Today we’d like to introduce you to Piper Nelson.
Hi Piper, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been very creative, and art has been a huge motif in my life. From finger-painting at my easel as a toddler, drawing random things, my grandparents would choose from catalogs, directing photoshoots with my disposable camera at summer camp, taking every art class my high school offered, and everything in between. My mediums varied over time, but my longing to create stayed consistent. However, I was constantly expressing myself with one specific medium without even consciously realizing it.
I didn’t see the makeup I applied every single day as anything other than a shield to hide behind. I knew that makeup itself was an art but that was for professionals and people with confidence- not for me. I was just a middle school girl who started wearing it after being made fun of for being late to the bandwagon. I couldn’t handle yet another year of being bullied and desperately wanted to fit in. Like every other person who put on makeup for the first time, I was terrible and had no idea what I was doing. This was all before beauty YouTube tutorials were popular, and no one in my family really wore makeup, so I had to learn how to do my stick-thin brows and concealer lips from infographics I found online or through trial and error. After countless hours of practicing different techniques in the mirror, I grew to cherish the power of makeup.
My mind was absolutely blown the first time I saw a makeup tutorial on YouTube in high school. I obsessively watched videos, tried different tips/tricks, and slowly I got better and better. I was beginning to use makeup as a form of self-expression, but I still had an unhealthy relationship with it due to my lack of self-confidence. I didn’t like how I looked and never left the house without a full face on. I dreamed of becoming a makeup YouTuber like all the creators I watched and would pretend to film tutorials each day while I got ready. I was way too scared of any potential pushback and decided that journey wasn’t for me and would stay a dream.
After nearly a decade of fully immersing myself in the online beauty community, my skills were improving, and soon, all my friends would ask me to do their makeup before events. I had an amazing group of friends that really made me comfortable and accepted me for who I was. I slowly started to gain confidence and began to occasionally step out makeup-free. I then found my partner, who has always made me feel beautiful, even on my worst days. I gradually came to love my freckles (which were not “trendy” back then), accept my acne-prone skin, and stopped wishing away my big pores. I loved how I looked with makeup on, but more importantly, I grew to love my bare face too. With this incredible support system and my newfound self-confidence, I started experimenting more with bolder makeup styles and loved the creative outlet it provided.
I once again started to realistically consider giving my dream of content creation a shot. I filmed my “first video” multiple times but never posted it. I felt like it wasn’t good enough and was scared of what other people would say- but I also think that as much as I loved glam makeup, it wasn’t my passion. I then started to come across creative makeup looks on social media, and I couldn’t believe this fascinating world existed. I had no clue. It combined my love of art, crafts, and makeup all in one place. I followed so many amazing artists and looked forward to seeing their new creations, but figured that ship had sailed for me.
At this point in my life, I had freshly graduated from college, had taken the LSAT, was working in politics, and considering which law schools to apply to. I had absolutely no time to try to make content on the side. But, as fate would have it, I suddenly found myself at the end of the campaign cycle without a job. I had the option of finding another job in politics and eventually going to law school or risking it all to pursue something I had been dreaming of for years. I knew it would be a life-long regret if I didn’t at least give content creation a shot. I took an office job to pay the bills and began making beauty content in any second of spare time that I had.
Doing creative makeup lit a fire within me that I had never felt before. I immediately knew I had found my purpose and would never stop pursuing it. After nearly two years of juggling both full-time jobs, I finally felt confident to take the leap and quit my 9-to-5. I feel unbelievably grateful to have found a loving community that encourages me to bring my weird ideas to life and inspires me to live as authentically as possible. My amazing followers have healed so many parts of me, made my dreams a reality, and I can never thank them enough for the support they have given me.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with anything in life, there are always going to be bumps in the road, and this was no exception. With everything from trying to figure out the algorithms, learning how to do small-business taxes, finding a work/life balance as an entrepreneur, dealing with hate comments, etc., there is never a dull moment. However, I think that the biggest struggle I’ve faced along the way was my lack of self-confidence. Creating content has forced me to grow in so many different ways, and I’m forever grateful for that.
When I first started doing creative looks, I was constantly worried about how they would be received. I found myself recreating a lot of others’ work and participating in trends but never completing any of my original ideas because I wasn’t sure if they were “good enough.” My pages hit a lull and my posts were just getting lost in the sea of content. I knew I needed to do something to stand out. I decided that for the Christmas season of 2020, I would take a risk and combine my love for all things spooky with my favorite holiday and began my “Creepy Christmas” series. I had a blast creating the looks and was completely shocked when other people enjoyed them just as much as I did. This led to one of my most viral videos of a Christmas clown look that was viewed over 24 million times! https://www.tiktok.com/@piperartistry/video/6902087308548246790
That holiday season showed me that I needed to trust myself more and that my unique ideas would continue to set me apart. I started to understand that being “different” or “weird” my whole life was my greatest strength and not a weakness. It helped me stand out and think outside the norm, so I finally started to embrace that part of me. This not only helped me grow my social media pages but, more importantly, let go of so much of the pain I still harbored and begin to accept myself. I couldn’t wait to bring all my weird ideas to life and felt more like myself than I ever had before. This really resonated with my audience, and I began creating some of my all-time favorite looks: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRW4rMwT/
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create content about anything beauty-related, but I specialize more in creative makeup looks. I have definitely come to be known for my creepy and weird looks. They can be very divisive, but that’s what I like about them. I am personally so intrigued by peculiar or bizarre things. I love imagining the eccentric thought process required to bring them to fruition and the startling/curious feelings they leave behind. I think that they can make some feel seen and accepted for deviating from the norm and unsettle others. Either way, it’s a thought-provoking experience, and the fact that my art can have that effect on others is incredible.
My personality is definitely what sets me apart from others. In the beginning, I was terrified to speak in my videos, but as time went on and I got a bit more comfortable, I started to test it out. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and it encouraged me to be more vulnerable. Now, the videos that consistently resonate the most with my audience really showcase my personality. This has pushed me to be more open both on and offline. I’ve always been very shy, so it pushes me out of my comfort zone; however, seeing my personal growth is extremely rewarding and motivating.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
This is such a hard question because I thankfully have countless things in my life that make me happy. I’ve always been told that I maintain a “child-like sense of amazement,” and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I always find that the more self-care I prioritize, the happier I am. My favorite ways to do this are by doing hot yoga, going on walks, taking baths, reading, and listening to music. I try to fit as many of these as possible into each day. On a bigger scale, I love to go to concerts, travel to new places, visit museums, craft things, go thrifting, camp or backpack, or do anything involving animals.
I also feel incredibly grateful to have found so many amazing humans that I luckily get to call my friends. They are all so unique. However, they share their authenticity, kindness, humor, and sense of adventure, and they never take life too seriously. They are some of my biggest supporters, inspire me to be a better version of myself, and truly accept me for who I am.
At the end of the day, though, I’m truly the happiest any time I spend with my amazing boyfriend and our two dogs (preferably in nature).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@piperartistry
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piperartistry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piperartistry/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@piperartistry
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/piperartistry/
Image Credits
Jett Arredondo
