Words and photos by Olivia Bauso

Eva Jewel, Owner and Key Artist of Eva Jewel Makeup Artistry, has always taken her education very seriously. Unlike some of her competitors who may be heavily influenced by social media trends, Eva tries to view makeup in a unique way. Her keen eye and dedication to individual beauty set her apart from others in the industry. 

Meet Eva…


Eva grew up here in Rochester and is a proud graduate of Brighton High School. After studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the MAKEUP FOREVER Academy in New York, she decided to come back to her Rochester roots. As she puts it, “I grew up here, my family’s here, my best friends are here.” And her clients are certainly here too.

After just under two years of working full time as her own boss, Eva Jewel Makeup Artistry has become a big success in the area.  Eva considers herself lucky to be able to work for herself and even employ some others to work under her.


Though her passion has always been in the beauty industry, Eva didn’t always see herself as a full-time makeup artist. She tells me, “I grew up dancing and my favorite time was always the recitals because that was when I could play around with makeup- I didn’t wear any other than at recitals and competitions. I loved doing the false lashes, the lipsticks; it was all very glamorous to me.” Eva originally wanted to write for a beauty magazine and has always loved journalism, but after creating a trade publication for a college project decided to look into product development. It turned out the lab life wasn’t for her either-she jokes, and she eventually found her way to the more hands-on process of applying makeup.

Eva becomes serious as she talks about her experiences in school. She was trained in New York by world-renowned artists, and was able to learn from some very influential people in the industry. This has helped to shape a lot of her self-proclaimed “clean and natural” style, which she tells me is some of the most sought after work in the beauty industry. “It’s the “no makeup” makeup look, they want skin to look like skin,” she explains. “I think based on my education I’ve been taught to look more at individual beauty rather than trying to transform someone into whatever the trending look is.” This is reflective in her work. 

Don’t get her wrong though, Eva fully believes in makeup looking “makeup-y.” In fact, she’s extremely non-judgmental of any amount of makeup- or lack thereof. “I’ve never been someone that says, ‘you really should wear some cover up.’ If you want to, you can, and if you don’t, that’s fine too,” she clarifies. Eva believes makeup is a form of self-expression, and that anyone can express in whatever way makes them most comfortable.

 

The “influential, fun, relatable and respectable” teachers at the MAKEUP FOREVER Academy inspired Eva to become not only a makeup artist, but a makeup educator. She feels like, especially with social media, everyone is so exposed to makeup, but they may not be learning correct information about the processes. Eva firmly claims that a face-to-face education “does wonders,” and she really wanted to bring her expertise to the public through the Brainery. 


Eva expands on this: “I think a makeup education can be a platform for you to grow your skills and learn. I don’t want to come across as stomping on social media, because it’s an awesome tool- everything’s at your fingertips. . . If you feel like you want to elevate your education by sitting in a classroom, that’s a great venue too.” Eva’s classes are typically more open and basic with no limit to age, skin tone, or skill level. She does, however, like for students to feel challenged. She likes to throw a lot of information at her students and tries to “test the thinking of what makeup can be,” she explains. 

In any aspect of her work, Eva’s goal is to find what it takes to make the client or student feel confident and comfortable, and give them the tools to recreate that feeling. Eva says, “I hope people take away and learn any little thing that will make them feel beautiful, even if it’s something like concealing dark circles under their eyes to look more awake at work, or a bride that wants to do her own makeup for her wedding.”


I ask what Eva has learned by teaching others about makeup- she takes a moment to reflect. “I’ve realized that people just want to feel their best, and I don’t think that you need to do or teach transformative makeup in order to make somebody feel good about themselves.” Overall, teaching has allowed her to build a network of close relationships with her students and to understand what people outside the industry want to learn. 

Eva hopes to continue to grow her business, expand her makeup line and teach classes at Rochester Brainery. Eva’s next class, Eye Makeup Techniques, is on November 10.