Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Iscovich.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up performing in musical theater, so playing with makeup was always something I enjoyed. As I got older and decided the life of a performer wasn’t for me, I started working in the wardrobe department of my local regional theater company in Southern California. Thinking I wanted to learn more about costume design, I took a class at the community college that spent one half of the semester on costumes, and the other half on makeup. Well, I realized how much more I enjoyed makeup and promptly found a vocational school so I could learn all about makeup for tv, film, photography, and theater. While I was still a student, I got a job working in retail cosmetics. I learned so much and was able to constantly practice my craft on all different ages and skin tones. After my move to Florida and a total of ten years in retail, I felt it was time for a change. I found myself back in theater, doing makeup and wardrobe for the Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando. It was such a niche, but perfect place for me given my background. I also chose to go back to school and received my Florida Facial Specialist License. That ended up being a very smart move for me. Covid came, and my job with Blue Man was no more. While I was devastated that our show had to close, there was a silver lining for me. I was finally in a place where I could make the jump to be a full-time freelance makeup artist.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
In 2013 my husband landed his full-time dream job, but that meant relocation from California to Orlando. As anyone can imagine, moving across the country from a place you have lived all your life can be exciting, but comes with plenty of other emotions like being scared or lonely. Finding my place in the beauty industry during this period of my life has been a journey. When I moved to Orlando, I needed a job to help pay the bills, so I continued working in retail cosmetics. That led to a full-time opportunity to open a brand-new flagship store for a major cosmetics brand. A little over a year into that job and a month to the day before my wedding, I was told my hours were being cut, and I was losing my full-time status. It was a blow to my state of mind, not to mention to us financially. That experience prompted me to reevaluate my path which led me back to theater. I was thrilled to be back in a world I loved so much, but covid set me back, as it did for so many in the entertainment industry. My husband was furloughed from his job at the same time our show closed. We suddenly found ourselves trying to navigate unemployment as so many in the Central Florida area had to do. That experience gave me a chance to once again evaluate what I wanted professionally. So, once things started getting back to normal, I found myself at square once again starting my own business. It’s been a new chapter that has been incredibly fulfilling and rewarding, and my passion for the craft drives me to face new obstacles head-on.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My specialty, and what I enjoy the most is doing soft natural glam. I am always delighted when my clients compliment me for enhancing their natural beauty. I take a lot of pride in the range of people I get to work with. Regardless of skin tone or age, I got you! I can give you a no-makeup makeup look and then turn around and give you a full Kardashian-style glam. I do everything from young children for professional headshots, brides, grandparents, and everyone in between. I have been in this industry for well over a decade. I have been fortunate to learn from and work alongside a diverse set of artists and mentors who have passed their knowledge on to me. We all learn from each other constantly, and I am so excited by that! Being able to apply that training is a unique thing I bring to the Orlando area.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
Most artists would agree it’s hard not to focus on what others are doing. When I started out, I did exactly that, and it never truly goes away. But I have learned everyone’s style is different, and that’s what makes you interesting. I have learned to love my own style while being able to appreciate the skills of other artists. So, the best advice I can give is to try and not get distracted from your own artistry by others’ work, instead, try to find inspiration in that work and let it make you a better artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blissbeautyartistry.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/blissbeautyartistry
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/blissbeautyartistry
- Other: https://shopmy.us/public/blissbeautyartistry
Image Credits
Sydney Tobin
Jordan Woods-Robinson
