Heather Vette has makeup in her blood and was literally born in to the industry. With a grandmother who was a makeup artist and a mother who was a hairdresser, Heather has a lifetime of experience with colour, shapes and design.

Even though being a professional makeup artist was not Heather’s original career choice, it is where she found her true passion.

“At school I spent all of my time in the art rooms and went on to complete a Bachelor of Visual Arts at AUT. But I was never fully satisfied with painting alone, so needed a way to incorporate my other love – fashion. What better career to explore than makeup artistry?”

This led Heather to SRA.
“SRA had a good reputation and offered a recognised NZQA-accredited course, so I knew people would take my qualifications seriously.”
Heather was so passionate about makeup she gained her Certificate in Fashion

Makeup at SRA with Merit.
“Achieving merit was a definite highlight for me. It was recognition for the hard work I had done and reflected the teaching quality at SRA. My tutor at the time was fantastic,” says Heather.
Inspired by her time at SRA, Heather decided to become a tutor at the academy herself.
“I wanted to share my skill and creative flair with makeup artists to be. I eventually became programme leader so managed the trainers and kept the course content relevant with the latest trends and designs.”

From there, Heather began her career in photographic makeup, building valuable photographic skills and knowledge.

Taking every other opportunity to work on weddings and shows, Heather has built up a thriving makeup studio in Auckland and offers a mobile makeup service.
Some of the most exciting moments in her career include being the key makeup artist at Fashion Week 2008 for Coco PR’s shows and doing the makeup for the wedding that won Bride and Groom Magazine’s Bride and Groom of the Year in 2007.

Heather has since also added nail artistry to her portfolio.
“The nail artistry has brought in a lot of repeat business and my clientele have gone through the roof. I now do a mix of nails and makeup for special occasions and photoshoots, including regular work for Glassons and Hallensteins.

“I also work with Smashbox Cosmetics and get involved in fashion shows, which I absolutely love! Being among all the people and chaos at fashion shows is very exciting and inspiring.”

While Heather’s ambition is to continue to develop her client base and skillset, she’s very satisfied with her achievements so far.

“I live for today. As long as I continue to have happy clientele, I’m a happy lady.

Heather has this advice for aspiring makeup artists:
“Don’t get discouraged if something does not work out or a job does not go your way. The most important thing is to listen to your clients and be easy to work with.”
 

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