Image Consultant, Personal Stylist, Makeup Artist

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. When I work with clients I always ask “what is your current style saying about you?” Then I ask “what do you want your style to say about you?” This is important because often times the two aren’t in alignment. When they aren’t, that is when you should hire an image consultant!

Here are some other questions that you will want to ask yourself when determining whether or not to engage someone to help you up your style (and branding) quotient.

Have you been wearing the same clothes/makeup/hairstyle for 10+ years without regard to any changes in career or lifestyle? As our lives change, so should our style. Not at the core, but certain key elements that will keep you looking fresh and focused.

Has it been a VERY long time since anyone has complimented you? Longer than you’d care to admit? I don’t suggest that you dress to impress others. Dress to impress yourself. When you feel good about your image, it comes across to other people.

Do you look in the mirror and remind yourself of one of your parents because your look is so outdated? Granted, some of us have quite stylish parents, but in general, you and your parents should not be wearing the same types of clothing. Dress age appropriately.

Does your personal style match the life that you want to live and how you wish to be perceived? This goes back to my motto, “YOU are your brand!” If you want to be viewed as the confident professional, the hip, stylish artist, the fun-loving parent, etc., the image that you present to others must match. We tend to be visual beings so the saying, “Image is everything” is well, everything.

If you are an entrepreneur, does your style match that of your business brand? By this I don’t mean that you should always dress in your logo colors. I mean do you present yourself so that people will think of you in the same manner in which you want them to think of your business? Consistency is the key to branding and YOU are your brand.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. As a customer, I would probably want to know how do you make the correct makeup/wardrobe recommendations for a client. There are so many options and trends - everything is not right for everybody and every person is different. The biggest "inside secret" to what I do is that it's just as much about psychology as it is about the external components.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. When considering hiring a makeup artist, image consultant, or personal stylist, consumers should consider what type of outcome they want from the process and what type of relationship they want to have with the service provider. To that end, you should ask general questions about the process and how the provider works with clients i.e. pre-service consultation by email/phone, etc. You should also ask what type of customers the service provider works with and/or prefers to work with. It's important for both parties to be comfortable during the process as this is a very intimate and personalized service.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I like most about my job is seeing how my services impact a person's life. When I am finished working with a client and they tell me how I've made them see themselves differently and helped them establish a style that they will want and be able to maintain - my day is made! Helping people is at the core of why I do what I do.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Most definitely! I have an extensive collection of books on the subjects of makeup and image consulting. I have taken several classes taught by "celebrity" professionals to hone my skills and always have my eyes and ears open for what's going on in the industry. I never stop learning!

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. I would say that my greatest strength is empathy. You may be asking yourself, "what does that have to do with makeup or image consulting?" Well, I'll tell you. I work with my clients from the inside out. I care about how people feel, not just how they look. When someone is trying to change anything about themselves, it is usually because they feel that they in some way fall short in that area. So when I work with clients, I don't just do their makeup or help with their wardrobe, I listen to them and empathize with their feelings and WHY they want/need my assistance.