Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercedes Small.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started in the industry as a freelance model 10 years ago. From there, I quickly recognized how often I felt like my skin and my hair were a problem for a lot of the artists that I encountered. In 2015, I decided to venture into the world of makeup. Following years of paste-y color matches and even being “matched” to a shimmer eyeshadow, my goal has always been to cater to everyone. I wanted to ensure that anyone who sat in my chair felt beautiful and most of all cared for. This quickly transitioned into becoming a hairstylist. I like to think that the level of care and the experiences that I offer to my clients and talent help set the bar for their own expectations for self-love and care. People will always remember the way you make them feel and that translates into deeper and more meaningful connections.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey has been incredibly fruitful, although definitely not free from roadblocks. I plunged in headfirst, and things took off faster than I could keep up. I worked in environments that were catty, drenched in racist undertones and flat-out dangerous. From working in above 95-degree weather with no ac with an unknown (at the time) heart condition to a group of staff members attempting to separate myself and several female coworkers to set us up to be raped after working a makeup booth at a country music festival. I remember being hired because I was Black or being hired as an assistant specifically to tend to the Black talent if the lead was incapable of doing so.
I experienced the loss of a pregnancy which led to major depressive episodes, higher anxiety, brain fog and ADHD.
I also struggled with the ordinary issues of understanding the difference between the genres of makeup and how lighting greatly affected the final product. I remember getting an opportunity to work on a morning show and I had done male grooming so many times, but I questioned my abilities so much so that I went and bought a new product that someone had recommended, and it went so horribly left it’s not even funny. Eventually, you get tired of figuring it out as you go.
It took some time for me to realize that a lot of my anxiety and imposter syndrome stemmed from the fact that I knew I could do better than the work I was producing, but I wasn’t investing in myself enough to project me to the level that I was at in my head. I was always working, with little time for practice, balance or personal growth and my personality and attention to detail put me in rooms that I didn’t always feel prepared for. Social media played a huge role in this as well. I often compared myself to veteran artists and bombarded myself with images of what I felt my work should look like. On one hand, I needed to try everything in order to see if I liked it or if I was good at it. On the other hand, I was beating myself up if I wasn’t good at it right away or at all.
I’ve now come to understand the importance of finding your lane and not necessarily sticking to it but conquering it and melding other skills into that lane to make it unique to you. Most importantly I have fun and choose to work with people who are respectful and value kindness.
I often feel as though kindness gets lost amongst the egos and crabs in a barrel mentality of the industry.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do both hair and makeup, though I specialize in clean beauty looks. I’m known most for my skin work and I’m most proud of the care and attention that I put into ensuring the skin needs as little editing as possible. I think what sets me apart from other artists is that I advocate for everyone. I remember what it was like to not want to seem like I was being difficult while someone was burning my hair out. Feeling defeated while being covered in a too light, copper shimmer eyeshadow as a foundation. Being yelled at to behave like kindergarteners in time out. I’ve always been the one to push back when something wasn’t right. I’ve often felt unprotected and so I make it a point to protect others, even if it’s from their own negative self-talk.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have worked really hard to make sure that everyone feels represented in my portfolio. I don’t think it’s widely enough understood that authentically catering to everyone and being “booked and busy” go hand and hand. So when you talk about luck, I’ve for sure had some lucky moments but I am consistently putting myself out there, being vulnerable, accepting no less than what I deserve and ensuring that people feel seen and loved. I’m always sowing, in some way, in every season. Reaping is just a natural part of the process but being grateful is a constant, conscious decision that affects the depths of which you both reap and sow.
People have no idea how long you’ve been underground, in your darkness, they only see you chasing the sun.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.masmakeupartistry.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/masmakeupartistry
Image Credits
Photo credits (from top left to right) Anthony Anderson Ashabi O Charan Ingram Willa Rose Michael Montiel Schanora Wimpie Cleo Chantel Ron Hines Lydia Landez Jennee Johnson Sarah J. Thomas Michael Montiel Axel Brooks Jennifer Reader Kiah Mckirnan Ravyn Lenae Wonderkind Studios Bo Jackson David Sheperd TreShawna
