Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Foster.
Hi Victoria, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is unconventional to say the least! I was in the Air Force for nearly 10 years and was really unhappy with my career. One day, shortly after moving to Los Angeles, I was watching YouTube makeup tutorials and thought to myself, “Huh, I’m good at makeup. I should become a professional.” And just like that, I stepped into the beauty industry. I attended USC Marshall School for Business in hopes of leaning on their entrepreneurship program to help me build my makeup business. Unfortunately, soon after graduating from USC and separating from the Air Force, the pandemic happened, and all of my aspirations of becoming a full-time makeup artist came to a halt, and I worked in finance in corporate America for some time. I was a client at Brow Down Studio, and René, the owner who had always been a professional mentor of mine, suggested I attend esthetics school to become multifaceted. Once I became licensed, I started working at Brow Down doing brows and facials, and the rest is history!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been smooth at all. Just like with so many of us, the pandemic really mixed up my plans. I had to work in corporate finance for a while before I was able to 100% focus on beauty and it killed me! Staring at a computer in my guest room all day was not it, but I had to do what I had to do in order to survive. But without the pandemic, I would have never considered earning my esthetician license, and I would never have started working at Brow Down! Also, coming from a non-artist brutal workspace like the military was jarring. I was so used to a regimented schedule and workplace, so working with artists and creatives who barely maintain a schedule was a huge adjustment!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a makeup artist and esthetician. For makeup work, I focus mainly on bridal, but lately, I have begun to work with artists such as Matthew Fishman, who is Tyla’s key makeup artist. I never thought I’d step into the world of celebrity makeup, but I am accepting and soaking in all the opportunities that come from working with someone like Matthew! With my makeup work, I am most proud of the makeup I did on Tyla’s backup dancers for New Year’s Rockin Eve in New York City. I grew up watching the program every New Year so to be part of it was surreal! As an esthetician, I specialize in brows and facials. I’m known for always educating my clients and followers on social media. The world of esthetics is so vast, and as more knowledge is available, I’ve noticed more and more clients becoming more educated about skincare, and they come in asking a ton of questions. To make sure l can almost always answer them, I’m constantly researching skin care and the newest treatments. I think this sets me apart from a lot of people, and I’m really proud of how much work I put into learning!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the diversity of LA. I grew up in a border town in Texas, and as much as I love my Mexican heritage, that’s all there was. Here in Los Angeles, you can have bagels for breakfast, tacos for lunch, and Korean BBQ for dinner, and I love that! There’s so much culture, and I feel very privileged to experience it all. I do not enjoy how crowded it can be here. Traffic is traffic, I get it, but why do y’all have to drive so slow?!?
Pricing:
- Brow lamination $160
- Brow shaping $65
- Facial starting at $165
- Bridal makeup $300
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @beautybyvictoriaf
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@victoria_franklin_beauty?_t=8jkQ2NT8EmY&_r=1
