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Business: Make Up First
Address: 232 S. Washington St., Naperville
Phone/website: 312-621-0801 and www.makeupfirst.com
Owners: Jade Labriola, 22, of Naperville, and Michelle Natywa, 32, of Chicago
Years in business: Opened in September
What does your business do? “We are a makeup artistry program. We have a 10-week certificate. At the end of it, the students are certified and ready to take on any job. We train from basic makeup all the way through clinical, HD, theatrical, runway. We even teach them how to start their careers as freelance artists. We also have our cosmetics store, products used by professional makeup artists. It’s very good quality and you don’t feel like you’re wearing makeup, which is nice,” Labriola said.
What’s the background? “Make Up First has been in business since 2006. Michelle and I purchased the company in September. … It was in Chicago, on LaSalle Street downtown.”
Why did you buy this business? “We were both students of Make Up First. I was a student in 2016. I was only 16. Michelle ended up joining in 2017. About two years ago, we started teaching at Make Up First. … When the (former) owner (Jill Glaser) decided to sell, Michelle and I really did our best to prove we were really passionate about this.”
Why are you into makeup? “When I was a student, I got involved in makeup because I wanted to work on movie sets. … As a student, I thought, ‘If I can do anything in the world, I’d teach here.’ I just loved every part of it. Also, I loved the location. Obviously, we’ve changed locations, but I’m thrilled to be here. I loved the idea of teaching other people how to do what I was passionate about.”
What was it like being a student? “I had to unlearn so many things that I thought were the right techniques. When you work on other people instead of yourself, it’s so different. You have to focus on sanitation, all of that.”
Sanitation? “It’s a huge deal. Even using a lipstick tube on yourself it’s natural. Whip it on. When you’re working on other people, it’s different. We have (sanitizing) products for that.”
How do the classes work? “I’ll do a demo, with a model or a student, I’ll go over all the techniques, (the students) will take notes, then we’ll have hands-on practice. … It all goes back to color theory. That was a huge fascination of mine when I was a student.”
Color theory? “We teach our students how to custom mix their foundation shades so they don’t have to carry 20 bottles of foundation. … There is a lot to learn. You have to train your eyes. By the end of all these exercises, students start to see colors differently, as odd as that sounds. You have to look at undertones.
“We use a color wheel. If someone has a red pimple on their face, you look at the color wheel. Straight across from red is what cancels it out. So, I’d use green on top of a red blemish to cancel it out. … It can be confusing until you get the hang of it.”
Why Naperville? “I live in Naperville and it’s booming here. It’s the new popular city. I love it here. It’s a great spot for business. Our neighbors are great.”
How do you students find you? “We have a big social media following. … Instagram is close to 25,000 followers. Facebook has 3.4 million. That’s a lot. It’s funny when we do live videos on Facebook. There are people (watching) from other countries.”
Do you like your job? “It’s my dream job. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
Any challenges? “It’s been a bit of struggle getting everyone to know we’re in Naperville now after being in Chicago for so long.”
What do classes cost? “If they complete the entire program, it’s just under $10,000. We also do workshops and events open to the public. We do events for kids. Hair tinsel. Mini makeovers. They get so excited.”
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What misconceptions do people have about your business? “That it’s only for professional makeup artists or you need a cosmetology license to join our school.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Just go for it. Stick with it. Don’t expect success your first day. It will grow.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.