An Interview With Celebrity Makeup Artist Molly Stern

Lifestyle

An Interview With Celebrity Makeup Artist Molly Stern

Not many people can say that they’ve put eyes drops in Paul McCartney’s eyes or applied blush to Reese Witherspoon’s legendary cheekbones, but for Molly R. Stern, 41, it’s all just part of the job. As a freelance makeup artist and creator of the m.r.s. lifestyle brand, Molly enjoys the creative freedom of being an artist, all while getting up close and personal with some of the world’s most sought after celebs.

Though her career is by no means ordinary, Molly admits to following at least some of the conventions of climbing her way up the ladder. Her start came at 16, while working at a boutique in Los Angeles. Her years there behind the counter helped to prepare her for the ruthless competition that rules the modern beauty industry.

Above all, Molly’s intimate experiences with her clients have augmented her passion for empowering women, something our team here at CC is all too thrilled to stand behind. Her spare time isn’t spent just painting her nails and cozying up with the latest Beyonce album—Molly lives every second by the standard that she can help us tap into the “intrinsic beauty” that lies within us all.

Her Starting Point

How did you discover your passion for makeup? What type of training did you undergo?

I have loved playing with makeup since I was a little girl. It was a tool that I used to express myself. If I discovered a passion for anything, it was women and the very distinct pleasure I got from making them feel good. It made me feel empowered to watch women transform from seeing the worst in themselves to seeing the best.

Tell us about your career prior to going freelance. Where did you work and how did the skills that you learned prepare you for freelancing?

I got my first job in makeup at 16 years old with Shu Uemura boutique in Los Angeles. From there, I jumped around a bit from beauty counter to beauty counter learning about different formulas, techniques and beauty philosophies. Working at the counter really helped me learn about universal similarities and wants from women. Sales also helped me to hone and train my people skills and my ability to relate and convince. I am an honest person by nature, so I always was frank with my clientele and, therefore, gained trust and loyalty easily.

Why did you decide to leave the corporate side of makeup? Was there one specific moment or was it an organic move?

I got an opportunity to work at my dear friend Jillian Dempsey’s hair salon. Although I wasn't that interested in doing hair, I knew it was an opportunity to meet people outside the confines of the department store and more importantly, allowed me to create my own schedule.

This was key in developing a freelance career. By having flexibility within my schedule, I was able to climb the ladder that needed to be climbed in order to start building my reputation as a makeup artist. It allowed me the freedom to assist other artists that were further ahead of me (often times for free), while still having a reliable earning structure.

Her Big Break

Tell us about the process of transitioning into freelance status. How did you market yourself and attain clients in the beginning?

I was lucky to have mentors who were not afraid of sharing their experiences and jobs with me. They were paving the way and showing me what it would take by offering me opportunities. I made connections through assisting and slowly shortened my list of clients in the salon to make myself more available for freelance makeup jobs. There is always fear in making decisions that look risky, but I truly believe that, without risk, there is less reward.

What has been the biggest challenge in regards to launching a freelance brand? What was your “big break” moment?

The biggest challenge as a freelance makeup artist is not always knowing when your next day of work is. So, budgeting and breathing are really important and I have failed miserably at both many times.

My big break moment came when a hair and makeup agent decided she was willing to take me on as a junior makeup artist. She worked with the heavier hitters—the ones I was assisting—and kindly said she would try and throw me some bones. However, the real break was when that agent gave me to her assistant agent, Lisa Walker. She, too, had something to prove in that she wanted to show her boss she could be a killer agent, as well. That was one of the luckiest connections I made because we were equally hungry at the same entry level.

Staying fresh and innovative in today’s fast-paced world can be a challenge. How do you stay creative and where do you look for inspiration?

My inspiration comes from a lot of sources. I love looking at paintings—both classic and modern—so I try to visit the museum when I can. There's nothing quite like staring at a big piece of art up close. Seeing the layers of color and brush strokes really encourages me. I love nature and try to stay tuned in to the amazing examples of color that are everywhere.

I have a tremendous group of women that I am close with, including my mother, sister and two daughters. I try to hear what their needs are, what they are interested in, what bothers them, etc. I find that, by staying connected to these women, I am able to mirror my understanding of them with my clients.

On top of everything, you're also re-launching your clothing line, m.r.s. What brought on the decision to re-launch, and why did you decide to launch m.r.s in the first place?

I started m.r.s when I moved to New York in 1995 out of a desire to do more with my creativity and feel more confident with my body. I had been sort of a tomboy for many years, not fully embracing my voluptuous figure. I decided to make some shirts that were cut and tailored for me. I asked my roommate at the time to try on one of the shirts so I could even out the sleeves. She was a young woman with a very different body type than mine. She was stick thin, no boobs, no hips. When she put on the shirt, she started to move and connect with her body as if she were Marilyn Monroe. She felt sexy in it.

A light bulb went off—women want to feel like women. The items I made were cut on the curve because I made them to fit me. This revelation led to me making more and more items and more and more women were attracted to them. After building my brand for seven years, I ended up selling m.r.s to more than 30 retail stores.

I learned a lot, and made a healthy amount of mistakes and when I was 31, I decided to take a break from fashion and reassess my strengths and weaknesses. During my 10-year break, I had three kids and built the family I count on now. However, the requests for the clothing never stopped, and I finally decided to crack open that creative chamber once again. The outpouring of interest and positivity has been unreal. I am working very diligently to learn from my past mistakes and build my business better this time around. I’m also really focusing on the present. I find that if I show up every day and do the work that is in front of me, I go to sleep at night feeling fulfilled and productive.

Having too much invested in the end zone tends to ruin the process. Being in the moment of every day has helped me tap back into a really exciting creative part of myself.

Her Perspective

What are your 6, 12 and 24 month goals for m.r.s.? Do you reserve specific days/times to work on m.r.s over makeup jobs, or is your role as a makeup artist your top priority?

My ultimate goal for m.r.s, which stands for motivation, radiance and style, is to have a full lifestyle brand creating products and programs that ignite women's self confidence. I truly believe that when women feel better about themselves, life is better. I am lucky to have a smart and amazing partner, Sara Hurand, in the brand to help me focus on the milestones and keep the business growing at a productive pace.

It is essential that I be organized with my time so that I can work on m.r.s every chance I have—when I’m not booked on a makeup job, evenings after I put my kids to bed, Sundays when the children are at ice skating. It's amazing, when you commit to spending time on something, miraculously time opens up to focus on that very thing.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting and becoming your own successful brand?

That everything is a phase. The good times and the bad times. Things evolve and what might seem like a failure is often later realized as an opportunity. At 41, I finally understand the joy of being in the moment—having deeper patience to really know that this moment needs to be felt and appreciated because it passes and then it's something new again.

There is plenty of competition for a freelance makeup artist. What obstacles have you faced and how have you overcome them?

I really try not to be competitive. It doesn't always work, but I try! If an actor moves on or decides I'm not for them, or I decide she is not for me, there are others that will be. It is such an intimate relationship to do someone's makeup and the energy has to be right, because when it isn't, it’s not creative or fun for anyone.

Juggling a family and a career isn’t easy! If we had the chance to peek at your schedule, what would an average day look like?

I have an incredibly supportive husband and family who allow me to do all that I do. Because my job has little rhyme or reason, my experience can be extremely different from day to day. Some of my favorite days are when I can do my morning mommy shift by getting up with my kids, feeding them breakfast and driving them to school. If I can, I try to get a workout in, too. It's usually a yoga class or a cardio dance class before heading to work.

Many times I’m getting my clients ready at their house. Sometimes I send them off from there to the red carpet or we move locations to wherever the job is, like a talk show or press junket. If I'm really lucky, I make it home for dinner and get to be part of the evening duties of bath and reading bedtime stories. Another day could be a 5:00 a.m. call time where I don't see anyone awake in my house. Those types of jobs can be for a photo shoot or commercial. These days can sometimes last 12 to 15 hours. It's really different everyday.

The days that I don't have a makeup job are spent doing normal human stuff. If I am smart and manage my time well, those are the days that I try to work in my art room on personal projects, including sewing and painting—anything to remind myself that I am a capable and creative person.

What advice would you give to aspiring makeup artists? Do you think it’s important career-wise to have a niche?

My first piece of advice would be to get your hands on as many different faces and skin types as you can. Assist and practice—even on yourself because experience is everything. Watch the way people you admire work. It's not just about learning techniques; it's also seeing how the interpersonal relationships develop. I loved working at the counters because you have practically every brand of cosmetics at your fingertips to play with, and lots of different types of faces to practice on. Take opportunities that come your way, even if they don't fit perfectly into your plan. You truly never know where something will lead you. Call local photographers and cable shows and ask to meet and assist their makeup artists to get a feel for all the different types of avenues you can take, too.

If you could pin your success down to one thing or one best moment, what would that be?

I feel so blessed to say that I have had many “best moments.” I love that I made up Reese Witherspoon for the Golden Globes in 2007. It has become an iconic moment/look for her, and I like having my small part of Hollywood glamour. I am super proud that a dress I designed for my label m.r.s was curated to be part of the Goddess collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2003 and now resides in their permanent collection. Lastly, I love that I got to put eye drops in Paul McCartney's eyes when he performed at the 2012 Grammy awards.

Finding a career you love and that fits your interests is hard. What advice would you give to women working through this?

My advice would be to get quiet and listen carefully to their personal truth. I think we know what our strengths are if we are honest with ourselves. Unfortunately, so many women allow their fears and other people's stories dictate their own. I believe that if we really listen to our gut, our naturally creative gut, it will guide us. The advice I have isn't how to pinpoint it; it's to believe in what motivates you.

And finally, what do you wake up looking forward to? What’s next for your career?

I am looking to develop some products through a few different sources. I hope to find new companies to collaborate with in order to expand ways to share my knowledge of makeup and beauty. I really enjoy talking to girls and women about self-esteem and the power of confidence. I also love designing clothes to help empower women. Anything I can do to make a woman feel stronger and more tapped into her intrinsic beauty is a path I am interested in taking.