Meet Trailblazer Alexis Oakley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Oakley.

Alexis, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I graduated from high school in Springfield, Missouri in 2016. When all my friends started to move away for college, I moved out to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams of becoming a Celebrity Makeup Artist. I went to a makeup school for 5 months then started assisting other artists that I looked up to, which I highly suggest to anyone wanting to become a makeup artist! I learned everything from assisting from technique, networking, set etiquette and more. For me, I didn’t have a back up plan. Becoming a successful, working makeup artist was my only option. I still have not reached my career goals yet. But I’m slowly getting there and I continue to assist artists and gain a celebrity clientele of my own.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the biggest piece of advice that I can give to anyone is to not give up. Working in this industry is not always easy, but at the end of the day, it’s so worth it. If you are not in this 100% and so passionate about it you will not succeed. It has its glamorous moments, but it also has insane call times, long hours, and solely surviving off of caffeine. You should be tired and work yourself so hard, especially in the beginning. Never take a day off, and when you do have a day off get your girlfriends to come over and practice even more!!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Makeup by Alexis Oakley – what should we know?
I am a makeup artist and I specialize in making someone look and feel beautiful. I can do everything from bronzy glowing skin, smokey eyes, natural makeup, full glam, and editorial. The list goes on! I think that I am really personal and know how to make my clients feel and look their best.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
For me, I just messaged EVERY single makeup artist in the LA area offering to assist them. I didn’t have a game plan, I just wanted to see what it was like to be in the industry. I’ve assisted on everything from magazine covers to commercials. What I suggest now after working with so many people is to find artists you truly love and offer to help those ones out. It takes a minute to figure out what type of makeup you want to do. But once you find your style work with artists who also have that same aesthetic as you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alexisoakley.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: alexisoakley

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