Rising Stars: Meet Erika Pareja

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Pareja.

Hi Erika, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?

Thank you for having me!

I kinda stumbled into my career. I didn’t know what I wanted to do “when I grew up”, never had a plan or went to college. Had odd jobs here and there after high school, from working as a secretary in a lawyers office to retail to bartending. It wasn’t until I received my very first massage in my mid twenties and was blown away. I was in awe. I can still remember the aroma oils she used on me and how good I felt. I knew this was it! This is what I wanted to do with my life, I wanted to make people feel as good/relaxed as I did that day.

Shortly after, I enrolled for massage therapy school and was a licensed therapist for 3 years in a luxury resort day spa. Life was going well until I tore a ligament in my finger setting up for a poolside massage. After weeks of rest and physical therapy, my ligament didn’t heal properly. I couldn’t massage without being in constant pain.

Around this downtime, I had started experimenting with makeup. Trying out different looks on myself that I would see in beauty magazines. Since massage therapy wasn’t an option for me anymore, I toyed around with the idea of going into nursing or going back to school for skincare/esthetics, since I loved pampering people and working in a spa environment.

The decision was pretty easy, I went full force skincare/esthetics school. Tearing that ligament turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I love skincare and all that it has to offer, but the biggest of all is, Oh Darling Artistry was created. My baby, my therapy, my creative side.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

It has been pretty smooth, knock on wood. A few bumps in the road, like everyone else, covid put a huge halt in life. I lost out on a lot of bridal/wedding clients that year. I would say the most challenging part for me is making yourself stand out from the crowd. It is such a saturated market. Why should a client book with you, pay your price, over all these other artists? Stand your ground and know your worth. All the new tik tok and Instagram makeup videos keep me on my toes for sure. I have to keep up with all the latest trends and mainstream artists, which isn’t that hard since I do enjoy trying new looks and new techniques. Keeps it interesting, always learning!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

I live and breathe for 31 days of Halloween in October every year. It’s my absolute favorite. I try to create/recreate a different Halloween look on myself. It’s probably what my work is best known for. I do try to step it up every year, I don’t always hit the mark but I’m trying. I have grown a lot since I first started back in 2012. I was so reluctant at first to even do Halloween makeup, huge shout out and thank you to Bill and Joanne Povse for pushing me and being my first Halloween makeup clients!

I’m also a certified airbrush makeup artist with Temptu. I took an airbrushing course with them and I also took a MAC bridal workshop in New York City back in 2011, when I lived in New Jersey.

Living in Nashville, as a freelance makeup artist the past 8 years has really opened me up to so many cool experiences. I got to create and be a part of RAW artists showcase, I got to do film makeup for a tv pilot, I get to work with some AMAZING, local photographers, songwriters and clients that are now dear friends and not to mention all my sweet, wonderful brides and brides-to-be.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?

I think the makeup and skincare industry is booming right now and is only going to get bigger! 2022 is supposed to be the biggest wedding year yet and I’m ready!! To quote David Bowie, “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring”.

Contact Info:

• Email: erikavanessamakeup@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ohdarlingartistry
• Other: Nashville.woodhousespas.com

Image Credits
Jessica Leigh, Palardy Lindsay, Collett Emily, and Barbarita