PRISCILLA VARGAS
name: priscilla vargas
occupation: makeup and hair artists
age you feel: 28 (my age)
CAREER
GGNYC: tell us about what made you want to pursue being a makeup artists
PV: makeup, hair and style in general is something i had a natural affinity for since i could remember. when i was young i'd watch my mom getting ready and i enjoyed watching the whole process... i was always inspired by beautiful women and the beauty of women in general. but i had some times in my life when i was eschewed from my path. i went the college route and got my bachelors degree as well as countless certifications, but there was nothing that had fulfilled me the way that what i do now does. so one day i said to myself i'm going full force into this. and once i did that, doors began to open full of opportunities...taking me places i never thought i could go
GGNYC: tell us about a project that you've really enjoyed working on
PV: i'm really head first into the whole plus industry right now. i've been working on campaigns with plus women, and getting to know these amazing ladies and this powerful movement behind them that discusses the idea of size and how size doesn't matter --- is really special. ashley graham who is a good friend of mine is so strong and inspiring because she's so confident and so beautiful inside and out. so when i meet these women it just reaffirms what i'm doing! and it gives the projects so much more meaning. it's not just about selling a product, it's about having a campaign that promotes confidence in women
GGNYC: what's a brand you've worked with that you feel the ggnyc reader would be into
PV: there's a lot of cool brands i've worked with. i just did something with myths of creation, it's a store in williamsburg with really cool pieces, super laid back and chill. I know some of your readers would love it there!
GGNYC: who would you love to work with
PV: orlando pita who's a hairstylist. and i would really like to work with patt mcgrath who is a makeup artist... these people are at the top of their game
GGNYC: where do you see your brand going in the next five years
PV: i want to work on my artistry and to help push boundaries on what we think is beautiful and what we consider normal. i want to take part in changing the standards of beauty
STYLE
GGNYC: there's a fire in your apartment, which three items do you save from your closet
PV: my frye boots, my mom jeans and my oversized sweater... you gotta be comfortable! you have no more clothes so...
GGNYC: what's your own makeup bag must haves
PV: concealer, a cream blush, eyebrow pencil, eyelash curler and mascara
GGNYC: if you got to raid anyone's closet who would it be
PV: whose style do i really love is the question! i like a laid back look so i'll say jessica alba
GGNYC: if you were being featured in a spread on any magazine, which mag would you choose
PV: nylon!
JUST FOR FUN
GGNYC: so girlgangnyc is giving you an award for most badass babe, what theme song do you pick to play as you walk to the podium
PV: en vogue- never gonna get it ... {laughs}... it's such a feel good song
GGNYC: favorite cereal + cartoon combo in the mornings as a kid
PV: x-men and captain crunch
GGNYC: you've won a trip around the world, who do you take and what's your first stop
PV: my fiancé and we would go to the maldives
GGNYC: hollywood called, they're making a movie about you. who do you cast to play you and what is the genre of the film
PV: i'd pick alicia vikander to play me, and the film would be drama
GGNYC: what's your favorite sound
PV: my tibetan singing bowl, it's supposed to align the chakras
GGNYC: top five apps on your phone
PV: snapchat, instagram, yelp, lyft and google maps
GGNYC: name some of your favorite makeup brands to work with
PV: i have a lot... i'm loving calvin klein right now. mac of course, chanel and i like anastasia's lip colors
LETS GET PERSONAL
GGNYC: name a song you like to be seduced to
PV: it can't be anything like "girl, i'm gonna get in those sheets" {laughs} it needs to be more electronic, something where i don't have to listen to the words because i just ... i cant!
GGNYC: when was the last time you had a good cry, and what was it about
PV: it was maybe four months ago, and it was just a really transitional time in my relationship with my fiancé ... that phase brought some great breakthroughs between us
GGNYC: what scares the shit out of you
PV: oh goodness, so many things... but i would say not making it. it's a given that you get out of a situation what you put into it, but just because you're putting in work does not mean that you will reap the results instantly. the nature of my business is a bit scary because all that work, you have no guarantee that the sacrifices are worth it. in my experience i've come to know that things come to fruition later on --- and it's because of the times where you were almost at rock bottom... it's the artist lifestyle
GGNYC: tell us about a female that has taught you something and what it was
PV: i have so many great females in my life. my mother has been my moral compass since day one, which is the most important thing i think any woman can have. my grandmother, so wise and influential... without even knowing it, by saying one little sentence! and being in this field, there's a lot of women that do hair and makeup and models who have these amazing stories. for example, i worked with this model who survived ovarian cancer and had a hysterectomy... stories like that put things into perspective and make you feel so grateful
GGNYC: what do you think is one of the biggest challenges millennial women have to deal with
PV: you know for a long time, women had to be very mum about things... even though we've always been stronger and smarter... but now, i think our challenge is that since gender roles continue to change, we are no longer holding back--- and to have to learn to co-exist with our male counterparts in a very equal way is tough. from my relationship i've learned that yes as a woman i think differently than my partner, but you have to be conscious of both thought processes in order to make things work, and that's not just my job--- it's his too
GGNYC: what makes you feel vulnerable
PV: admitting that i'm wrong... and really owning the fact that i fucked up. not just saying a quick surface sorry, but really being able to reflect on it
GGNYC: what's the best part of being a mom
PV: seeing little pieces of yourself in your kids, seeing those little nuances in human nature that people try to cover up as they get older that are so raw in children
GGNYC: what's one piece of advice that you would give your 15 year old self
PV: i would tell me that it's all going to be okay, you can make mistakes and that's okay because it's only going to make you more authentic. stop trying to make everyone else happy. and i would also tell myself to stop plucking them eyebrows! it ain't gonna be cute in another five years when you have little skinny brows! {laughs}
GGNYC: finish this sentence: my girlfriends are ____
PV: my rocks