Life & Work with Taran Calhoun

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taran Calhoun.

Hi Taran, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always been a lover of all things beauty and cosmetics but my entrance into the world of beauty as my career came by a few bouts of luck and chance. When I was 18, I had just graduated high school and had gotten a brand-new car that I was responsible for making the payments on. I was attending college at Ohio University and by the time winter break had rolled around I needed a holiday gig to save up some money for the coming spring.

I applied to SO many places and Sephora was my last stop, mainly because it was so intimidating, and I never thought I would have a shot at working somewhere like that. Fast forward and I did indeed get a holiday position at Sephora which then turned into a part-time position past holiday and eventually into a full-time position. Over 5 years, I worked at Sephora where I got to work with countless numbers of clients for special events, lessons, and everyday wear.

I traveled to Salt Lake City and Chicago for training with some of the industry’s best brand and celebrity makeup artists. Working with so many different clients of different backgrounds, skin types, skin tones, and preferences helped set me up for moving forward. After I left Sephora, I was a brand rep for several cosmetic and skin care lines and eventually branched into creating my LLC and turning my “fun” bridal makeup hobby into a full-time career.

By that time, I had the knowledge and confidence not only understanding clients and how the skin and makeup work together, but I also had a broader understanding of how to work with them to create a look that they envision and feel the most beautiful in. Today I am still primarily doing bridal makeup while also working with High School senior photographers and offering lessons and special event applications.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
“Nobody said it would be easy, but anything worth having never is”. Just like any path worth taking in life there have been and will continue to be some definite struggles along the way. I think one of the biggest ones is the voice inside of my head making me question myself or telling myself I am not enough.

I have noticed this struggle throughout the last couple of years as social media has become increasingly more popular and more people get on those platforms to share their work and experiences. I have always been the person who is a cheerleader for everybody else and try to not compare myself or my experiences to others. However, I am human, and I think sometimes it just naturally happens and sometimes others are not as kind or as respectful as you are.

Aside from the inner struggles, there have also been some professional struggles as well. Covid was a huge one as I know it was for so many people. I had a very difficult time balancing out the family v. working life especially with clients postponing and having to stack my calendar to accommodate everyone. It was an eye-opener into how I should also ensure I have personal and family boundaries while still ensuring my clients come first and doing everything I can to make their time working with me one that was positive and stress-free.

Lastly, I think there are always going to be some struggles when learning something new. When I created my LLC, I had to learn the ins and outs of the business side of things which was extremely overwhelming. As things are constantly changing it is a continuous learning experience

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a makeup artist who specializes in bridal airbrushing and traditional applications. I would say that stylistically my strongest and most requested makeup style is natural glam. While I am capable of doing just about every makeup style and look (except prosthetics as I’ve never worked with those) I love the makeup looks in which a client still looks and feels like themselves but enhanced.

I like to work with a client’s natural features in choosing colors and applications that bring those things out of them. This is one of the main reasons I love airbrushing because I feel like on so many clients it enhances without being heavy and compliments without feeling overdone. I think the one thing I am most proud of throughout my career is my ability to absorb change.

The beauty industry is forever changing and with that comes an array of new products, new tips, new techniques, new dos and don’ts, new beauty influencers, new channels of education, etc. I had to learn and then relearn and forget and change so many trends over the years to keep up with the demand and preferences clients have. One thing I think sets me apart from a lot of my colleagues is my background in cosmetic and beauty retail.

There is no greater education and experience than to work with clients hands-on and learn through failures and mistakes. When I was employed at Sephora and was one of their primary beauty studio artists, I had the opportunity to do just that. I got to work with clients as I do now in appointments for makeup applications for special events, but it was the consumer interactions that I think set me up for success.

It gave me an insight into an everyday client and their needs, comforts, preferences, and the questions and tools to ask and have to determine what somebody is envisioning when they don’t even understand how to verbalize it to you. It gave me a broader understanding of how the skin works with makeup and how combining those elements even just for a one-day look can extend the wear and enhance the application.

We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
I think that every day I work in this industry and being self-employed is a risk. There is no guaranteed stream of income coming my way and post-Covid life I realize the streams of income you do rely on could also be altered without any choice of my own.

The biggest risk I think I took was walking away from my accounting degree and the life I had pictured working as a CPA to pursue this full-time. While my job and the path I took may look different than I envisioned and planned for, which was a risk, it has been the greatest risk. My job fulfills me and makes me look forward to the next day. Without risk, I wouldn’t have had that reward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.americanbeautyartistry.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/american_beauty_artistry_llc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americanbeautiesartistry/

Image Credits
Balsam and Blush Photography and Drzazga Photo