They say that 40 is the new 30 but for Trinidad and Tobago based Photographer/Makeup artist, Jaime Rampersad, instead of ushering in this new chapter in her life with enthusiasm and hopefulness, she was onset by a mini midlife crisis. Fortunately, she didn’t go out and buy herself a red convertible but instead she started to question beliefs about herself she had held onto for many years. ‘Was beauty just for the young and were there certain things that were no longer acceptable for her to do because of her age?’, ‘Was she supposed to consider herself old and not as attractive as a younger woman now?’ These were the questions stirring in her mind that made her feel uneasy about this milestone. But let’s start from the beginning.
When she became a full-fledged Makeup Artist Jaime knew she wanted to differentiate herself from others in her field. In 2006, she decided to offer airbrush makeup and was the first to introduce this type of makeup to the local market in Trinidad & Tobago. Soon, women from all over the country were coming to her to experience this new, flawless, ultra-lightweight makeup application that lasted for hours even under the humid conditions we often experience here in the Caribbean. She was able to see right before her eyes how the power of transforming women with makeup made them feel. Oftentimes, when they were handed the mirror, she would see a look of surprise and delight followed by a broad smile across their face and then an accepting nod. They left her chair with a pep in their step that seemed to make them walk a bit taller and more confidently. This reaction was something she absolutely loved, and it became almost addictive to Jaime to witness. It was from that moment she knew it was her God-given purpose to serve women in this way and to help them see their full potential. She wholeheartedly loved her business and the impact it was making. “Seeing women leave my makeup chair feeling great about themselves and knowing I had a part to play in that made me feel like I was doing something great…. something that mattered”.
At the age of 24, after gaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems and Management, to everyone’s surprise, Jaime decided to become a makeup artist. While it seemed radically unusual, it was the natural progression of a deep-seated passion Jaime held dear. From the moment she saw her mom apply that unmistakably ruby red lipstick, she was hooked! Every day she sat in awe as her mom applied her makeup; taking in every single genius stroke and watching her mom use her instruments to transform right before her eyes. “It was magical!” thought Jaime, so much so that later she even started shaping her friends’ eyebrows (those who would let her anyways).
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