Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Augustine.
Hi Chelsea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Oddly enough, I was quite a “tomboy” growing up in Los Angeles. I always wanted to play tag, handball, or jump rope and never thought twice about makeup and hair. At that time, my mom was (and still is) a makeup artist and when I was a kid, I remember catching a glimpse of her kit one day and it sparked my curiosity.
On days when I’d come home from school and no one was home, I’d grab her kit and set myself up in the bathroom;
She had this amazing book on her shelf, “Making Faces” by Kevyn Aucoin. It featured different celebrities in amazing, sometimes avant-garde, makeup looks and had little step by step instructions on how he achieved their look. This was my first introduction into the artistry that is makeup and I loved it. But I never wanted to taint my “tomboy edge” as I didn’t want to lose any street cred amongst my peers, so this was something that I kept very private. I even made sure to put everything I used back into the same place so as not to create any issues for my mother.
Eventually, as I got older I started toying with hairstyles and I began asking my friends if I could do their makeup and hair for Halloween parties or fun nights out. It was always more of a hobby, especially through college. Once I graduated, I decided to become an Au Pair for an amazing family in New Zealand. I got to practice hair and makeup for the little girl I was watching over and also for my fellow Au Pair friends. My host-mom planted a seed that I could potentially get into hair and makeup as a profession, but it wasn’t until I moved back to the states that my Aunt (who is a hairdresser) sat me down and we had a serious chat about my future profession.
After fielding all my hair-related questions during my haircut, she said to me “you have the hands and the artistic ability, you just have to wrap your brain around the fact that hair and skin would be your medium.”
Two weeks later, I was signed up for Cosmetology school.
I expected that I’d become a hairdresser once I graduated but I wound up meeting a makeup artist who worked on set via my father. She took me around to shadow her on a music video and a commercial and I was blown away at how cool it all was.
After assisting her for a year, we had the opportunity to work on a movie filming in Alabama where I met a ton of Atlanta locals who couldn’t stop raving about how amazing Atlanta was. I figured I could continue my career in a city that I could afford to make a living in and decided to book a flight to check it out.
After spending a long weekend here, it seemed it was the right fit at the time and I moved myself across the country. After a few twists and turns and a year long stint as an assistant to a hairdresser up in Alpharetta to help myself out financially, I met Jennifer Nieman at an Atlanta Hair and Makeup meetup group, ran by Katie Eidecker at the time, and thankfully she took me under her wing.
Thanks to her and so many other hairs and makeup artists in the Atlanta area, I have had the honor of working alongside some of the most well-respected artists doing commercials, print work, bridal, TV, and movies.
This is officially my second year as an independent contractor and I am so excited to see what 2022 has in store.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’d say my biggest obstacle was me. I had a hard time believing I was capable of doing something like this and it was a very large and very scary leap for me to begin my freelance career. But while it’s had its learning curves and hard lessons, it has been the most rewarding leap I’ve ever made.
Tell us about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a freelance hair and makeup artist. I work in film, TV, print, commercial, bridal, and take personal clients. I’d say that my favorite looks for makeup are soft and natural glam—nothing looks better in my opinion than someone who begins to glow because their individual and unique beauty is brought to the forefront with a skilled hand.
For hair, I love so many different styles. I am constantly in awe of the huge glam styles I see a lot of brides wear in Eastern Europe, though my own style is much more bohemian and “California cool” than that.
I’d say that my desire to put clients at ease and make them feel like they’re hanging out with a girlfriend is what sets me apart. I love to make people laugh and, while skill and artistry are paramount to making it in this industry, I’ve found that people like being around people that are fun and pleasant and I believe that’s in my wheelhouse.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I don’t think there’s any surprises when it comes to me—I’m kind of an open book. Though I am still presenting as a casual, jeans and t-shirt type of gal, I secretly love to get dolled up in full glam hair and makeup and dress up!
Contact Info:
- Email: chelseajaugustine90@gmail.com
- Website: chelseajaugustine.com
- Instagram: @chelseajaugustine
Image Credits:
Katie Parker Bernita Nana Allie Hine Barnhabey
