Do you love and wear make-up? Love those make-up tutorials on Instagram? Well if you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, we have a super dope MUA who is killing the game and is definitely worth an Instagram follow! Meet Deborah Bland – a phenomenal Cosmetologist specializing in Makeup Artistry!
Representing Detroit, Michigan, Deborah is a MUA who is very creative and talented with make-up! Deborah received her Cosmetology license from Douglas J. Aveda Institute and specializes in colorful/glitter dramatic makeup looks. Though make-up has not always been her passion, she is now obsessed with it!
“Makeup has not always been my passion. I started doing nails at age 13 and got more into hair throughout high school, with makeup coming later during my senior year. I have been obsessed with makeup for about a year and a half now, but just started on other people in the last 6 months.”
Deborah tells us that she wanted to get her Cosmetology license in case she ever wanted to pursue a career in a different field of beauty, but actually got into make-up to show people the purpose of make-up.
“What made me most interested in being a makeup artist was showing people that makeup is not made for “covering imperfections” or “hiding your insecurities”. Makeup can not only enhance features of your face, but it can help people build inner and outer confidence. It makes you feel beautiful, which drove my passion to learn more.”
In the beginning stages of her career, there were a few challenges and things she learned. In fact, Deborah tells us that she has learned that you need to be consistent in the industry, to attract great opportunities. Ultimately, she didn’t let any of her challenges get in her way or stop her grind!
“Makeup is different from hair and nails. Clients don’t typically come every few weeks, as they usually need their makeup done for a specific occasion or event. This made it difficult to keep clients no matter how good your work is. As most Hair and Nail Techs know, people tend to cancel appointments at the last minute, which can be disappointing. But, if you stay diligent, positive, and patient – there will always be doors opening for opportunities.”
Although Deborah specializes in dramatic looks, she does provide services for special occasions like wedding parties, graduations, prom, and homecoming!
“Most of my clients come from Instagram and request dramatic looks. I absolutely love doing dramatic looks the most, mainly because most people feel that they can’t pull certain colors and looks off. I like to prove to them that it isn’t a question of “Can I pull that off?”, but it is a skill of recognizing skintone, eyeshape, and face shape that can make a world of difference in a look.”
“I feel that the most difficult thing about being a Makeup Artist is CONFIDENCE. You need your client to trust you enough that there is no need to worry about the outcome of the look. They need to know just how great you are at your work, which all correlates to the way you carry yourself as the artist. Makeup clients tend to be sketchy about the turn out of their face, if you are hesitant or insecure about your work. I like to show them who’s boss by my skills, techniques, and CONFIDENCE.”
Interested in learning how to do make-up? Well don’t fret because Deborah has multiple tutorials up on her Instagram page, for people aspiring to be a Makeup Artist! In fact, she gets a lot of good feedback on them and many requests for more. (NICE!!) If you’re an avid YouTube user, you will soon be able to find Deborah’s work there, as she plans to eventually have a YouTube channel, as well as have online classes available for people around the globe! (BOOM!)
“If I had the opportunity to style my celebrity idol, I would go for a dramatic colorful look! Something with color and glitter to catch some attention, but not crazy enough to scare anyone off! I would go for this look because it is not a common thing to see on celebrities, as they usually stick to “natural” “glowy” looks. I like to get people out of their comfort zone!”
Deborah states that her ultimate goal as a MUA is to have paid trips to do specific people’s makeup, as well as be well-known for her work; which she hopes will continue to inspire others to be a MUA as well. Deborah says that she is very proud of her success, her makeup videos going viral, brands asking her to promote their products, and of course gaining her Cosmetology license.
Interested in working with Deborah? You can contact her via direct message on Instagram using the handle @beatsbydeb to book her for her services, events, or projects!
If you’re interested in being a MUA, Deborah has the following advice,
“A common misconception people have about being a Makeup Artist is how original everyone is. The beauty industry as a whole, are full of artist of generations before our time. Every artist has learned their skill, if not from school, then offline, or through books, or hands on. Not saying some people aren’t just naturally talented, but most of the time, Makeup is inspired by something or someone. I suggest staying positive, confident, and consistent in your passion for makeup! Learn from others as much as you can, and give people the energy and experience you want them to give you for your services.”
Make sure you keep up with Deborah as she has several photoshoots coming up; with her being the main makeup artist for interesting makeup looks! You can find and follow Deborah via social media using the handle @beatsbydeb.