Meet Trailblazer Ashley Drew Patterson

Ashley Drew, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started with my grandmother, I remember being three years old and completely mesmerized watching her apply her makeup.  In that moment she gave me my very first lipstick, the perfect shade of pink. After that I was hooked my love for beauty grew from there. I first started applying makeup on friends, then family and then brides. I always wanted to try more looks and learn more. So, I then went to esthetics school to become a Master Esthetician, to learn how to help my client’s skin look even better. Then, I went to makeup school in LA because well I wasn’t done learning yet. I chose bridal makeup because I am a hopeless romantic so this career was perfect for me.  Being a freelance Makeup Artist helping others feel incredible and beautiful is truly rewarding.

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?
Nothing comes easy especially in the beauty industry with how saturated it is. It was defiantly overwhelming at first, especially with all the amazingly talented artist that are out there. Honestly I had to just get out of my head and jump! Let go of that fear and self-doubt and believe. If you love something, work at it and put yourself out there, success will follow with the right mind set. Most of all, believe in yourself. It’s a hustle but there are so many wonderful people that are there to help guide you. I’ve always had goals of where I wanted to be in the beauty industry, so I knew I had to work at it and I still do. My number one advice is to stay humble and never forget your dreams. Go for it!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ashley Drew Artistry – what should we know?
My specialty is Bridal makeup and pageant makeup. I love helping fairytales come true. Being a part of someone’s special day is everything. I’m known for giving my clients a beautiful healthy glow. The perfect dewy look we all crave. I think what sets me apart from others is, that I am a Master Esthetician as well as a Certified Makeup Artist. Having a background with skin care allows me to truly educate my clients on their skin, so they feel more confident. Giving them the ability to have a healthy complexion before the makeup. I am proud that I have the ability to inspire women to feel better in their own skin and help them accentuate their features with every brush stroke. My most amazing moments so far has been getting the honor of doing makeup for Stevie Boi in New York fashion week and being a pageant sponsor for Utah International Pageants.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Most definitely, find someone that inspires you and ask if you can shadow them. It never hurts to put yourself out there. It’s really all about networking! Reaching out to others and collaborating together. Build a website; share your work on social media. Go with them and help clean their brushes. Take notes go to as many seminars as you can. You can always learn something new. I’ve worked with some incredibly talented artists and the thing that helped me most was the ability to build each other up.