New club inspires young women at sierra high school Story by Aisha Saeed
Sierra High School Senior Community Outreach Intern
Mrs. Navarrete, Spanish teacher at Sierra High School, started the Makeup Artistry Club at SHS to support young women who have a passion for makeup. Mrs. Navarrete has been doing freelance makeup as a side hobby for years and has been waiting for an opportunity to share her love of makeup with other girls. Her goal is to teach young women to acknowledge and embrace their own unique features against society’s unrealistic standards of beauty through the accent of makeup. In addition, she hopes to teach girls entrepreneurial skills including how to build a client base and even, start a business. The club is aimed towards aspiring makeup artists or students on campus with a wide interest in makeup. The club has so far achieved an astounding 24 members in its short time at SHS. Young women from all shapes, sizes, colors, and
backgrounds joined the club to learn the tricks of the trade, including now club president Simmi Kaur, who first pitched the idea to Mrs. Navarrete her freshman year of high school. Kaur began experimenting with makeup as early as 5th grade. As a young girl, she would often play with her mother’s makeup and years later, bought her first makeup kit. Slowly, Kaur would move on from cheap, drug-store products and began to experiment with larger makeup brands to create high-end looks. Her clients consist of different backgrounds and ages. She says it was in a recent meeting with a major client that she realized makeup was her calling. Kaur has dedicated numerous hours to perfecting her craft. She watches makeup tutorials in her free time and practices on models. Despite her skilled and tactful approach when it comes to makeup, she always finds room for improvement. She said, “I’d rather take constructive criticism instead of compliments because I want to get better.” Similarly, Mrs. Navarrete teaches her students that with enough patience and
dedication, students can attract a respectable client base and ensure client satisfaction. Doing makeup in a professional setting has taught Kaur the importance of listening to her clients. She ensures they feel and look their best when they walk out the door. During their bi-monthly meetings, Mrs. Navarrete demonstrates live makeup tutorials. The following week, the students attempt to copy the makeup look, using each other as models. Students are equipped with their own personal makeup kits and individually determine, based on the complexity or degree of difficulty, the prices for different makeup looks. Currently, club members are practicing different eye
looks for the upcoming district-wide fashion show to be held at Manteca High School. Mrs. Navarrete and President Kaur are assessing which students will be lead makeup artists for the event. In the future, the club aims to provide their services for prom, winter formal, and homecoming events. The Makeup Artistry Club at SHS provides young, aspiring women a platform to showcase their creativity whilst learning the tools to become a successful makeup artist. In addition, students foster the ability to accentuate their individual features and styles of self-expression. Through makeup, Mrs. Navarrete empowers a new generation of young women to embrace their unique beauty.
