Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Jackson.
Denise, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up I didn’t come from a family with money. Once I moved out of my father’s and mother’s house, I had to start paying bills. Most of the money I made would have to go to bills and a small portion left for going out with friends. I would always see girls out with their makeup done and I had nothing on. It use to look so pretty but I’m knew that I couldn’t afford to get my makeup done multiple times a week or even 1 time every week. So, I started to watch YouTube videos and it taught me how to do my own makeup. I never thought that I would ever do other people’s makeup as a career. Now fast forward to 2018 I’m now doing my family’s, friends, and my own makeup and I’m pretty good at it. Anytime anyone needed to get glammed they called me and I was doing it for free. Now fast forward to 2019 I’m super good at doing makeup. Every time I go out strangers always compliment my makeup. Then, one day in July I’m at a rooftop party in Downtown Dallas and literally, about 7 people came up to me and was like your makeup it so pretty and asks me who did it for me. My answer of course is I did it thanks. On about the 8th person who asks me the same question before I could answer my friend jumps in the conversation and says, “She’s a makeup artist. Here is her Instagram so go follow her and she can definitely do your makeup”. From that day on I became a Pro MUA in the DFW area.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road for me as an MUA. Starting off I worked at a salon paying $500 for booth rent just to get my face out there. I would take any walk-in that I could get to gain that experience. Most of the time I wouldn’t even make my booth rent and I would be paying for it out of my pocket. I worked a full-time job still at the beginning because I didn’t have a steady clientele. But I knew I had to keep my job in order to fund my dream.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I pretty much know how to do any type of glam you ask for. Most people come to me for my natural glams because they still give the full glam effect. I focus on the skin making sure you glow from underneath the foundation. They also love the way I do my brows because they are not harsh looking. They are very natural but flawless. I’m most proud of the overall brand that I’ve built around Denise J MUA. I’ve built a love for makeup so much that it inspired me to start a makeup brand called Face Pyramid. This brand focusing on body positivity. The products are very pigmented and my clients and customers love the products. I use all of my products on every single person that I do makeup on. I really stand by my brand. You can follow us on Instagram @facepyramid My customer service sets me apart from my competition because I get very personal with my clients. I treat them like my best friend. When they sit in my chair, I make it a safe space for them.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
For any aspiring MUA out there I would tell them to keep practicing and learning about your craft. You’re never too good to learn new techniques. Also, to never be afraid to travel to other locations because you never know when your big break might be. I traveled to New York City for Fashion week and got my first celebrity client. People started to take me serious when they saw that a person in the industry let me do their makeup.
Contact Info:
- Email: iamsodenise@gmail.com
- Website: www.shopdenisej.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/denisejmua
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/denisejmua
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC3dIgrzuIM7OpKALbTcodkA
