Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Bertsch.
Hi Megan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I think I always wanted to be a makeup artist. I was a self-proclaimed art nerd all through my school days and was always playing with makeup. I was obsessed with the first era of youtube makeup videos and even went to LA at sixteen to go to my first makeup trade show and meet my heroes. I remember telling my mom “This is what I’m meant to do”.
However, life happens, and a lot of twists and turns got me where I am today. I started attending a private university in South Dakota for art before realizing after one year that it wasn’t my thing and makeup was still calling my name. So I moved to the big city to attend a makeup school in Minneapolis. I immediately fell in love with it and found myself working on a film set after just one week of school. I remember these days fondly as my “starving artist” times. I worked at a makeup store by day, took every makeup gig I could, traveled all the time, and loved every minute of my crazy life.
I ended up moving back to my hometown, Sioux Falls SD, and definitely had to regain my footing as a makeup artist. I eventually went back to school to get my esthetics license and business degree while working part time for a local makeup studio. That’s when I really started getting into bridal and developing my style. Just when it was looking like I had a steady career, COVID-19 hit and I found myself totally on my own after having to leave my studio.
That’s when I discovered how business savvy I could really be. It was a sink or swim moment and I basically had to create a new name for myself overnight. It was definitely scary, but going off on my own was the best thing I ever did. Just a little over a year later, the business has exploded, I’ve grown as an artist and I have an amazing network of both Sioux Falls and Minneapolis creatives I get to work with all the time. It took tons of work, but I’m really living my dream job!
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?
I remember starting out and hearing people in my industry say “You have to love it, because it’s a whole lot easier to do almost anything else,” and I think that can definitely be true. Sometimes I’d work all night on a film in the middle of nowhere. One time, I flew to Los Angeles with the last few dollars in my bank account just to try out for a job. I’ve definitely wondered where my next work and next meal is coming from, and that can be really hard on your mental health as well.
I’m glad the hustle isn’t what it was a decade ago, but there are definitely struggles when you realize you’re the boss. Your next job comes from you going out and getting it. That can be a really empowering thing, but also scary. You definitely have to trust in yourself and your work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in HD airbrush makeup for photography. I’ve become very known for soft, glowing beauty makeup that never feels like too much. Most of my clients are bridal, but I often do makeup for events, print, editorial and lifestyle photos as well.
There are so many little moments I’m proud of. I’ve been in four publications just this year, which is always super exciting. However, I think what I’m most proud of are the collaborations I’ve gotten to be a part of. I hosted the biggest shoot I’ve ever done last year, and organized everything myself from the clothing to the venue. I think we had a total of nine amazing vendors, all very prominent in my industry, donate their skill and time to me for a day, which was just so humbling and incredible. It was such a great day and those pictures are still some of my favorites, because they really reflect my style and what I can do. Who says a makeup artist can’t also be a creative director, right?
What are your plans for the future?
I plan on traveling lots more in the future for sure. I used to live and work in Paris and would love to go back and do some killer makeup there (and brush up on my French!). I’ve also missed Los Angeles so much since the pandemic and would definitely love to work there more. There are some fun business ventures in the works, but we might have to wait to hear about those!
I’m honestly at this point in my career where it feels like there are new opportunities everyday, and I’m always so excited to see what’s next!
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@meganbertschbeauty.com
- Website: meganbertschbeauty.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/meganbertschbeauty
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/meganbertschbeauty
Image Credits
Hollie Leggett
Noah Bartscher
Genevieve Westerman
Bailey Reimer
Giselle Mawadri
Solana Ringing Shield
