Check Out Lark Mervine’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lark Mervine.

Hi Lark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Thank you so much for having me! I’ve been practicing the art of makeup ever since my mother told me I was allowed to wear mascara in the sixth grade. Professionally, I’ve been providing makeup services since 2014. Here’s what happened between then and now…

I’d never really considered makeup artistry a career option until 2013 when I reunited with one of my best friends from high school. At the time, she was working at MAC while going to cosmetology school and told me how in love with it she was. Back in high school we both shared an obsession with makeup. So, in 2013, I decided to follow my teenage obsession and give the world of cosmetics a whirl. I started practicing with friends for photoshoots and events and was buying as much makeup as I could to create my very own kit. My friend and I would get together and scroll the internet for hours looking at makeup, models, and photographers; we’d find anything and everything we could to drum up inspiration. She taught me techniques and gave me so much insight into the industry. I truly have her to thank for leading me to this career path.

In 2014, I decided to go back to school and became a licensed esthetician in the state of Colorado. I started booking makeup clients for weddings and photoshoots and was so excited about all of the opportunities coming my way. I had always loved teaching (I’ve been a swing dance teacher since 2007), so I started offering makeup lessons as a way to share my passion and inspire others.

Since then, I have continued building myself as an artist and teacher throughout Colorado (and beyond). I have had the opportunity to work on set for film and TV, be a part of several hundred weddings, teach countless lessons, have my work published in multiple magazines, and provide makeup for so many absolutely amazing people. I consider myself blessed and am so grateful to be able to have a career in which I can do what I love and am excited about while bringing joy (and maybe a little glitz or glam!) to the lives of others.

My goal as a makeup artist is to help each client radiate with confidence through a few artful strokes of the makeup brush. When people ask me “what’s the best part of your job?” the answer is easy. It’s the moment I hand the mirror over to my clients and watch them gasp with the joy and confidence that comes from seeing their own beauty.

In addition to my makeup artistry, I teach swing dance. I grew up dancing in a studio and was always passionate about music and movement. Towards the end of high school, I began taking swing dance (Lindy Hop and African-American Vernacular Jazz Dance) classes and was instantly hooked.

I began teaching various styles of partnered swing and solo jazz to a wide range of students from preschools to retirement homes in 2007. In 2010, I began working with a local non-profit, Community-Minded Dance, as an in-school instructor, curriculum developer, and choreographer/coach for both their performance team and youth program. I currently teach private lessons, especially for wedding couples in preparation for their first dance, as well as teach and perform locally.

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?
I don’t know that building a business is ever easy, but I do know that having a strong passion for what you do helps tremendously. I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by family and friends that have always been very supportive.

From helping me decide whether or not to go back to school, to encouraging me to leave my steady career as a family law paralegal, I definitely relied on those closest to me to take those leaps. The decisions I’ve made along the way haven’t been easy, but I’ve always felt confident that I made the right ones. I am very thankful to have the support system that I do. I certainly have encountered many ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I am so grateful to have a career doing something I love.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a makeup artist, my main goal is to help my clients look and feel their best. It might sound obvious, but this doesn’t mean piling on loads of heavy makeup and calling it a day. My makeup style generally centers around helping emphasize my client’s natural features, and I am all about enhancing natural beauty, as opposed to covering up or changing facial structures.

A lot of my clients prefer the more natural side of makeup styles, but some want bold, smokey, and dramatic looks too. Some come to me wearing minimal or no makeup regularly, and lots of my clients have never had their makeup professionally done before, so I spend time with each person finding out what style suits them. I frequently say to my clients, “I am not a tattoo artist, what I do isn’t permanent,” and what I mean by this is that I want my time with each client to be an open conversation in order to achieve their vision. I don’t have one specific look that I just do for every person. I am proud to offer a wide range of styles and looks to suit each individual. I chat with every client before applying any product to find out what they want, what their likes and dislikes are with makeup, and what their skin type is like, and from there I curate a selection of products to create a look that will help them radiate with confidence.

I think something that sets me apart from others is wanting to have a genuine connection with each person that sits in my chair. I pride myself on my listening skills and my ability to interpret what someone means versus what they say. For instance, the word “natural” can mean completely different things to different people. Nearly everyone has things that they are self-conscious about such as blemishes, wrinkles, and scars, but I see beauty in everyone, and love that I get to show and tell people how beautiful they are and truly mean it. Frequently my clients audibly gasp and even cry when they see themselves in the mirror, and that is such a pure and genuine reaction that I cherish.

When it comes to my personal artistry when I have the opportunity to create more avant-garde or editorial-style looks, I like to create looks with meaning. Choosing and creating these looks is not an arbitrary process for me. This part of my job is a true side of the artistry that is fun to explore, challenging to create, and meaningful to share.

Whether I am providing makeup for a wedding, photoshoot, special occasion, or film/TV project, connecting with people and sharing a professional, memorable, and artistic experience is what matters most to me.

What’s next?
As an artist, I am always searching for ways to expand my skills and abilities. I am regularly trying new techniques, testing out new products, watching makeup reviews and tutorials, and connecting with other industry professionals to learn more and grow.

While providing makeup for weddings, photoshoots, and special occasions fills up a lot of my work days, I am looking forward to spending time getting more involved in other areas of the industry. I’d love to provide makeup for more film/TV programs, as well as continue teaching day-to-day makeup skills and even expand lessons to up-and-coming professionals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.makeupbylark.com
• Instagram: @makeupbylark
• Facebook: @makeupbylark
• Youtube: @makeupbylark

Image Credits:
Kalen Jesse, Catherine Lea, Danielle Webster/Electric Lady, Sarah Goff, A. Light Photography, Mikaela Antonelli, and Cara Noelani