Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruth Medrano.
Ruth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m not 100% sure where my love for beauty started. My mom really never wore make up or did a ton with her hair, she encouraged us to be natural, which showed us the ultimate beauty advice; it comes from the inside. My grandma did wear make up and got her hair done for Sunday church. My two younger sisters and I would spend our summers at my grandparent’s house when we were younger. Grandma would do up her hair and make up at the kitchen table, I still remember the smell of her CoverGirl. Happy sigh. When I was 7, I got my sister to sit down to let me cut (well, butcher) her hair. I got in HUGE trouble for that one, but I think it set me on my path into beauty artistry. I would spend hours doing my hair and playing with my dolls hair. My sister would ask and let me do different styles on her hair.
Early into highschool, I knew that I wanted to get into make up and hairstyling. I would watch movies intently and read all the make up and hair books I could at my local library (A 90s kid’s YouTube ;). When I got to college, I started working in the theatre’s wig dept and absolutely loved it. It was there that I started really working with make up. I knew leaving for college that I wanted to move to Los Angeles. Once I completed my Cosmetology Business course, I packed up my things and made the risky move. I really didn’t think it was that risky, I wanted to be an artist out here, and that’s what I was going to do. I got plugged into my church right away, which actually landed me my first consistent make up gig with the Salvation Army (yes, they have (or had) an entertainment dept!). I also worked a side job and hustled hard. And I’ve been doing that since. I’m always trying to gain all the knowledge I can from the artists I admire and keep hustling to grow my career. I love what I do and I want to be one of the masters in my craft.
Has it been a smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been an overly bumpy road. But I do think the struggle to get where I want to be, has be slow and occasionally arduous. I know I have been very blessed on my path, but I also know I still have a long way to go.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a freelance Hair and Make Up artist, I specialize in bringing out my client’s best beautiful. What sets me apart would be the way that I look to bring out my client’s uniqueness in my work. I like to be real with them while still providing a calm, professional environment. I give them a great experience and they leave my chair feeling beautiful, confident, and excited for their event.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Everybody’s journey is different, I’m not sure if it’s wise for me to say do or don’t come. What I will say is, it’s an extremely competitive industry. If you’re going to come here, be ready to work HARD and HUSTLE. When you hit a dead end of one path, you’ve got to find another one to run down. Most of the time it’s not dependent wholly on your skill, but your personality and your connections. LA is one of the best places for this work, but you’ve gotta put in the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ruthbmedrano.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @ruthbmedrano
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ruth-b-medrano-beauty-los-angeles
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