January 20, 2017

Meet Marcel Nagy of Permanent Cosmetics by Marcel in Torrance, San Pedro

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcel Nagy.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I originally discovered permanent cosmetics by having some procedures done on myself. I became friends with the artist who did mine, and when she retired, she asked me to consider taking over her business and clientele. I was an art teacher at that time and loved my job, but with any budget cuts (and there always are), art departments are always affected. I decided to take a risk and try a new career, and am very happy that I did. I found that my background as an artist, and my education in biomedical illustration (MA), was a great advantage in this industry. Most permanent cosmetic artists enter the field because they are already cosmetologists or estheticians, and my particular skill set and experience gave me an immediate advantage. I love having a more flexible schedule, working individually with one person at a time, and being able to take my time to do work that I am proud of.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Whenever you make a career change, you are taking a risk. There will always be challenges, and this is no exception. Overall it has been a smooth transition, although each person I work with is unique, so experience is critical, and each person adds to my resume in that regard. I continue my education, learning from experts in the field, taking both in-person and online training, reading and learning, staying involved with professional organizations, attending conferences, and staying abreast of new techniques and materials. One of my biggest challenges has been marketing and building a business. I really think like an artist first, and so learning how to share my talents and services is an area that I find the least intuitive.

Please tell us about Permanent Cosmetics by Marcel.
I provide a variety of permanent cosmetic/makeup services, including eyebrows, eyeliner, lip color, areola restoration, scar camouflage, and tattoo removal. Eyebrows are the most common procedures that I do, and I do a great deal of color correcting and reshaping of other people’s work.

There are a variety of reasons people choose to get a permanent cosmetic procedure. Everyone wants to look their best, all of the time, and without spending great amounts of time getting there. Many (mostly women) don’t have enough eyebrow hair either because they weren’t born that way, they have had a medical issue (hypothyroidism, chemotherapy, alopecia,etc.), or they over-tweezed in their youth. Some clients are very active and either don’t have the time to apply makeup, or it doesn’t stay on during activities. Other women just don’t see it well, or find it challenging to find the right design and color for their face.

Because of my artistic and educational background, I have a lot of experience and expertise in design, color theory, and facial anatomy and proportion. I also have a very steady and careful hand, and love to help people look their very best, naturally.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My grandparent’s owned a ranch in Fallbrook. We went there every weekend and it was a wonderful experience. We always worked hard and helped, but we also had a tremendous amount of freedom to explore, time for family and games, learning and developing a great appreciation for the land, and really just having a good time. We built many wonderful memories over the years. Not everyone gets to spend quality time with grandparents, and we were lucky that we did.

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