Meet Kelly Ella | Makeup Artist & personal stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Ella and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I spent the better portion of my adult life working as a social worker. I went to school, trained and was licensed. I worked with various populations over the years but ended with child protection. I loved it and found a lot of fulfillment and happiness in helping children and families. Unfortunately I suffered an attack and was unable to return to my position. I had been suffering greatly with Post Traumatic Stress and right before the pandemic hit I found myself, essentially unable to return to my life long career. I had been trained as a makeup artist and always found joy in doing that but had only worked part time in this capacity. I weighed my options and realized how much less stress I felt dong art. Painting and creating had always been an outlet of stress relief for me. I felt like the best option was to dive head first into working as a makeup artist. Scary? Absolutely! I am a single mom and so the option to fail isn’t one I’ve ever given myself. I knew I was going to give 110% to this and so I decided I would give 110% to myself and my own freelance makeup artistry business instead of someone else’s salon or company. Having the flexibility to take jobs or decline based on my families needs and schedule was also a huge incentive to me. So I jumped two feet first into my own business. Kelly Ella Makeup.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
For me art is the way I express myself- it’s how I see the world and it’s what is beautiful, broken and missing around me. Art helps me release my stress, it helps me feel the emotions I can’t always express and it keeps me grounded. I started painting in college but didn’t do much with it. I enjoyed it but kept it as a hobby.
As a trained makeup artist I hadn’t always connected my love of makeup to painting on canvas but more and more I found the similarities. The color mixing, the shadows and contour, the shapes you build. It’s beauty all around us that I get to bring together on a walking, talking canvas! What I love most is using my skill set with a mental health background to build up my clients while they sit in my chair. Yes I paint their face, but I also build up their confidence. I help them feel beautiful outside but inside as well. You don’t step out of my space not feeling like the most beautiful person around. I want people to feel good. I want them to laugh and smile and feel gorgeous- because they are! What helps to set me apart is I love to make my clients FEEL good, not just look good. I want to highlight your best features, I want you to stand a little taller and smile a little brighter after you leave my chair. I want to make you shine from the inside out! Whats the best makeup you can wear? confidence, so that’s what I give them!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a Boston girl so let’s schedule in a day in the city! Start at the friendly toast for brunch and our morning coffee and then we can walk over to the Boston public library. It’s beautiful with Instagram worthy shots all around. From there we can grab some lunch and head to the gardens and have a picnic on the park! Finish the night at contessa, one of Boston’s best roof top restaurants! It’s as delicious as it is beautiful! Stroll the city after to work off that fresh Rosemary bread and take in the lights. It’s beauty all around you!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Starting any business comes with a lot of second guessing and self doubt. I was FULL of doubt and terribly scared I would fail. As much as I knew I had a skill set I was terrified it wouldn’t be enough. Inset a team of support! My parents, my sister, my daughter, my best friends and a group of ladies who are all business owners themselves all built me up. They believed in me and amped me up to succeed. I also had built a network of similar and like minded working woman who were ever ready to support and love me. Never underestimate the power of small woman owned businesses! My old boss at the salon I had trained at, Christina Elfar of Philosophe salon, was a huge supporter! She tossed me job opportunities, offered to give me advice and consistently told me she believed I could do this. My girlfriends who owned businesses offered advice and consistent social media support and love. Chiana Tracy of painted peacock boutique, who helped me find a group of women who all were growing their business. It kept me going sometimes when I really felt like I wasn’t going to be able to do this. I had an industry of beautiful and talented makeup artists who never saw me, or I them, as competition but as a community to draw from. Mark Whit who is an incredibly talented makeup artist offered tips and advice. There is always enough work, but having other artists to confide in, to refer to and who refer to you is invaluable in an industry to focused on word of mouth!
I absolutely would not have been successful without my tribe of supporters, My team of cheerleaders!

x

Website: Kellyellamakeup.com

Instagram: @kellyellamakeup

Other: Other business: confidentlychic.net Instagram: @confidentlychicc