Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Hernandez.
Leslie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I discovered makeup when I was ten years old and it changed my life. I started with a caboodle that I would fill with samples from my mother’s and aunt’s purchases from Estee Lauder and Clinique. It was fascinating the small blushes and eyeshadows. I would do makeup on my Cabbage Patches and one of them had a retractible ponytail that I could style short or long.
When I was a teen my aunt gave me the best makeup tip that I still use till this date: pencil the inner eye rim with brown or black pencil, now a days is called tight lining. When I wore it, my classmates and teachers will notice something in my eyes, but couldn’t figure out. I was asked several times. I realized that makeup is powerful and it’s every women’s secret weapon.
During college, I opened my own beauty salon in Mexico and operated it for eight years before moving to Dallas. I fell in love with Dallas makeup scene and diversity. I loved the transformative power of makeup and the confidence it can give a woman. I started working at MAC to learn more about makeup in Dallas. It was the best and most convenient way to learn product knowledge and client relations and get paid at the same time. After less than a year with MAC I was ready to have my own business like back in Mexico. I love the artistic part of makeup as much as I love to take on a business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s not easy. This is not an industry where you just sit around and talk about what you want – you have to go out and get it. Before putting myself out there, I had to decide my aesthetics. What makes me unique and differentiate from the rest. Deciding and staying true to my definition of beauty makeup in the Instagram era can be a struggle sometimes. With social media being so important in how people perceive beauty, there has been a move towards “overdoing it”. I like to retain my client’s very own beauty with flawless skin, seamless contours, highlights, and corrections. I believe that my client should look perfected and flawless where you can see the effect of the makeup, but not the makeup. The steps that I took to get you there should not be obvious. It is a secret between me and my client.
Please tell us about Backstage. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from the competition?
Backstage was inspired by the energy and excitement that build up before your WOW moment. Backstage is the most desirable chair for any women. It’s all about getting pampered. When someone’s makeup is complete, they have that moment of finding themselves in the mirror and thinking, “there she is!”
Being at Backstage is knowing that when the process comes to an end, you will look good, you will feel good, and the world reacts to you in a different way.
I specialized on impeccable beauty, glam, and bridal makeup & hair. I create a beautiful makeup without making my client unrecognizable.
What really drives me is sharing the power of makeup with every woman by teaching classes. Beauty is not an exclusive club. There are no unattractive women, just some that don’t know they can be and feel beautiful. They don’t yet understand the power of makeup.
As a company, I am proud that we are always reinventing by listening to my clients, beauty community, and followers.
What sets me apart is the connection with my clients. I love working with women and helping them feel more confident. When you have your hands literally on someone else, they can feel your intentions. People can tell if you are working in the moment to create the best look for their bone structure and eye shape, just as they can tell if you are going through the motions doing the same tired look on every face you encounter. As a makeup artist, I have to nurture my client and build her confidence. I love to see a client leave my chair, look in the mirror ad smile back at herself. There’s a body language that goes with confidence. If she throws her shoulders back and holds her head high when she leaves, then I know I did my job well.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
You ask the insightful questions that most entrepreneurs, myself included, neglect to ask, in advance. We are so busy playing all the roles of our business that we neglect some aspects.
I´ve learned along the way that I have to learn to listen to my instinct. To be able to do that I needed to invest in myself and my mind. The more I practice on listening to my inner self, the louder I hear it. I focused on the business´s operation and forgot about what I wanted for me and for my business.
Learning how to best manage my time when you are a solopreneur is an on going lesson. I wished I figured out this earlier and maximize my time. I realized I wanted to be more productive so I read books and learn the best time-management tactics to make the most of my day while I play all the roles of my business.
Pricing:
- Professional Makeup $100
- Hairstyling $50-$80
- Bridal Makeup $150
- Bridal Hair $100
- Personal Self Makeup Class $150
- Professional Makeup Training *email for info
- Microblading $580
Contact Info:
- Address: North Dallas Location:
17194 Preston Rd. #151 Private room #136
Dallas tx 75248Southlake Location:
301 State St. #212 Southlake, Tx 76092 - Website: www.backstage.life
- Phone: 2147275410
- Email: hello@backstage.life
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backstage.life/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backstagemakeupdfw/
Image Credit:
Hair do Photo: Cristina Truelove
Bride: Caroline Jurgensen Photography
Backstage Girls: Backstage Makeup Professionals Photography
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