Making Her Way in the the Make-Up IndustryI’m sure you all can remember a time when you sat next to your mom, older sister or grandmother and watched her meticulously apply her make-up wondering when you would be old enough to do that and if you would be just as good. Well our August spotlight shines on a young woman who took that notion and ran with it. Meet Drini, a creative, multi-talented force to be reckoned with in the make-up industry. We share a mutual friend and every time we cross paths, her style, grace and make-up blow me away. Well, her make-up will blow anyone away because she is a remarkable artist whose talent allows her to transform anyone from brides to recording artists into picture perfect beauties. She is the owner of Eye Dream of Drini and a treasure for the Brownstone Blog to interview.
Martine Rouzan: I took a look at your website, your work is amazing! How did you discover you passion for make-up?
Drini: At around 15 when my friends started going to proms and dances, I was the go to girl for make-up. Soon that changed from doing make-up on friends to working on strangers and so on, which landed me my first wedding at 19. Finally it clicked that this was my passion.
MR: Now that your vision has evolved into a successful business, were there any obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
D: One major obstacle was getting my business started; I did a lot of free work to get exposure in the industry. However the biggest hurdle was actually sealing name recognition. Even though I have an outgoing personality, I can be shy and sort of a recluse at times, so it wasn't always easy for me to market myself or my business. The one thing that really helped me is that I started in fashion. I had a lot of connections in the fashion industry, which led to clients of clients from fashion shows and industry events.
MR: What were you like as a teenager?
D: I was all over the place! I was the girl who threw slumber parties where we would make-up faces and play dress up. I've just always been an artsy person. Everything was a canvas, even the napkins at a restaurant had to be drawn on and colored-in!
MR: At what age did you start wearing make-up?
D: Around 12/13; I started simple with things like lip liner and eye liner, and gradually added different items as I got older.
MR: What women have inspired you along your journey?
D: Definitely my grandmother and my mom. My grandmother is very old fashioned and to this day will ask me "where's your lipstick?" I adopted my love of all things glamorous from them.
MR: Most of our readers are heading back to school soon or have already started. What make-up advice can you offer them?
Martine Rouzan: I took a look at your website, your work is amazing! How did you discover you passion for make-up?
Drini: At around 15 when my friends started going to proms and dances, I was the go to girl for make-up. Soon that changed from doing make-up on friends to working on strangers and so on, which landed me my first wedding at 19. Finally it clicked that this was my passion.
MR: Now that your vision has evolved into a successful business, were there any obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
D: One major obstacle was getting my business started; I did a lot of free work to get exposure in the industry. However the biggest hurdle was actually sealing name recognition. Even though I have an outgoing personality, I can be shy and sort of a recluse at times, so it wasn't always easy for me to market myself or my business. The one thing that really helped me is that I started in fashion. I had a lot of connections in the fashion industry, which led to clients of clients from fashion shows and industry events.
MR: What were you like as a teenager?
D: I was all over the place! I was the girl who threw slumber parties where we would make-up faces and play dress up. I've just always been an artsy person. Everything was a canvas, even the napkins at a restaurant had to be drawn on and colored-in!
MR: At what age did you start wearing make-up?
D: Around 12/13; I started simple with things like lip liner and eye liner, and gradually added different items as I got older.
MR: What women have inspired you along your journey?
D: Definitely my grandmother and my mom. My grandmother is very old fashioned and to this day will ask me "where's your lipstick?" I adopted my love of all things glamorous from them.
MR: Most of our readers are heading back to school soon or have already started. What make-up advice can you offer them?
D: The best advice is to remember that minimal is key. Pick a few key items like eyeliner, mascara, blush and lip gloss, and keep these items in your bag. A good tip for blush is that it doesn't have to always be pink; you can do a bronzer to liven up your skin
tone. Something else is to have a good skin care regimen. You can pile on as much make up as you want on bad skin, but it still won't be looking your best. Make sure you moisturize and if you will be in the sun, don't forget the sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF. Last but not least, don't be fooled by the price. Sometimes you can find the same quality product at a drug store instead of spending extra money on department store cosmetics. Shop around and find what you like!MR: I know you have worked in all types of setting from photo shoots to weddings. What is the craziest situation you have been in and what did you learn from it. In other words, any bridezilla moments out there?
D: I was working on a music video and had about 2 hours to work on 15-16 girls. It was crazy! The set itself was a distance from the make-up room and it was like a 17 hour day. I had just started out on sets and professional atmospheres, so from that day forward I learned to be more prepared, open and forgiving. Everything from enforcing hygiene by bringing disposable brushes for lip gloss to just being more resourceful, were lessons learned that day and has enhanced my business.
MR: What are your goals for the future?
D: I would love to branch off into movies and also start my own affordable cosmetics line with an emphasis on healthy skin.
Brownstone Blog would like to thank Drini for sharing her story with us. Please check her out at http://www.eyedreamofdrini.com/ on Twitter and Facebook.
-- Martine A. Rouzan
Brownstone Team
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