Jayson Sanchez, creator and owner of Geisha Studio in Los Angeles, CA, has been a successful professional makeup artist, beauty educator and entrepreneur for over a decade. Since being trained, developed, and mentored by the national team of Chanel Cosmetics, he has developed a large clientele that includes MTV, VH1, Hollywood celebrities, acclaimed photographers, fashion designers, top models, celebrity recording artist, socialites, as well as the everyday woman with an interest in makeup and makeup artistry.
We met Jayson through the Long Beach City College Makeup Artistry Certificate program in which I and our Product Development Manager enrolled. He taught us the tips & tricks of his craft. Since that class, almost two years ago, Jayson has worked with Milani on a number of projects (including doing the makeup for our Milani model Chelsea at our website launch party). We thought Jayson was perfect to highlight as one of our Milani Beauty Stylist because of his customer-orientated approach to beauty and his ability to teach everyone and anyone (even the makeup challenged like me) how to apply and wear makeup. He believes that perfection in makeup application comes when you discover how to give the client the feeling that she is radiant and beautiful in her own unique and individual way.
We sat down with Jayson to ask him a few questions about his beauty inspirations and how he discovered his love of makeup. Here is his interview:
1. Where did you grow up? Did this have an influence on your style? If so, how?
I grew up in the greater Los Angeles area, in a suburban town called Pico Rivera. While growing up in Pico Rivera didn’t necessarily influence my style per se, I am a child of the glamorous 90s, and I was influenced by the beauty of that decade.
2. What’s your first beauty memory?
I remember watching a cable show called “Fashion TV” which featured the big supermodels of the 90s, such as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Naomi Campbell. I remember being completely fascinated by the lifestyles that these iconic and gorgeous women were leading, and wanting to be a part of that world.
3. When did you discover makeup?
I have always considered myself a creative and outgoing being. I was involved in drama club in high school, and that presented the first opportunity to extend my creativity to the application of makeup – theatrical makeup!
4. What’s your best beauty related memory?
I have been blessed to have been involved in so many different projects and so many amazing artists, photographers, models and singers. But I specifically remember being backstage at celebrated fashion designer Anna Sui’s fashion show on Melrose in L.A. I remember being involved in the craziness and pressure of trying to get models out onto the runway with PERFECT makeup looks, and getting the feeling that I finally belonged to something really amazing as I watched the audience’s reaction to models who were made up by me!
5. Why did you want to become a makeup artist?
Although I discovered in high school that I loved making up people to look like Freddy Krueger (lol!), my first love was beautiful women, and so I naturally wanted to apply makeup to them! My attraction to fashion, and to the glamour of iconic supermodels, led me to eventually pursue formal education as a makeup artist.
Jayson’s look is called Temptress. He based it off the makeup look he created on our Milani model Chelsea at our website launch party. Here are pictures from the party:
Here is the how-to on creating the Temptress look:
Jayson continues to educate and inspire a new generation of artists with year round makeup artistry programs offered at several community colleges around the greater Los Angeles area. You can find his Master Makeup Artistry program at Long Beach Community College (562 938 5051), Los Angeles City College (323 953 4000 ex 2651), and East Los Angeles City College (323 265 8793). If you are near any of these areas we highly recommend you sign-up for one of his classes.
