There is No 'I' in Team

Hey Guys, 

A bit of a short but personal post today, about my journey of becoming a hair and make up professional. Some of you may remember the controversial post I wrote in regards to a fashion show I worked at about a year ago, for which got me a bit of stick (and that was me holding back and being polite) . I have always been one to speak my mind, and since that blog post I have been very careful about who I choose to work with, be it paid or for publicity, nothing will compromise my self worth. 

Working on hair for one of the
Ms Curvaceous finalists.
Photography by Wolf Media

Although I have started my own business as a freelance hair and make-up artist, I know a lot of my bookings, connections and so on would not be achieved without opportunities from working with others. The hair and makeup industry survives from word of mouth and recommendations so it's always been important for me to connect with others who are on the same wavelength and path as me. Since the incident a year ago I have worked with some amazing, motivating individuals including Shaneen and Hayley from Breathe Happiness, the team I worked with at Luton Fashion Week and very recently all of the creative individuals working and showcasing at Ms Curvaceous UK. 

My previous post had a lot of individuals responding to me with ‘thats the industry, you have to be thick skinned' . I agree you must be thick skinned, but that doesn’t mean allowing your hard work and professionalism to be slated, I disagree that that is what the industry is made of, and this year and these people have proved that theory for me. I have made some great connections over the past year, mainly women like myself who are working hard and are dedicated towards their passion, whether it be hair, makeup, photography, styling or blogging. 

Ms Curvaceous was a particularly eye opening experience for me, I have never met so much positive energy and motivation in one room. The hair and make-up artists, models, photographers and organisers got to know each other, swapped contacts and have even been in touch to work with each other again. Something which can be classified as rare as many individuals are out for themselves (so it seems). The back stage teams at many events rarely get coverage or appreciation but my social media has been absolutely bombarded (in a good way) since last week with pictures, comments and all around motivation!

Ms Curvaceous Glam Squad
Photography by Wolf Media

I hope to do many more projects like this in the future, because its shows the power over unhealthy competitiveness, jealousy and sabotage against one another in an industry where every creative individual is trying to reach their goal and shine through. For those of you setting up your own business, I advise you to be careful of the projects and ‘opportunities’ you choose, and don’t let someone think THEY are doing YOU a favour, especially in situations where you may be working for free or portfolio building. 

Have you found yourself in a similar situation within your creative industry? 

K xx

Please feel free to post any skin care tips, products or comments you may have which could benefit others.