Hi beauties! On this lovely 28th birthday of mine, I wanted to reintroduce myself! My name is Carla, I am the founder and owner of Creative Contour by Carla! I am a Boston Makeup Artist, specializing in the styles of beautiful bridal and event makeup, and editorial makeup. I really enjoy both styles, and couldn't pick just one!
About Me!
Beauties, if you can't tell by now, pink is my absolute favorite color! I love each and every shade! When I'm not obsessing over the color pink, you'll find me swimming at the pool or beach when it's warm out, at the gym, or taking a trip with my friends and family! I have a loud, happy laugh, and laugh at just about any joke. You could probably say "pudding!", and I'd be laughing!
Your Makeup Experience
I believe in taking care of you while you sit in my makeup chair. If that means we laugh like we're old friends, just fine. Maybe it means you want to close your eyes and relax and enjoy the quiet. That's just fine, too! Makeup should be a pampering experience for you. With that being said, all you have to do is show up. I've got the rest taken care of!
My Background & Experience
I want to go in depth a little bit more about my experience in the beauty industry. So first of all beauties, I am taking this way way back to my childhood. I was probably about 4 or 5 years old, and my mother would find me playing with all of her old makeup from the eighties! She eventually would start buying me those little makeup kits from the drugstore every christmas and birthday. And boy did I play! I tried every color eyeshadow imaginable, beauties. I wore makeup to school starting at age 12. (I know this may be a controversial topic, but my mother was never worried about me. And in all honesty, when I say makeup, I mean eyeshadow and lipgloss, it was the trend then!) I really enjoyed playing with makeup and seeing the result. I learned one day of the world of makeup artistry, and always kept it in my mind. I someday wanted to be a makeup artist!
Fast forward to August 2012, when I finally enrolled myself in the Elizabeth Grady School Of Esthetics & Massage in Medford, Massachusetts. For those who of you who don't know, Elizabeth Grady is an extremely well-known spa in New England. I had always had a love of skincare, after growing up with cystic acne. It was fate, that both makeup and skincare were taught in one course. I enrolled in the course on the day I went for the tour. My course was a 600-hour lesson. I learned everything there was to know at the time about skincare and makeup. My course started in September 2012, and finished in February 2013. By the end of March 2013, I had taken and passed my state boards. I was officially a Licensed Esthetician! At the time, this was the biggest accomplishment of my life! (I was so nervous during each test!)
Upon graduation and licensing, it was extremely difficult for me to find a job. I called and applied to numerous salons and spas. These establishments offered all of the services that I was trained for. I genuinely thought that because I was fresh out of school, they would love to hire someone eager for experience. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After three months of no luck, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a makeup artist. I contacted every makeup artist within the Boston area. At that time, makeup artists were very disciplined, and often did not want to hire assistants because they did not want to share their skill and knowledge. One day in May of 2013, my wish had come true! A local makeup artist wanted me to assist her! My heart was full of joy! I couldn't believe it was really happening!
I worked very hard for this makeup artist for about 4 years. Beauties, let me tell you the truth. Working in the beauty industry is not easy. People can be very critical. You certainly have to learn how to accept criticism and apply it to your work. I was a work in progress for the better part of those 4 years. But I realized if I wanted to succeed, I had to work at it. I tried to assist as much as possible, and after 2 years, I was working my own weddings as a lead artist for the company. I couldn't believe it! My dream was slowly coming to life.
In 2017, I attended a makeup trade show in New York City. I was surrounded by makeup artists at all levels in their careers. I couldn't believe the talent surrounding me. And by the way, they were so nice! I noticed that the industry had changed within those 4 years. Makeup artists everywhere were creating a community. I overheard artists throughout the show trading secrets and even application techniques. There were multiple stages showing the newest makeup trends and instructing artists how to incorporate them. I was in awe! It was a result of this specific trade show that I decided to start my own business. I knew that I had a gift that needed to be shared with the world.
Fast forward to September 1, 2017, when CCBC was finally born! (A quick shoutout to one of my best friends for helping me with the name!) I did it! I jumped all in. I quit my retail job and was laser focused on building my business. It was the scariest thing I've ever done. At the time of writing this blog post, Creative Contour by Carla is still growing. But it is my mission to provide the absolute best makeup experience to those who desire it. As I always say beauties, I am here for you. So let's collaborate and create beautiful makeup looks on your gorgeous canvases. I am here to help you look and feel your absolute best for your special event!
Now that you know all about me, I want to learn about you! Sit in my chair, let's chat!
**Photo credits to Sue Bruce Photography and Christian Napolitano Photography.**
Now I'm going to go enjoy a slice of cake!
Later! <3 Carla