Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Kendrick.
Hi Amber, 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?
I’m from a small town named Thomaston, Georgia. When I was around 12, I confided to a friend that my mom hadn’t let me play with real makeup yet. Her mom, who was also my mom’s close friend, told my mom to just let me have some, so I unwrapped some for Christmas that year!
I ran with it and had a lot of fun, and I never imagined that in the future I would have celebrity clients and I would see my work on display across Ulta locations worldwide!
The day after high school graduation, I drove to Atlanta with my belongings, and I’ve been here ever since.
I have to give credit to my older sister, Stephanie, who is also a makeup artist and a licensed aesthetician. She instilled good practices and techniques in me pretty early, especially about skincare, which is so vital to perfecting the process. She lived in Atlanta long before me, so upon arrival, I shadowed and assisted her on her makeup gigs for all types of events, shoots, and projects.
I then began connecting with internationally published photographers who took me on as their key makeup artist, so I quickly built a steady and strong portfolio.
After freelancing for a few years, I was thrilled to get a call from Millie Bobby Brown to do her makeup for a personal photoshoot. At the end of the shoot day, she asked me to do makeup for her brand, Florence by Mills!
We continued to work together and currently work together for press releases, events, special features in Vogue and more personal and brand shoots. I’m excited for what’s to come!
You’ll also find me alongside international hair stylist and educator Jacob Khan, along with the best in the hair at his salon Jacob K Hair (aka Fancy Hairdressers) in Roswell.
I travel to studios and locations for all types of shoots, events, and projects across many cities, and I even service clients in the comfort of their homes!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Makeup artistry chose me, but it wasn’t easy to see as a clear vision when coming into adulthood. I hadn’t considered being a full-time makeup artist until a few years ago. I was taught that I should go to college and get a career in something more conventional like the medical or financial fields, so for many years I created looks as a hobby since that’s as far as I thought living a creative lifestyle would go. I worked jobs here and there and even studied 2 years of Biology in college, but I just wasn’t feeling it.
When I finally decided to focus my attention on what I love, the doors of opportunity practically flew open!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think there are a few things to know about me and how I work.
1. I strive to provide the most comfortable and personable experience possible.
Ultimately, I feel like my true self when I’m with a client, so it’s always a fun, relaxing experience with good vibes and good-for-you products!
I love to educate others on what I’m using and why to help them improve their skill. I offer the Personal Shopping Experience, where the client and I will shop at stores like Sephora and Ulta (I have worked at both in the past) for a tailor-made experience specific to each client for their skincare and makeup wants and needs.
I greatly enjoy talking with and connecting with my clients, and I love learning about others’ stories and experiences. It doesn’t feel like I’m working at all!
2. My focus is highlighting the client’s natural beauty without using an excessive amount of makeup.
Social media has drilled into our minds that we need to contour our faces or take a hundred extra steps with layering on makeup every single day to look and feel confident, and I’m here to prove that that’s not the case!
Whether I’m creating a barely-there glow, a glam red carpet look, or a fun graphic liner…
I aim to master the client’s complexion with the lightest layer of foundation possible to best complement their skin tone, type, and texture, using breathable yet effective products without needless chemicals or toxins. I also tend to stay away from brands that animal test or fund others to animal test for them.
Quality skin prep is so important, so it’s a luxurious first step to prep your makeup, and I give consultations and product recommendations to each one of my clients so they can feel their best with or without makeup.
3. I love to take on challenging projects.
Set projects are tough!
Working with celebrities and internationally published photographers has taught me to just roll with it no matter what happens. There will always be the chance of equipment malfunction, bad weather during an outdoor shoot, or delayed or missed flights, and we all know about that gnarly Atlanta, LA, and NYC traffic!
Things happen all the time, and I’ve been praised for my cool, calm demeanor and solution-based thinking.
As far as my accomplishments, I have so much to be grateful for! Freelancing can be tough, so when Millie Bobby Brown called for my makeup services, it was a huge milestone!
It’s super exciting and almost surreal to see my work displayed on Florence by Mills displays whenever I go into Ulta. It’s a dream come true!
Another one of my favorite accomplishments is sentimental: working and growing alongside pop star and longtime friend Nadia Vaeh. We had met years ago when we both served tables at Landmark Jr. Diner off Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta. We would talk about our dreams of what we wanted to be and the places we wanted to travel to…
And here we are now, fresh off the plane from Las Vegas, where we shot her music video for her upcoming song Promise Not To Kill You!
We packed about four days of filming into two, so definitely a lot of blood sweat and tears went into this, and I am grateful for every second of the opportunity to bring her vision to life with the best team I could imagine! We put our all into this, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the fierce looks we created for the video! Many times I pause to think about how far Nadia and I have come both individually and together, and it’s truly magical.
Writing was my first love, so I was able to broaden and sharpen my skills as a lifelong writer when Nadia asked me to write her press release for Promise Not To Kill You.
Both the video and the song are set to release on January 27! You can pre-save the song right now:
https://ffm.to/pntky
I also love creating fun and visually appealing content on social media, and I was pleasantly surprised when leading brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills and Fashion Fair asked for permission to repost my work!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Never stop learning and having fun! Be curious. There’s a ton of misinformation floating around, especially about skincare, so dive more into the whats and whys so you can deliver the best possible outcome for your clients. Is there a makeup style or skin tone or texture you’re not familiar with? Explore! You’ll learn a lot more than you think, and vital pieces of information lead to developing your own style no matter the direction you want to take. Be consistent and practice on your friends and family, they will be happy to lend their faces! They will also spread the word, as networking and connections are key to getting more work! It’s so important to be kind to everyone no matter who they are, as kindness leaves an impactful impression that will elevate your name and will get you more work.
Of course, be yourself and don’t allow you or anyone else to put you in a box. When you are true to yourself and put your all into your passions, success follows.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.makeupbyamberkendrick.com, https://sym.ffm.to/pntky
- Instagram: instagram.com/makeupbyamberkendrick
Image Credits
Jillian Cornette Charlie Brown Natalie Allgyer Ashley Rock De’Aris Jinx Greg Truelove
