October 29, 2016

Meet San Fernando Valley Makeup Artist and Hairstylist: Tina Kalajian

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Kalajian.

Tina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist, born and raised in Los Angeles. To expand my passion for hair and makeup, I attended Makeup Designory where I completed. Beauty and Character Makeup as well as Hairstyling in 2007. My first year working I took any and every job offered to build my resume, experience, and craft.

After working for a few years in the entertainment industry as a certified Makeup Artist, I went on to attend the Aveda Institute in Los Angeles and obtained a cosmetology license in order to have a wider skill set to offer clients.

After almost 10 years of working full time, I still enjoy everything about my career. It allows me to express creativity, constantly meet new people, and build relationships with amazing clients.

Has it been a smooth road?
Working as a freelancer means that work isn’t always guaranteed which means a paycheck isn’t always guaranteed. But over the years it’s become much more steady because of the connections and clients I’ve built. I took on new projects through my career and have worked with Benefit, Shiseido, and Yves Saint Laurent and am now part of the team for Mobile Bridal Salon which helps set up appointments and clients for me. So much of this business is by referral so making sure your clients are satisfied is the most important part of keeping work coming in regularly.

Who, or what, deserves a lot of credit for where you are today?
The person that has played the biggest role in my career was my mother. She was a hairdresser and watching her work while I was growing up is what sparked my interest. She always let my siblings and I explore our creativity and passions. She’s been my biggest supporter and is always there for me to lean on when my workload piles up.

What type of clients or projects do you look forward to most?
My favorite types of projects to work on are photo shoots and brides. Photo shoots, lets me be little more creative and do things I wouldn’t normally do daily for makeup and hair. It lets me be a little more playful with the looks and get outside of my comfort zone. With brides, it’s really special to make women feel beautiful on one of the most important days of their lives. Helping someone feel their best in photos they will hold onto forever is really amazing.

What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Woah just thinking about going back that many years! There are plenty of small things I could sit here and list but I’m not the type of person that likes to have regrets. I’m really happy with where I am in my life and my career and I’m comfortable with the steps I’ve taken to get here.

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