Life and Work with Alissa Laye

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alissa Laye.

Alissa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I spent the first 20 years of my life growing up in South Florida. I really became interested in makeup right after finishing high school. I taught myself a ton and then decided to go to Beauty School to pursue makeup. Unfortunately, the school I ended up at did not touch on makeup for more than 3 days so I did not learn much there. I decided beauty school was not for me and dropped out. Over the years, I have continued to work on my craft by myself and by learning from others in my industry. I have been fortunate enough to work with some amazing beauty professionals who have inspired me and pushed me to where I am today. I am now working at my favorite place in the world, Sephora Ponce City Market, as well as running my own freelance business, Alissa Christine Artistry.

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road whatsoever, especially after spending so much money on beauty school to have it not work out for me in the end. There was a point where I got incredibly discouraged on stopped doing makeup altogether. I deleted all my work off of Instagram and gave up. Looking back, that was a horrible decision on my part. I had to pick myself back up from square one and start from scratch. The best advice I can give to anyone beginning their journey is to not let anything stop you. Don’t get discouraged when looking at the work of others, let it push you to be better. Follow and surround yourself with people that inspire you to create.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Alissa Christine Artistry – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I do all styles of makeup but I specialize in colorful, glam, and fantasy makeup! Graphic liners, glitters, cut creases, and themed looks are my favorites to do. I am definitely known for having the most colorful and funky looks in town. I am most proud of is having my work recognized by the top brands in the game such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, Kat Von D, Benefit Cosmetics, Limecrime, Tarte, The Crayon Case, etc. I work extremely hard at conceptualizing looks that are not “typical” and making my Instagram a place of creativity and fun!

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
My childhood was an extremely challenging one. My mother was an alcoholic and my father a drug addict, so needless to say, I had to grow up very fast. I felt an obligation to take care of myself and my little sister which meant figuring out a lot of things that a child should not have to worry about at such a young age. I spent years working 2 jobs while in school to get enough money together to be able to live on my own away from the drugs, alcohol, and mental abuse that I was experiencing. Luckily for me, I have amazing grandparents that would do anything for me, so I ended up living with them for 5 years while finishing high school and I was able to move into my own place soon after. These experiences have shaped me into who I am today, so as strange as it sounds, I am grateful for the childhood I had. I have spent my life trying to be the hard-working, dedicated woman that my Grandma is. Shoutout to you, Grandma.

Pricing:

• Bridal- $115+
• Instaglam (full glam)- $95+
• Special Occasions- $75+

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alissacartistry.wixsite.com/alissacartistry
• Phone: (954) 292-8360
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alissachristineartistry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alissachristineartistry/

Image Credit:
Hair: Ashley Williams of Meraki Salon Studio, Photo: Laura Lopez

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.