Eryn Shannon is a hair and makeup artist with over fifteen years of experience with a unique range of experience within the beauty, fashion and wedding industries.
Her love of the arts began at a young age. She grew up in a small town outside of Toronto watching Fashion Television, admiring her mother’s makeup and hair skills, and dreaming of one day being a part of the creative team for Fashion Week. Her dreams took shape after leaving art school to become a full-time makeup artist with MAC Cosmetics. While at MAC, she had the opportunity to be represented by a top hair and makeup agency based in Toronto and was asked to be part of the Fashion Show team for New York Fashion week for each new season. Truly a dream come true!
After accomplishing some big milestones, she was looking for her next adventure. She tried a few different careers within the beauty industry that were pivotal experiences, shaping who and where she is now. She began working for a PR Beauty firm where she refined her organisation, media, and marketing skills. She went from an Account Executive for Eastern Canada with a top makeup brand to managing thirty brands and a large group of beauty advisors for a top Canadian department store. After being in retail, learning some serious business and artist management skills, it was time to really focus and put all her energy into her own business!
Eryn always had “Eryn Shannon Makeup and Hair” as her freelance side business throughout her career. She decided to put everything into her freelance hair and makeup business, focusing on the bridal industry. She already had a steady flow of consistent business and referrals. What would happen if she advertised, marketed, and put her PR skills to work? Within one year, her business boomed! She quickly became so busy that she looked for assistance and has now hired over 20 artists and service over 150 weddings per year along with editorial and commercial shoots.
See Eryn’s work below:
I was studying art history and painting. I met Britney Spears and I asked her what lipgloss she was wearing and she told me "M.A.C Lipglass in Prrr." I went to M.A.C the next day and fell in love with all the colours and textures and asked if I could work there. This is where my career started, I worked at the company for 10 years and then began freelancing specialising in weddings.
I love to teach, and my friend David, who is a photography tutor, recommended the platform to me. I was very excited to teach everything I know about makeup. I was already leading teams across the country, helping them perfect their skills, so this was a perfect compliment.
An open mind and connection to their creativity. Patience and the ability to listen to others.
New York Fashion Week, my own personal brand, creating courses for Shoppers Drug Mart Canada.
Less is More, deconstruct and get out of the technical mind. Use your intuition and creativity.
I like to focus on how the overall makeup presents itself and the process of how they got to the final image.
Seasons, nature and artifacts or objects. I also love to be inspired by how people look without makeup, this inspires me to create a lived in, minimal makeup. The qualities in a no makeup look for those who appreciate a natural approach.
I worked with Hung Vanngo a few times for fashion week and he is by far the most talented artist I have ever met. I love his approach and creativity. I also love to see women who don't wear makeup and the beauty behind real skin, Pamela Anderson is really rocking this right now.
That I get to share all the knowledge I have collected over 20 years of doing makeup and guide them in a very open way. I hope to inspire the students.
Find your niche, your personal style and don't feel like you have to be good at every aspect of makeup artistry.
The modules were amazing to learn new skills such as SFX and working with wigs and facial hair. I would highly recommend anyone do this course if you have a passion for makeup like myself.
Mount Cotton, QLD
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