Yo!
After years of just being a makeup artist, blogging about makeup, creating {embarrassing} makeup tutorials (read, I am not a YouTuber), and answering makeup-related questions 24/7, I realized there's a big problem.
There's a clear void of real-life, practical, accessible, inclusive, and unbiased makeup education in the $532B beauty industry.
I'm here to change that!
I teach people how to shop for, apply, and wear makeup. Period.
Kids weren't part of my life plan... especially not in the middle of a pretty promising career (turns out I was pretty good at the whole Air Force officer gig).
But there's never really a "good time" to have kids... and little did I know that my firstborn would give me the clarity & confidence to ultimately leave the military and pave my own path.
Yea, the whole marriage + having a kid + military officer career thing eventually came to a head when I was slated for an overseas deployment when my son was nine months old. 9 months!
I wasn't happy about "sacrificing" my career but I had no choice. I separated from active duty, continued my service in the Reserves, and started grad school full time (NCSU 🐺🤘🏼go 'Pack!).
We re-located to Monterey, CA for my husband's career. I thought I'd find a new career easy peasy. I had all this amazing training, education, and leadership skills... (google military spouse unemployment and you'll see what I mean). It sucked.
I asked my best and closest friends what I should do... I'm a better mom when I work... they reminded me how amazing I was at doing makeup. And that it could be a fun side-hustle.
So I did.
And I founded Setareh Beauty...
That little side-hustle was keeping me oh-so-busy! I kept booking clients, honing in on my craft, and well, I must've been doing something right.
It seems that as soon as I found my business sweet spot, my husband received orders for us to relocate to Georgia. (remember marriage?)
I "relocated" my business, welcomed baby number two to the brood, and shortly thereafter. we received orders to move to Germany!
Moving my business across the country and across the pond in one year was rough.
Getting the business up and running, freakishly hard!
I started the Be Your Own Makeup Artist Podcast, founded the Makeup Reset Workshop Series (it flopped btw), set up my own in-home makeup studio, and established & and applied to lead Tuesdays Together-Wiesbaden.
My entire website was copied and I felt utterly betrayed. (After I sulked, I realized I was being copied, I must've been doing something right.)
The Template Shop was born, full of my actual templates which are still available and sold today! I also began offering coaching services for makeup artists so that I could help others protect their businesses and stand-out.
I also invested in my first mastermind, re-launched my new website, and ended the year with some much needed confidence!
Recognized as 1 of 100 On The Rise entrepreneurs
Self-published my first book, Be Your Own Makeup Artist
First international client / paid air-travel! Yes!
Key Makeup Design for Frankfurt English Theatre Production
Public speaking requests galore
...need I say more!
Hailing from Tucson, Arizona and having spent every summer of my child/teenage years on the sunny shores of California, and like a true West Coaster, I like to think that I take my life seriously, but not myself.
I would spend many of those "boring" days of my adolescence reading lyrics from the CD cover books and practicing my rapping game. My kids think I'm so cool when I rap old-school Jay-Z.
I grew up surrounded by Farsi and German. During my childhood, I immersed myself in as much Spanish as possible. Then I studied abroad in Brazil and learned Portuguese. I love languages and try to pick them up in my spare time.
I'm an unapologetic lover of culture & languages. Born in the USA, Persian & German parents, Brazilian at heart, and Mexican by marriage -- this beautiful world we live in never ceases to amaze me.
I try to run my business as sustainably as possible. My entire client booking process can be done online. My used mascara wands go straight to Wands For Wildlife. I also choose to support brands with sustainable packaging and recycling programs.
I prefer experiences over things, real life relationships over social media numbers, local cafes over mega-chains, artisan little things over mass-produced everythings.
I can tell that all YOU do and all YOU have created also has been made with so much love.
Now, you learned a Persian word!
Yay!
"Be with someone who ruins your lipstick, not your mascara."
Unknown
"The days are long but the years are short."
Unknown
"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: It also depends on what sort of person you are."
C.S. Lewis