Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Goldberg.
Hi Jenny, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At a young age, I remember being so intrigued and delighted by colors of all kinds. It felt natural for me to gravitate towards playing with makeup and my mom was great about encouraging that in me. People I went to middle and high school with recall me semi-frequently applying makeup during class time. I was in play production in middle school and was always the one to volunteer helping others put on makeup before the shows. When I was about 16, I was introduced to the idea and possibility of being paid to professionally apply makeup. It took me until I was about to graduate high school for me to realize I would really like to seek higher education in film and tv makeup. A friend introduced me to the school I ended up attending, Makeup Designory Burbank in 2015.
My first year working after graduating was quite grueling. I wanted to work as much as I could doing makeup so I accepted a lot of horrifically low rates for a lot of work. It was hard but that’s where I earned my chops and gained my footing. I wasn’t 100% sure until year 2 that I wanted to fully invest myself in film and tv gigs. I had tried a different array of jobs at that point and landed on narrative storytelling being most fulfilling for me.
Now in 2022, I’m in the midst of working on my first year’s qualifications for getting into the makeup union, Local 706. If all goes well, I will be able to join in 2024.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My natural response to this question is to talk about how hard the journey has felt for me. After reflecting for some time, I realize I’ve had a lot of advantages that others have not. To start, I’ve always had the full and unwavering support of my parents. They supported me through makeup school and have always been my biggest cheerleaders. There’s no chance I would be where I’m at now without them. I’m so lucky to be born and raised in Los Angeles, which is the global hub for filmmakers. I grew up 30 minutes from a highly sought-after makeup school that people come from all over the world to attend.
Truly my biggest obstacle and challenge along the path to where I am now is from my own self-doubt and lack of confidence. I took every bump in the road to heart and didn’t relish my milestones for nearly long enough. During my time off over the pandemic, I was able to work on that aspect of myself and recognize how detrimental that line of thought was for the success of my career. Practicing intentional positive self-talk has made a world of difference for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself a makeup artist that also has lite experience with hair and special effects. I specialize in film and TV HD makeup. No-makeup makeup and natural glam are 2 styles of makeup I have naturally excelled at. I enjoy hair styling and special effects makeup, but they haven’t come as naturally to me. Although those categories have been harder for me to gain skills in, I definitely feel a huge sense of satisfaction when I’m able to pull off a look. I feel proudest of myself when I started off doubting my ability to slay a look, and then it’s executed perfectly. Being able to push through that doubt and accomplish something great sets me apart from my peers as well as my collaborative nature. I love creating a look that everyone is happy with.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned since I became a makeup artist is to never give up, as cliche as that may sound. I’ve had a few disappointing experiences and sometimes I’ve let that discourage me from continuing my journey. I’ve taken time off previously where I did next to no makeup work for a few years because I didn’t believe in myself. I have to remind myself of this lesson even now but it’s made a huge difference in my inner negative self-talk.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennygoldberg.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennygoldbergmua/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennygoldbergmua
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jenny-goldberg-makeup-san-fernando-valley
