Yet again, I have let months pass without updating The Make-up
Darling blog. All I can say is that
life has got in the way, although that is no excuse – if world leaders can find
the time to do their job and still have a family and a social life, I should be
able to too! But in the last few months
there have been a lot of changes: a new job as a Retail MUA, a new house with
my own make-up studio, many fashion shows (including one on which I was lead
MUA and designed the look), weddings, proms, photoshoots, my own website (www.donnaharris.co.uk) and just normal life squeezed in. When I started this journey just shy of a
year ago, I had no idea of what would be in store for me and I just knew with absolute
certainty that I had to make the change. Looking back, I am so thankful that I
did. I feel like I have been a make-up
artist all my life and, for the most part, I am a happier person because of
it. Sure, I may not be making the money
I did when I was a stressed out Event Manager and I spend a large percentage of
my time now cleaning brushes and dragging a suitcase full of make-up around,
but I feel much more fulfilled in my career.
I know I have also changed a lot as a person. The way I look at things has changed and I am
more open to new ideas and experiences.
It’s hard to articulate how I view things now and what interests and
inspires me, and I’m sure to my friends I seem more vacant, detached and boring
than I once was. I don’t mean to be, it’s
just that my mind if filled with so many thoughts and images now. It’s like the right side of my brain has
finally been kicked into gear after being suppressed for so long. When I watch films now I get so caught up in
everything- the make-up, lighting, the costume, the emotion. I find myself staring at people’s faces,
looking at the arch of their brow, the colours (yes, colours!) of their iris,
the curve of their lips. Sometimes I think people must find me quite strange! Trying to explain to a non-make-up artist
what I spend my time doing on a week by week basis is hard because it must seem
like very little, but honestly sometimes I feel more exhausted than ever
because my brain is continually processing, planning, seeking inspiration. I carry notebooks with me so everywhere so I
can scribble down words, thoughts and poems, and constantly seem to be taking
pictures.
I wouldn’t say it’s been the easiest transition to make and
I am often plagued by self-doubt. Natural confidence isn’t something I am
blessed with. I don’t find it easy to ‘let
go’ and ‘just go with the flow’ and I always want to know where I am heading,
so I often feel like I am going against my nature. I don’t want to just be a good make-up artist;
I want to be one of the best- the next Pat McGrath, Alex Box or Kevyn Aucoin. I recently assisted Salina Thind on a shoot
for Conde Nast’s Brides Magazine (September/October Issue- out now) and was so
happy to have my work published in the magazine, although I wasn’t credited,
but one day soon I want it to be my name that the world sees in the margin of
the page. I have no idea how to get from
where I am now to there, so I guess I just have to keep doing what I’m doing
and hope I’m doing the right thing. I
want to know more, do more, be more.
So, anyway, I am really grateful to whoever reads this blog-
I hope that you get something from it; whether that is inspiration or just
satisfaction that you are doing better than me!
I find it cathartic to write sometimes and get all my feelings out, but
I realise posts like this might be boring for people to read, so I will
endeavour to write shorter posts with more photos in the future. Those of you that just want to see my work
without reading me bleat on may want to follow me on instagram (deeh_mua) or
twitter (@donnaharris_mua) or even just check out my website (www.donnaharris.co.uk).
I can’t leave you without any photos, so here are some photo
collages of some of my recent work:
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