Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva A. Warner.
Eva, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I didn’t know what I wanted to do after I declined my acceptance to Parsons School of Design in New York and FIDM in Los Angeles. I knew I wanted to do something in the industry but it wasn’t clear. I ended up landing a great job at Paradigm Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, and I found myself surrounded by amazing people and celebrities. I knew how to do makeup, so I started prancing around the office with my face snatched while everyone else looked like they just got offset of The Walking Dead! I became really close friends with an agent there, and she started booking me for some amazing projects as a freelance makeup artist in the music industry. I never thought that an extra hour in the morning to do my makeup would lead me down the path that I am on now.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve had a lot of challenges throughout my journey. From making $45,000/yr. at 22 to have a baby and married at 23, not knowing if I was a good enough wife, mother or artist, getting divorced at 30 and now building a business from scratch and going to school! Life is never smooth. It shouldn’t ever be smooth, to be honest. If the pilot never flew in turbulence, how would he know how to navigate someone else through a storm?! I find that so many of us like to run from hardship, but it’s in that hardship that refines and defines you. If you are strong enough to see past what is happening in the now, you will be able to realize that the situation is ONLY there to build your character and mold you to who you need to become to live out your purpose. Our lives aren’t our own, they are for loving and sharing our knowledge with whoever needs it. If I never experienced any of what I lived, I wouldn’t be this woman who is the complete opposite of who she was ten years prior.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Phsalty Thoughts – what should we know?
The core of my passion are people. I live by Beauty for Ashes. Meaning, letting go of that pain for love. Let go of the hurt for complete healing. Releasing the feeling of betrayal for complete trust, no matter if it ends sideways. The beauty in doing that is knowing who you are, loving who you are, remembering how valuable your stock truly is, and living in all of your beauty. I love listening and giving out advice about love, divorce, children, and just relationships in general. Which leads me to discuss my baby PHsalty Thoughts. I came up with this name after my divorce of six 1/2 years. I had a lot of emotions, and thoughts that were really salty! So, I decided to put them on paper and it became my thing, lol. I find that so many people fall into the mess of depression. When I speak to people about what they are going through, I always say that it’s not a rainbow or a light at the end of the storm, but it is that hope. That hope and that purpose that is going to get you through whatever you are going through. Without hope and without purpose, people tend to give up on their visions. And a lot of times, being in toxic relationships will do that to you as well. My end game is really to just help others heal, become better, and to see the wealth in themselves. I am currently working towards a Ph.D. in Psychology so that I can learn more about the human mind, and what causes people to act and react off of their emotions instead of their logic.
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?
I was blessed to have people around me growing up who were already in the industry. My former dance instructor danced behind Janet Jackson for years. Shanice was and still is a great family friend. Meagan Good is my ex-husband’s cousin, and also my daughters God mom. So, I never had to work too hard in networking, But recently, I definitely have had to step out of my comfort zone and make myself go to industry parties and or events. You have to put yourself out there and ALWAYS wear your work on your face, no matter what a hater may say! I always snatch my face as much as I can because I know for a fact that it gets people’s attention and 2/3 times, I will get stopped and people will ask who does my makeup or what foundation I use. I was just in Sprouts the other day and someone stopped me to ask what foundation I use and that lead to me telling her that I am a makeup artist, and we exchanged information and Instagram pages. It could really be as easy as that!
Contact Info:
- Phone: 323.243.6919
- Email: EvaASmith@outlook.com
- Instagram: PHsaltyThoughts
Image Credit:
Eva A. Warner
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