ABIA Australian Make Up Artist of the Year - AVA BELLE

AVA BELLE

Currently based in Byron Bay seasonally, Ava Belle is passionately dedicated to creating beautiful bridal looks for her clients of every culture, race, back ground and style. Having taken part in celebrations ranging from intimate elopements with just herself as witness, and the celebrant + photographer, up to the most extravagant 5 day multi-million-dollar events, with guest lists into the hundreds and every special celebration in-between Ava has done it all.

The weddings and bridal styled shoots Ava worked on prior to COVID, took her to some of the most beautiful places across the globe, including France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, UK, NY, Miami and many more. “I feel really lucky that my career has taken lots of different creative forms, I have worked across many areas of the Hair and Makeup Industry, but I feel I have made the most impact in the Bridal Industry. Working with Brides and their parties, creating campaigns for Bridal Fashion designers, working on Paris Bridal Fashion Week, collaborating with Top Luxury Wedding Planners, Stylists, Photographers and Vendors from around the globe to creative internationally acclaimed blog content, bridal magazine editorial print and online content, and creating beauty looks for high end international workshops in France with LA celebrity photographer Silvie Gil.” Ava explains. “My biggest challenge was becoming a new mum for the first time in March 2020 as the world was shutting down around me.

My safety net and the business I had built up to be able to look after my growing little family vanished overnight and the world and industry as I knew it was gone. Everything I had worked for, for so many years in Australian and Europe was gone, just like that I couldn’t return to my International clientele. I decided to lay low in Byron Bay and enjoy being a new mum until the dust settled, I then took on re-marketing my business to a local audience in the North Coast and reconnected with local vendors and venues. I started creating digital content for social media to stay connected and ready for when we could start working again. Since being able to return to work, the business is going from strength the strength and I just feel so lucky to be in Australia and in such a beautiful part of the world where we can return to weddings and continue on more or less like before.”

Keeping up to date with latest trends by working on Fashion Weeks, watching talented artists via social media, spending time at makeup counters trying all the latest products and new technologies is how Ava stays relevant and unto date with her skills. Regularly partaking in online Masterclasses with Hair and Makeup artists from around the world, most recently: The Makeup Lovers Conference, BTC University with Natalie, Anne Hair, The Secret Fox. “I keep a very close eye on my all-time favourite makeup heroes, Rae Morris, Lisa Eldridge and Patti Dubroff.” Ava says

“I was very excited to final in the Bridal/Formal category, I had butterflies in my tummy as we watched the film showing all the talented nominations. I was so thrilled when they announced my name. There were LOTS of silent screams of joy and leaping hugs on the couch with my partner, we had just put our baby boy down to sleep in the room next to us and didn’t want to wake him. Andrea (my other half) rushed to the fridge and poured me a glass of bubbles and we danced around the living room hugging and laughing. We continued to watch the stream and soon after the big award of the night was up, and my name was on the screen. The “Australian Makeup Artist of the Year” was selected from the category winners, so when they called my name again, I was again in TOTAL SHOCK and overwhelmed by such a BIG surprise. Again, lots more hugging!!! As much as I would have loved to have shared that moment with the industry I love, in a room full of my peers, being able to share it with my number one supporter was so very special. Winning this award means so much to me, as a creative soul and perfectionist. It’s easy to get caught up in self-doubt, to be unable to see all the things I do get right, I think as artists we can all be very selfcritical at times. This is a really nice reminder to feel proud of my achievements and see the value I bring to my brides and clients.

“I highly respect and admire the artists who have held the title before me, to now be among them really means the world. As a young artist I looked up to Rae Morris with such high regard (and still do.) Rae was the first person I messaged after my win with a huge THANKS, I wouldn’t be here without her. She has taught me SO much and has been an incredible support over my career.

“My social media and phone have been blowing up all week!! I have received a non-stop stream of congratulations from all over the world, which has been pretty special. It’s been a lovely reason to reconnect with friends, extended family, colleagues and past clients, seeing all of my past brides sending their thank you’s and congratulations is really heartwarming.

“The last 2 years have been a HUGE adjustment personally and professionally; I was working primarily out of Paris/Italy until the end of 2019 when I returned home to Byron Bay to give birth to my son. He arrived in March 2020 as the world shut down and Australian borders closed around us, Andrea also works in the wedding industry as a photographer, so we both took a hard hit through the pandemic, but we, like so many of our friends and colleagues, have just had to adapt and adjust. We have been focused on creating social media content in the beauty space and learning skills in a new area of the industry, which has been a really fun way to stay creative, inspired and connected to our passion while we faced uncertainty for what the future of weddings will look like. While learning the ropes as first-time parents which is ALSO HUGE!!!

“I have been fortunate to be able to fall back on my networks and varied experience, Byron and surrounds became a mecca for FILM and TV productions during the lockdowns. I was lucky to pick up work on 5 different productions, an area I hadn’t worked in much over the last 5 years as my focus has been Luxury Bridal and so it was great to be able to step back into that world for a while.”

And so for Ava, moving forward from here is a day by day adventure. “I am looking forward to spending more time in my home studio getting creative and doing more makeup and less travel for the foreseeable future.” She says. “I’m not sure what my next big project will be alongside motherhood - I’m thinking of a product line or education!”

@avabellemakeup