As a fresh graduate from the New York Institute of Beauty’s Esthetics licensing program I am excited to say that my journey has only just begun. Before NYIB, I had graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and started my own fashion and beauty blog at www.inspiredbydanika.com. It was during that time that I really started to fall in love with the art of makeup. I would find myself up for hours of the night searching all of the latest makeup trends and tutorials on how to recreate them. I would try out all these different products and techniques on myself and eventually was able to do them quite well. As I became more skilled at my own makeup, friends and family would ask me to help them with theirs, wanting me to teach them the techniques that I knew. It was then that I realized this could be a potential career option for me- I absolutely loved it. I loved the transformation process and really appreciated the respect that people had for my opinion and ways of doing makeup as a whole. It was also a very rewarding feeling to be able to help people feel more beautiful and more confident about themselves.
After finding that I wanted to pursue makeup artistry as a career, I quickly started working for Mac Cosmetics as a freelance makeup artist. It was there that my skills were taken to the next level of professionalism as I started taking clients, and learning more and more techniques from personal experience and fellow co workers. The next move for me was doing freelance work out on my own. This was when I decided to take the next step and pursue a license in Esthetics.
During my schooling at NYIB was where I ended up really appreciating and enjoying the skin care aspect of the beauty industry. I was discovering just how important skin care was and the direct correlation it had to the makeup application process. What people don’t understand about makeup is that makeup can only do so much. Sure, makeup can cover up certain problem areas but it can never change the texture or the condition of the skin. Makeup can’t hide wrinkles, nor can it mask deep acneic scarring. It is the prevention methods and daily maintenance of the skin that creates the makeup artist’s very canvas. As a makeup artist I am so glad I decided to take that extra step in getting my license in Esthetics because it differentiates me from the makeup artist that doesn’t understand the skin on the level that I now understand it on. My schooling has allowed me to approach makeup application with an entirely different mindset and point of view than someone who hasn’t received the education that I have from NYIB.
The knowledge of my teachers and their personal experiences within the field were also extremely beneficial to my learning process. As we moved into the different phases of the curriculum which included theory, clinical work, and eventually being able to take our own clients, I had the pleasure of learning from three different incredibly knowledgeable teachers. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from all three women because each one has given me a different outlook and a different skill set based off of their own unique experiences within the field.
There were many reasons as to why NYIB stood out to me over other schools that I had visited. What I was looking for was opportunity. I wanted to go somewhere that could offer me more than just my license. I wanted to be able to build my resume while I was in school as well as make connections within the industry. The makeup team at NYIB was a huge advantage for me, and a strong determining factor in choosing this school. Being apart of their team gave me the opportunity to participate in New York Fashion Week as a makeup artist. That privilege alone was a huge dream of mine that NYIB was able to turn into a reality for me. I was able to work multiple shows in New York City and had the chance to speak with numerous amounts of models, designers, and photographers. There were charity events, seminars, career fairs, advanced courses, I mean you name it and this school offered it for both makeup and skin care. NYIB even offers students job placement opportunities upon graduation as well. I really admire how they are genuinely concerned with and active in their students’ success.
One moment that always stood out to me was when I went into NYIB to sign all of my paperwork and Linda, the owner of the school, took the time out of her day to personally sit down with me and ask me what my aspirations and goals were in this field. Mind you, I had already toured the school, sat down with admissions, and was finishing up the enrollment process at that point. She still took the time to show me videos from past fashion week events, and spoke to me about all the different opportunities, events, and advanced courses the school had to offer that I personally might benefit from. When we were finished speaking she got up and walked me out to the exit of the building. It was in that moment that I felt like I as an individual mattered to this establishment. That feeling alone is something you can’t create through an advertisement or an email thread. That was genuine concern and active involvement in my success as a student at NYIB. And that is why NYIB stood out to me over any other school that I had visited.
This is why I chose the New York Institute of Beauty to pursue my passion and my career in Makeup Artistry and Esthetics.
Written by: Danika Lee
Instagram: @inspiredbydanika
Inspiredbydanika@gmail.com
www.inspiredbydanika.com
