beauty’s face that has sat in my chair!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Initially, it was a challenge. Putting yourself out there can open you up to non-constructive critiques, unwarranted competition & self-doubt. It’s the human in us. Me being hyper-critical at times, it took a lot of prayer to really give me the courage I need to start & the ability to sustain it.
In 2018, I finally started to gain a social media following, decided to introduce my work to my YouTube platform & my clientele truly started to take off. My bookings were always filled & I was overwhelmingly blessed. Then the pandemic hit… and much like the rest of the world, my business was greatly impacted. As things began to ease, my social media following started to grow immensely which in turn, helped with the success of my freelance artistry as well as my cosmetic line MaxLuxe Studios. If the pandemic taught us anything, it was for sure that life is too short. Moving to Texas was something my husband really wanted to do so we packed up & made the move. After moving, I was able to book clients almost immediately which was a pleasant surprise as I was prepared to rejoin the workforce if need be. I have my supporters on my platforms to thank for that. However, a month into Texas, I found out we were expecting & my priorities totally shifted. This made rebuilding a solid clientele a little difficult, especially with the continual variants that hit. Thankfully, I was able to stay consistent & safely take clients since becoming a mother & I couldn’t be more grateful!
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?
Currently, I am a freelance makeup artist (CakedByMax) and a cosmetic line business owner (MaxLuxe Studios). With makeup, I specialize in Full Glam artistry and one on one makeup classes. I’m known for my flawless foundation coverage, complexion matching & my detailed eyeshadow art. For my cosmetic line, it is notably known for my very popular concealer brushes, blending brushes & eyebrow pencils.
I am most proud of my ability to do what I love, every day. For my son to be able to watch his mommy, wake up & really love the career she chose. My perseverance has afforded me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home wife & mother, all while bringing in a comfortable income to help support my family.
What sets me apart from others… I would have to say… my humbleness & graciousness. I am truly thankful for every client that has every trusted me with a birthday, baby shower, photoshoot, wedding day, and every other occasion that allowed me to be a part of. I also love that fact that my clients can come to me, fall asleep in my chair & wake up feeling like the true beauty they are! I am always open to constructive criticism & I will always be willing to learn as much as I possibly can in makeup. We can never truly know everything as we evolve every single day so being open to learning from others helps to make me the artist I am today.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love Dallas! The opportunities are endless! I feel there is so much culture & depth to the city. Dallas is also a melting pot so you get people from all over & that adds to the diversity that this world so desperately needs to embrace. Learning from one another truly adds so much joy to one’s life.
Honestly, the only thing I would say that I like least about Dallas is the food haha I have to get used to it! I’m a Jersey Gal to the core so my pizza has to have a certain thinness, my seafood has to be fresh & accessible, my Chinese food has to be prepared a certain way & I miss my chicken shacks! What can I say… it’s an east coast thang haha
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MAXLUXESTUDIOS.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakedbymax/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100039086325935
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCzqEq-4qmPxQavHsl0LGGmA
