Meet Faith Freij | Makeup artist and Nurse

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

Hi Faith, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
The way I feel or think about risk is that, it’s necessary in order to be successful. Success comes from taking that leap of faith even when you have fears or worries. When I think about the role that risk has played in my life, I realize I have had to take a lot of chances in order to get to where I am today with my makeup artistry. It was a risk for me to invest money into myself and not be sure that people would trust me with their skin. Also, being a full time nurse, it was a risk I wouldn’t be able to manage both makeup and nursing. Risking my finances, my time, my efforts has done nothing but created opportunity and success for me. As soon as I start slacking and getting comfortable, that’s when things slow down. It’s important fir me to continue to take a risk and invest in myself no matter the cost. It will all be worth it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Emann, but I go by Faith when I do makeup. I am an 28 year old Arab American from Michigan. A little backstory on how I came to be a makeup artist today.

I went to Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan and I graduated nursing school in 2016 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN). While I was in school, I was challenged by the doubts of many around me. I never allowed what others thought or felt about me to control my life, future, or achievements unless in a positive way. I used how it made me feel to propel me forward and keep me motivated. I learned at a young age that success is all in ones mind. I applied myself and worked harder than most to get that degree and I am extremely proud to say it came from my own will and strength to do so. Getting this degree opened a door for me.

With that said, I have been working in Detroit, Michigan at the Detroit Medical Center for about 5 years now. The first 2 years of being a nurse allowed me the financial freedom to experiment with makeup. Every two weeks I was at Ulta spending atleast $100 on products for myself. I would practice on myself before work every day. I sat infront of my vanity any chance I got. I worked a 3pm to 11pm shift and went to work with a full beat face almost always.

Eventually, I was able to start practicing on others by investing and taking classes to learn techniques. It was not easy mustering up the courage to apply makeup on someone other than myself because I was afraid of messing up, but I came to find out this was the beauty in the process. I learned that without practice and making mistakes, I would never be the makeup artist I am today. I am continuously learning new techniques by watching YouTube, scrolling through Instagram, taking classes from celebrity makeup artists like Makeup by Mario or Kevin Luong.

I also learned that every makeup artist has their own touch on things and to never compare. This can be a challenge for me because I am very hard on myself. I learned to remain easy on myself and give credit where credit is due because quality comes with time and experience. I am proud of where I am today because my time is split between full time nursing career and part time makeup, yet I continue to excel in both careers. I have been a makeup artist for about 4 years now and I learned that everything relies on the effort put into the work. Talent can only take someone so far, but the passion, humbleness, and dedication is what really separates good from great. These qualities are what makes me different than many makeup artists. I love people and I put my whole heart into each client to make sure they are happy and satisfied with what I can offer them. I am proud that I am able to establish trust with all different types of people and be able to give them a positive experience.

One last accomplishment that I am proud to say, is that I will be launching my own lip and lash collection by end of September 2021. It’s always been something I wanted to offer to my clients and the public. I put a lot of time and thought into it and can’t wait for it to drop!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I could show a person a great time I would take them to: -downtown detroit; there’s so many restaurants and bars to chose from and so many places to visit. I love the river walk for a relaxing day. We have one of the best river fronts in the United States. I would take them to Campus Martius to soak your feet in the sand on a hot summer day and enjoy a cool drink or maybe go roller skating. During the winter there’s ice skating there. Maybe go to a tigers baseball game or little Caesar’s arena for a concert. Greektown for a night out or some great drinks and entertainment.
-Dearborn for the best middle eastern food and sweet bakeries.
– Northville for cider and donuts and head down Hines drive for a car ride as the leaves on the trees start to change colors from seasonal changes.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to dedicate my shout out to my parents and my siblings. They are the ones who have supported me to the fullest in everything I do. If it was not for my parents guiding me to become a nurse I would have not had the means to also become a makeup artist. Nursing supports my business and I truly am grateful to my family for this. I also would like to give credit to any friends or clients who have been by my side through the process of aspiring to be a makeup artist. Lastly, to all the makeup artists that inspire me and my artistry.

Instagram: Faces__by__Faith

Facebook: Faith MUA or my page that’s linked to it is “Faces by Faith”

Image Credits
Photographers: Kendall rollins, Robert Brown Jr, and Kendall rollins Models: Lauren Jackson, Lily Daniels