Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Sands.
Hi Stephanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I started my career as a professional makeup artist a little differently than most. My whole life I truly believed that I was destined for the stage as a classical vocalist. Growing up in El Paso, Texas, I was involved in several different performance groups, as well as taking private voice, diction, sight-reading, and piano lessons, beginning at a very young age. After graduating high school in 1997, I attended Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, as one of five voice performance majors. I soon grew an interest in backstage activities and the visual side of production, and that was where my love for makeup artistry began!
I convinced my parents that makeup artistry was my calling. So, in 2001, I went to school in London, England. First, I attended Ray Cochrane School of Beauty and Makeup where I learned Swedish massage, facials, waxing, and manicures. Then I attended the London Esthetique School of Beauty and Makeup where I received an International Health and Beauty Council Diploma in Film/Photographic Makeup. My time there was amazing! I will never forget my first experience being on the set of a professional photoshoot. I was hooked.
When I came back to the States, I worked for Aveda for several years until the birth of my first child, in Durango, CO. My first experience as a working makeup artist on set was with ESPN. There was nothing more exciting than the experience of being behind the camera and watching everything unfold. I worked with a local production company in Durango for the duration of my time there. I also still fulfilled my passion for voice, performing Mozart’s Requiem, directed by John Rutter, with the Durango Choral Society at Carnegie Hall. Needless to say, the Arts are in my blood!
After moving to Fort Collins, I worked in retail at Sephora and MAC. Facing the reality of single motherhood, I enrolled in an esthetician program at White Magnolia Advanced Skincare Institute, and in February 2019, I became a licensed Esthetician in the State of Colorado. In March 2019, I opened my own business, SkinWorks, and my life changed. In 2020 I was offered Lead Makeup for a short film directed by Emmy Award Winning Cinematographer, John Barnhardt, called “Chords.”
This experience opened a completely new path for me as I worked with a team to produce characters as envisioned by the writer. I began to see myself more as an artist than a technician. I worked on numerous other short films, as well as music videos, in the Northern Colorado area, and in 2022, my makeup was featured in a full-body tattoo cover-up for the Truly Show on YouTube. Some of my favorite experiences have been working with the American Cancer Society, helping survivors prepare for their Galas, or teaching single teen moms (thru the Pinon Project) how to look professional as they apply for their first jobs.
One of my favorite activities is teaching. Helping women and men of all ethnicities, backgrounds and orientations look and feel their best is incredibly rewarding. Becoming a professional makeup artist has been a dream of mine since 1997. It is more than a job, it is a passion, and it has changed my life in many ways. My father always told me, “Do what you LOVE!” And I can tell you that I do. Every single day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the first huge decisions for me was choosing Makeup Artistry over Voice Performance. I felt like I was disappointing my family. Another early challenge for me was recognizing the cutthroat aspect of Makeup Artistry. Listening to and reading negative words was a difficult adjustment. I had to recognize the difference between constructive criticism and basic negativity. Early on, I was unable to focus on my passion for artistry due to certain expectations from others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a licensed Esthetician and Makeup Artist specializing in film and photographic makeup. I’m known for facing a challenge in artistry. I work often with new mediums and techniques reflecting a purpose of empowerment. This is how I continue to grow as an artist. I constantly read and experiment. No job is “ordinary” and no person is “typical”.
My work ranges from Bridal Makeup to Special Effects in Film and Photography. I would say that I am most proud of how I make others feel. If I had to set myself apart from others it would be my compassion.
What characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to if you had to?
Listening.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skinworkstudio.com
- Instagram: @skinworkstudio
Image Credits
Brianna Smith, Bri Cassandra Guerra, Blue Canoe Photography, Eric Delano (Chords Short Film | Main photo), Jill P. Mott (Jill P. Mott Photography), Natalie Johnson, Angela Amen (Angela Amen Photography), Marie Commiskey, and Tim Gillies
