Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Cooke.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My beauty journey began at Empire Beauty School. I have always been pretty creative, started braiding hair at the age of nine and knew I had a passion for hair. It wasn’t until I enrolled in Beauty school and worked at Macy’s in the cosmetics department part time that I developed a love for the art of makeup. I worked for Inglot and fell head over heels with the creative freedom of making someone beautiful. I worked with Clinique and Bobbi Brown while with Macy’s and also worked part-time at a hair salon. Eventually, I realized my true passion was being a beauty advisor which made me want to explore all avenues of the beauty industry that I could. I now work part-time for Sephora Faneuil hall as the Sephora ambassador and I freelance full time for events and photo shoots. I’ve made myself into a jack of all trades really doing hair as well as makeup and photography as well. I plan to look for growth and eventually have my own cosmetics line.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a bumpy road, some days are smooth and you’re so secure and passionate about what you do. Then, there are days where you are that struggling artist questioning if this is worth it all. One of my biggest obstacles has to be taking a pay cut and forcing myself to work for myself. There is not a lot of examples of success with my industry in my community, often people pick a safe route so it wasn’t so much frowned upon as it was misunderstood. People choose a safe career often not one that requires so much patience and learning and elevating of self. It’s hard but if you’re passionate, I say go for it because nothing worth having will come easy and I’m still learning that. Another advice truly takes a leap of faith because there will be more people telling you why you shouldn’t do something and you have to take that and turn it into curiosity fight the odds and go after anything someone says you can’t or will be too tough, tough it out.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Jennyflawless – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I work part-time as the Sephora ambassador and freelance for Jennyflawless (my brand). I am a hairstylist and aspiring photographer as well. I work wedding events and photoshoots mainly around the Boston area. I specialize in giving my clients an experience that hopefully, they can always benefit from. I look at what I do more as art which has set me apart from most. I like to reflect that into my models, and I’m never afraid to do ANY type of makeup from glam to grunge. I am proud to be an independent owner of my brand and to be able to relate to most of my everyday clients and their concerns. I’m also proud to be able to be a one-stop shop from hair to makeup to the photos I can do it all. I’m a very honest person who will always give my honest opinion and I find people respect genuine feedback and establishing that trust. I’m proud to be an African American woman from Boston going after my own cosmetics line but doing that by building with my community first. I want to reshape the thinking of “makeup” and influence the generation that it is a form of art as well as therapy.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
As a small child, I was always getting into things I shouldn’t, that’s how I knew I was creative. My aunt raised my sister and me with my two cousins and all four of us had to do each other’s hair. She would dress us all as dolls and hair have always been part of maintaining a clean image in my family. Growing up for me, beauty was still looked at as a hobby but I always focused on it like it was the only thing that I knew.
Pricing:
- $60 full face makeover
- $200 makeup plus photography package
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8572349234
- Email: jennyflawlessmua@gmail.com
- Instagram: Jennyflawless
- Facebook: Jennifer Cooke
Image Credit:
Jennifer Cooke, Kaila Piazza
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