Quote:
Originally Posted by kaliraksha
I also really want to know which is why I'm bringing this thread up... I adore your work.
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Aww you guys are too sweet! Haven't been around for a while, so it's nice to know some people still think of you when your gone
My ''accident' sort of started 9 years ago. I got fascinated with henna at that time, bought millions of tubes with paste in them. Got horrible results, did clumsy designs, but was still determined to be good at it as it was a fun concept lol. So started to get that going, doing festivals here and there, bits and pieces on friends and family etc etc. This was my hobby while I played around and studied Graphic design.
After a few years I had to give because of exams, it just got to much.
After I got my diploma I went on to college to do graphic and web design. I dropped out after 2 months because I hated the environment. I'm a creative person and strict rules and being called a number rather then a name doesn't suit me at all. Obviously disappointed my parents, stuck in a rut, bought a computer and met this guy on the net. I'm in Holland he is in the UK, I needed a break so went to visit him. I kinda never left lol, he is now my fiancé
Right so, when I got here I needed a job. this is like almost 5 years ago now, and I started to search for graphic design work, started to create website to use in my portfolio etc etc. Well, its a tough market and there is allot of competition here. so I got stuck with crappy retail jobs... but one day after work I saw these henna tubes and I was over the moon! I could start my hobby again! obviously I noticed that there were allot of Asians in my area, but it never really hit me to start the henna thing again. So, practicing like mad, getting my kit together and starting to it for fun again
then out of the blue while I was covered in henna this Asian lady walked up to me and asked me where I got it done and of course I was proud to announce that I did it and she loved it and wanted to use me to do her bridal mehndi. I didn't know what to do, what to say, I panicked after I gave her my phone number lol!
So 2 months later I did my first bride. loved it, did get nasty remarks and comments from the aunty ji's there, but heel. I did a brides mehndi! me, a white girl! I felt so proud
when I was younger in high school etc, I got into the whole Goth scene. I didn't really like the music, I didn't care for the whole depressing mood all these people seemed to take on, I just LOVED to dress up and do my makeup! So I would go to school in black fancy clothing and do my hair in funky styles and do crazy makeup. I never thought twice about doing makeup as a job, I mean I was focused on doing graphic design.
About a year after my first bridal job, I got a few referrals and did a few more weddings and I got better and better. up until one bride asked if I also did hair and makeup because its just so much easier to book 1 person to do it all. And I guess she just wanted to pay next to nothing as my initial quote was really low and seeing as I had no experience whatsoever I felt bad for charging at all. She was really pushy and didn't mind the fact that I didn't have any experience lol. So I asked my friend who is also a henna and makeup artist for some advice. and I just threw myself in the deep end. I did the trial run for her wedding, she seemed pleased. I was so nervous! I knew I screwed it up, because it just looked horrifying to me. But I practiced like mad over the next few months before her wedding and it was alright. I didn't get bad comments at all lol.
eventually I could stop doing small retail jobs that had a nowhere prospect and started to the whole henna thing as a full time job. Only because 1 person in he streets noticed my henna blobs on my own hands. It may sound really easy writing it all down, but it took me 3 years just to get to do my first bridal makeup and getting a name as a good henna artist. I got lots of 'trouble' because I was a white girl doing an Asian thing. but it made me more determined to get further and better. in the last 2 years, since my first bride I've practiced like mad, raided several Mac stores for supplies
and just asked lots of people to practice on. slowly but surely people noticed me for my makeup skills and took a risk in booking me lol. I do know that had I not been a good henna artist to start with, people wouldn't even think about using me. my reputation is good, if not better then average when it comes to mehndi, it just made the transition to adding makeup a hell of allot easier.
over the last 2 years I've done soooo many bridal makeup jobs now and I feel privileged to be able to do this as my full time job. At the moment I'm trying build up my fashion portfolio, meeting with different photographers and models to take it one step further. I love doing brides up, but sometimes its nice to have a change in the routine and do something funky like I used to do when I was in high school!
LOL!! If you are reading this line then you must be mad to have gone through my whole mini biography!! But thank you, I hope you enjoyed it