Later, I was informed by the hiring agent that along with my experience in the type of make-up required for the project - my sharing of African-American heritage with the client did weigh-in on my being sought for the job.
So I ask, Make-Up Artists - what is your opinion on this matter? What have you experienced with regard to this? How have you taken steps to assure potential clients that your knowledge & skill level are diverse enough to warrant their trust?
I would also like to hear from clients/consumers who have a point of view that they would like to share.
Civil discourse on any matter is always a step in the right direction. So let's get another conversation going where the goal is ultimately to extend clarity & understanding to all involved.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS!!!
Discussion of topic on my FB page HERE:
*Photos used are from past work & are totally unrelated to client/job cited above.*
http://www.jenniferjames-beauty.com Pin It Now!
I've had this happen to me. I was asked to assist another MUA for a wedding based solely on the fact that the bride was African American. Initially I didnt really think much about it because I was helping a friend, but as the day progressed I kept hearing comments from the clients like "I'm so glad someone that knows how to work on 'our' skin is here". It was frustrating to say the least. I've yet to understand why people are still so hung up on that. As a MUA I don't look at people based on ethnicity...I see different shades & shapes and learn to work them accordingly. But at the same time, I know plenty of MUAs that tend to cater only to 'their' people, which is going to typecast them. Diversity, in my opinion, is key in expanding your knowledge and skill.
ReplyDeletewell, foe us down here, we only get to meet clients with our own skin tone. but like Marie said, as a professional, the most important thing to just to see everyone as different skin tones and face shapes. i dont think it has to delve into the area of racial preference or anything of the sort.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced this before on many occasions. When I used to freelance for Bobbi Brown and other lines, I always had a line of African American women waiting for me to do their makeup at their request. No matter how hard I tried to convince them that my fellow makeup artist were very capable of doing a great job on them, they didn't believe me. I just basically shrugged it off. Being diverse in this business is VERY important and critical to your success. Like the responses here, I only see woman, regardless of color, wanting to look better and feel better about themselves. I love making women look beautiful!!
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