Life & Work with Stephanie Jones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Jones.

Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
I started off in my industry about 13 years ago, but really, the journey started when I was 7! 

7-year-old Stephanie knew that she was going to be well known for something that would lead her to Los Angeles and to create a great impact. However, she didn’t know how at the time. 

A lot of stories start when someone had their big break within their industry, however I believe that my success is due to pivotal breakdowns that gave me the opportunity to rebuild myself back up to something even greater. 

Growing up, I didn’t have the best view of myself. I like to describe it as looking at myself in the mirrors that you would find at a circus that would distort your image. For years, I didn’t see myself as enough, and it didn’t help that when I opened up magazines and turned on the TV, I didn’t see any representation of someone who looked remotely similar. 

My journey as a Makeup Artist really was built off of my insecurities, unfortunately, and I thought that if I could get a job within the beauty industry, then in a way, it would validate that I was enough. 

So, let’s fast-forward a little bit. I got the job, and I’m now in the career of my dreams, but that feeling of unworthiness was still lingering, and that’s when I realized that it had nothing to do with a position or how good I may be in my craft, but I actually had to do the work to really see the beauty that lied within me. 

I believe as a makeup artisan, you can create a beautiful canvas on the outside, but I then thought, “What about the inside?” 

That’s when Soulful Artistry came to existence and has branched out to so much more than I could imagine. It first started off as external artwork with my clients, however it has now opened up pathways to help others who may have struggled with feeling enough and showing them through my story that they are not alone in the journey of self-discovery and love. 

I’ve been privileged to work within schools, film, theater, and so much more, and my hope is to turn my message to a show that can entertain and inspire people across the globe. 

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?
No journey is smooth, or it wouldn’t hold value. One of the areas I had to learn was understanding and positioning people in your life in the right way. 

I like to think of it as a tree, who are your roots, those individuals that are meant to be there for the long haul; the branches and leaves are those who may not be there for as long as you think, but they were there to teach you something. Honour those moments, but don’t treat them like roots. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a professional film makeup artist and self-love advocate speaker. 

My day-to-day looks different, which I love because it keeps me on my toes. 

One day I can be on set, creating beautiful looks for my cast and the next day I can be do a Ted talk for a corporation on confidence or facilitating masterclasses. 

I’m proud of everything that I do as an artist because if it wasn’t for artistry, it wouldn’t have opened up the doors to share my message of self-love and truly looking and feeling beautiful from the inside out. 

What sets me apart is that I don’t need to be set apart, because I’m in my own lane. I don’t feel the need to over-explain myself or crave the admiration of others to dictate my worthiness as an artist. I am simply me, and once you’re in my chair, you’ll understand. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Always have a servant’s heart. How can you help/solve a problem, not “what’s in it for me?”. We live in a very selfish and self-absorbed society that thinks that everyone needs to be catered to themselves, but really, in anything you do, especially as a makeup artist and speaker, you want to get your ego out of the way and see what people need help with. 

Also never stop growing as an artist and be collaborative with others in your industry. It will take you far. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniejones3110?igsh=MXc2YTF1bW1tMG5rZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Diego Dias
Shane Marriott
Sagine Semajuste
Krista Nazaire
Zeeggy Mercy
Prince Meyson
François Mittins
Mila Marie
Aziz Mousa