THANK YOU

YOU ARE WHY I WRITE THIS BLOG

IN THE BEGININNG

Many years ago a friend of mine pulled out a NY Times article and said to me—you should do this.  It was an article on something new called a Blog.  He explained it was a world where you share your information via articles on your own page on the World Wide Web.  What? I thought he was nuts perhaps a little crack had slipped into his brain-lol.  Who the hell is going to read what I have to say? -- So I left it alone for almost 6 years.  And even though years later I could see that blogs were becoming the norm I was still saying—who the hell is going to listen to me?  It really wasn’t until I met Makeup Grand Dad Diva-sir Reggie Wells   I had a chance to sit down with him in a private setting and pick the hell out of his brain before sharing a stage with him on a panel of makeup artists--yes I was sitting right next to him.  Our conversation was inspiring, informative and truthful.  It got me to thinking-- I can make my blog be just that.

I decided I wanted to share with you ALL the truth about the industry.  I wanted to wave my big old flag at you and say “danger, danger”—don’t do what I did the water is deep over here.  I wanted to give you information I had learned throughout the years and spare you just one tenth of the heartache I had by telling you 100% truth.  As my friend said to me, “DeShawn when you tell the truth it’s like a hatchet between the eyes but I like that.” lol

I write this blog because of all the emails I get—all the questions I get just walking through the floor of the makeup show. One night as I was walking down 6^th Avenue a lovely young lady came running out of McDonalds wanting to ask me a question—lol  Now that was a young lady  hungry for  some serious info lol.  I especially write when I can feel the confusion and the hurt through your emails because believe me you’re not the only person feeling those feelings. My biggest hope is you all understand and receive the truth from me as I know it. Please know I don’t endorse a product or a person unless I do the happy dance over them and that everything you read truly comes from my heart

I don’t mean to be sappy but this blog and you are very important to me.  When you  walk up to me and say you read deshawnlovesmakeup I am deeply touched.  I’ve always wanted to be a teacher my whole life and through this amazing career of mine I now have the title educator attached to my name—( Not bad for a black gurl who left corporate America behind—and her benefits hahahaha yes I still miss those.)    There are so many other fabulous blogs that review products but here is where I want you all to come to learn and laugh and know that you are not alone.

Now about ten years in the business, I guess this evening I am feeling a bit nostalgic for the beginning of my career as I prepare to teach another class this weekend to newbies.  I haven’t forgotten the feelings of pure joy of getting a dream job—Talking to my poor sister on the phone at a decimal that only dogs could hear, in the Starbucks at 30 Rock right after I wrapped  my first day working at Saturday Night Live—as a New Yorker this was the ultimate. Remembering the anxiety of whether or not the check will show up on time so I could pay my rent—that was already two months behind.  Dealing with some serious haters when I thought that the makeup world was filled with happy shiny people—like a coom-by-yah moment—man I was WRONG.  Then there are the bitch sessions with friends about the business and the loss of friends because of the business. The night I came home from a miserable day on set and broke out into the “ugly cry” Oprah use to speak of (you know the kind you gasp for air in between words). WHY?, because of an innate sense of despair over the major questions of why am I doing this and where am I going in this business? (oy my poor boyfriend).  I went through it all and, I remember, I REMEMBER IT ALL and I just want you all to know I am here for you -- and I get it

So if you say to me I think she’s speaking to me—it’s because I am.  If you have a question, and even if you don’t but just want to come by for a read, laugh—or a cry I THANK YOU for taking time to spend it with me 

Being a makeup artist is the ultimate for me—it is a career that I hadn’t dreamt of my whole life, but one I feel was a simple blessing that just was tailor made for this black gurl to discover, to love and to share. I’ve been really blessed with kindness from my own personal mentors, makeup friends and family that when you receive such a bountiful gift you share

So to my fabulous DLM readers sending you all much love and a big old

THANK YOU

 

IF YOURE NEW TO THIS BLOG PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE ARTICLES THROUGHOUT--CHANCES ARE I MAY HAVE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION  IF I HAVENT DROP ME AN EMAIL :)
Please send all questions you're not comfortable in sharing in public to my email deshawnlovesmakeup@gmail.com