Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaellynn Street.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Chaellynn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Like most girls growing up, I think your mom is always the first person you look at when it comes to beauty. I use to watch my mom put her makeup on as she would get ready and I always wanted to get my hands on all her products. As I got older, I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer, a stylist, a chef, a hair dresser, a massage therapist. My mind was all over the place but looking back I just wanted to create something and I wanted to make people feel good. Since I was young, I have always had 2-3 jobs at a time and none of them ever fulfilled me. Fast forward to my lower twenties, I was working at a call center and I absolutely hated it! I started applying at every beauty counter I could in the hopes to get a job that was in the beauty field so I could be happier. I would get far in the interview process but nothing would come out of it. I was at my wits’ end at the call center and one day as I was on my lunch, I started crying because I didn’t want to be there and I told myself that this will be the last “job” I work that does not make me happy.
A few moments later, my phone rang. It was MAC Cosmetics calling me for an interview for an application I had put in four months previous! We scheduled an interview and I returned back to work so elatedly because I was one step (hopefully) closer to leaving this job I hated. I had about four interviews with the MAC managers and through this time I was also getting approval for FMLA at the call center. My interview process took about two months so as I was waiting to see if I was getting hired or not my FMLA break came and went. When I returned to work back at the call center, I took one call, started crying, hung up the phone and just left. Not the most professional thing I’ve done in my life but I literally could not take one more phone call for this company. So that was the end of the call center. Fast forward two weeks later, I get a call that I was hired at MAC Cosmetics! I was so excited because I could start getting paid to do something I enjoyed. Again, as I said earlier, I have always had more than one job so I actually got hired at a restaurant as well. It is owned by Scott Conant who is a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped.” As time went on, I was happy and I enjoyed both my jobs. I started traveling to New York by myself and since I was young, I have always wanted to be in that beautiful scene. Scott also had a restaurant in New York and MAC has locations everywhere. After traveling to NYC four times within an eight-month period, I wanted to move. Scott had an open position at his NYC restaurant and MAC also said they would transfer me. Within a two week period, I sold my car and everything I had and moved to NY to further pursue my beauty career.
After six months of being in NY, the restaurant that I was working at told us they would be shutting down… that same week! I was scared because as most know NY is expensive and my hours at MAC weren’t the highest. In spite of being scared financially, it was the best thing that could have happened because it gave me more time to put my energy into my business. I started getting more hours at MAC, I started building my own clients and I got into a network. I have now been in NY for a little over a year and a half. I did looks for the Met Gala, the Tony Awards, HBO and A Member of Congress. As well as makeup for charity events, prom, graduations, and weddings. I had someone ask me the other day, “what do you do for a living?” I said “makeup” and they asked, “what else do you do?” and I said, “that’s it.” Then, it hit me that I’m actually doing what I told myself I would do at the call center when I was crying on my lunch break. That was the last job I worked that didn’t make me happy. I’m still growing, still learning, still making connections but being a freelance makeup artist has given me the creativity I needed and has filled my heart beyond belief. I couldn’t ask for a better career.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Since I got more serious about having this as a career, I feel it has been a gradual uphill. If you stay consistent, no matter the business you will see results. If I have advice for anybody… it would be to really believe in yourself, as well as invest in yourself. Don’t compare yourself to what everyone else is doing. Stay on the latest trends, network and meet people who are in the same field as you so you have people you can learn more from.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I wouldn’t say I specialize in one particular thing as far as weddings, photo, tv, etc. I really dabble into every opportunity I can that’s available to me. I will say a lot of my clients are business women which are inspiring, seeing women in high-level rolls being successful and in power. So, more of the looks I do are what I call a “soft glam.” Nothing crazy but just enough to accentuate her features. These are my favorite kind of looks to do because at the end of the day most women want to look like themselves, not a whole different person.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Unfortunately, I do feel as a woman sometimes we do have to work 2xs as hard compared to our male counterparts and 3xs as hard if you are a woman of color. I feel as a society we are growing in terms of recognizing people who may be at a disadvantage systemically. Whether that’s based off their race, gender or if they are LGBTQ. It’s funny because most would assume that the beauty industry is run by women but in fact, it’s quite the opposite. If you look at any high powered position, it’s going to be held mostly by men. Revlon barely got their first woman President & CEO in 86 years, last year! I feel women are starting to speak up and demand what we are worth and what is fair. Slowly changes are happening and hopefully over the next few years to come issues like pay gaps or promotions won’t be an issue anymore based off your gender.
Contact Info:
- Email: makeupbychaellynn@gmail.com
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