Today we’d like to introduce you to Carisa Jurek.
Hi Carisa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been “crafty” and used to focus on things like cross-stitching and hand-sewing felt play food. However, after I herniated a couple cervical discs in my neck, I could no longer do those things because looking down for long periods of time was super painful. I really missed having a creative outlet until I discovered makeup during COVID. Since all I had to do was look straight ahead into a mirror, it didn’t irritate my neck and I was able to create to my heart’s content without pain. The timing worked out really well also; because it was during COVID, I had extra time on my hands at home and wasn’t afraid to experiment with looks that I maybe wouldn’t have been comfortable wearing outside of the house. It was freeing to be able to make mistakes without fear of judgement! This initial interest in mainstream makeup led me to indie makeup brands, where I discovered the wide world of specialty eyeshadows. I fell in love with how multichromes could shift through an entire rainbow of colors depending on the lighting. I think it’s so fun to sleuth out and capture these color shifts in photos! I didn’t have anyone in my life who shared my excitement over these things, so I started up an Instagram and became part of the online indie makeup community. On it, I share mainly makeup looks, swatches, reviews, and product photography. As someone who appreciates both beauty and practicality, my focus is on creating content that is aesthetically pleasing but also realistic.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Aside from simply finding time to create while working and being a wife and mother, figuring out how to translate what I see with my eyes into a photo was very hard for me because I have zero experience in photography. Like, not even an introductory class in high school. Capturing the shifts and sparkle of multichromes requires knowledge about lighting and focus that I don’t have and it’s such an odd niche of photography that there really isn’t any info out there on it. As a result, I’ve just learned what works through (SO MUCH) trial and error. Most days, I still feel like I’m just making it all up as I go along!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create indie beauty content that combines an analytical mindset with an appreciation for aesthetics. I’ve really found my niche in photographing and providing thorough breakdowns of multichrome single eyeshadows and indie eyeshadow palettes. One of my biggest goals with my content is to help consumers make educated purchasing decisions. I often use macro photography to show the textures, sparkles, and shifts of an eyeshadow in detail. I also really enjoy creating all kinds of makeup looks from simple, soft and neutral to bold and colorful. I’m in my late 30s and also feel like it’s important to show that you don’t need to be a teen or young adult to pull these looks off!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I personally hope that we move on a bit from the “clean girl” aesthetic; I’d love to see more colorful makeup out and about. It also would be awesome to see a shift toward purchasing from smaller indie cosmetic brands versus big box stores and the brands they feature. Some of them are run by a single person or family and supporting small businesses is important to me. We’ve started seeing multichromes become more accessible over the past year or two, even at the drugstore level, so I hope to see that continue as well.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @tater.swatch.hotdish
