Meet Decatur Makeup Artist: Kendra B.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra B.

Kendra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I learned at a very early age that your outer appearance can either help of hinder you in this life. We all know that it is what’s on the inside that really matters, but whoever said you can’t paint a picture of what’s inside on your outer self-using fashion and cosmetics. It’s all about telling your story the way you want it told. The way I paint someone is sort of a silent call to action. It says, “I’m here and not only do I demand your attention; I demand your RESPECT!”

I got my start in makeup by being a cute little girl who secretly wanted to be more powerful; not cute, but beautiful and strong. I wanted to emulate my aunt who wore furs, diamonds, and long fiery red nails. She served you Diane Carol with ease. She was a curvy, dark-skinned woman with full bouncy hair and of course, her face was always snatched! I’ve never known her to have a job (her husband worked very hard) so I often wondered where the hell she was going slaying the children the way she did. She would give me her old makeup and I remember sitting on the bathroom floor crushing eye shadows into Vaseline to make lip glosses. On television, I was inspired by Gem and the Holograms, Felicia Rashaad, Debbie Allen and daytime soaps. By the time I was a teen, I had discovered Sam Fine via R&B and hip hop videos in the 90s. This was when I started to really learn how to do makeup. I started doing makeup for the girls on my drill team in high school. I would arch brows with a razor in the bathroom during 7th period and people actually saw me as this little beauty guru. I’m sure if we had social media back then, I would have been insta-famous.

Fast forward to my early 20s and I had moved from my small town in Mississippi to Dallas, Texas where I was working in a cubicle wondering what the hell I was going to do with my life. One day I was watching TV and I came across a man by the name of Gordon Espinet who was representing MAC cosmetics and doing the most beautiful smokey eye that my little green self had ever seen. The next day I set out to go and find this amazing brand called MAC Cosmetics (my country ass had never heard of it). Who knew it was right there in the mall all this time. I went up to the first MAC rep I saw (who happened to be the regional artist for that area) and just started asking questions. He was obviously very busy but was very polite and basically told me how the application process worked. I secured and interview and of course they loved me but when I got to the makeup interview I completely bombed! Long story short: I still got the job as a freelance artist and rocked that shit! I was the first to show up and the last to leave. I was in heaven. I never had a moment of nervousness when it came to doing makeup because I was just so damned passionate about it. That was in October of 2002. Gosh, I feel old!

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been and is still not a smooth road. When you are in an industry such as the beauty industry, sometimes people will not respect what you have decided to do as a real profession. They say things like “why not go back to school” and “when will you get a real job.” Then you have potential clients who think you do this for fun. They say things like “I’m going to LET you do my makeup” as if it is a privilege to do so without being compensated. They have no idea what actually goes into it and the cost that it takes for me to ensure that I have the best product and most up to date training. There have been a lot of unpaid gigs, gigs where I was supposed to be paid but wasn’t, as well as high maintenance celebrities who get off on making others feel small.

When you look back, what are you most proud of?
The proudest moment of my career was having the chance to display my talents on a national platform via WETVs House of Curves with my then bestie Kenyatta Jones. The show documented our journey as black, plus size women in the fashion industry. I worked as Kenyatta’s makeup artist and creative director for her brand. I received such great feedback from women across the nation expressing what an inspiration we were to them. It is always fulfilling when you can help women love and accept themselves.

Every story has ups and downs. What were some of the downs others might not be aware of?
The struggles in life are inevitable but I am happy to say they helped prepare me for bigger and better things. The hardest obstacle for me was pursuing my dream while raising a young son as a single mother. Thankfully I have to best son on earth! He was the happiest and best-behaved baby and toddler which made it easy for me to take him everywhere I went. He was always a hit on set. As for jobs that did not allow him to be with mommy; well, I had to respectfully decline them. What helped me was creating a budget and scaling down my lifestyle. This meant living in a shabby 1940s building instead of a shiny new high-rise and cooking at home instead of eating out at the fabulous restaurants I was used to. God made a way! My son is now ten and I have since married my prince charming and his two sons.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think Atlanta has become a great place yo perdue a career as a makeup artist. I remember when I first moved here in 2008 and people were much more cut throat and “cliquey” but as the opportunities have grown, I find that the circle has become more accepting and close knit. Even if you don’t land a production gig, there are still everyday women willing to compensate you for makeup services for events (which there are a lot of here), weddings, proms and so on.

Contact Info:

• Website: juxtaposebeauty.blogspot.com
• Email: juxtaposebeauty@gmail.com
• Instagram: its_kendrabee
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/juxtaposebeauty/

Image Credit:
1. ladies in red with guy in tuxedo
Published on Feb 9, 2016
PC Urban Magazine
The Season of Love, Phenomenal Women of Power Issue

2. Glenford Nunez (photographer/black and white photo)
A lady named Pearl (model in black and white photo)