Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Abraham.
Hi Jordan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been a girly girl, and let’s just say my parents definitely encouraged it. Before I could even walk, I would lug around a purse and the only thing that was inside was my “glip gloss” that had to be reapplied constantly throughout the day. I have a sister that is 12 years my senior, and I would always watch as she got ready, doing her hair and makeup I was intrigued, she would even let me apply her products on my face, and I will always cherish those memories. Same for my mom she was never really into makeup, but when she did, her go-to glam was MAC powder foundation, blush, mascara, her signature black liner on her top lid, water line, and lastly MAC lipstick, and the color was dependent on the day. When I turned 15, my mom being the supportive parent that she always was, decided that it was time to take me makeup shopping for the first time. We went to Macy’s, and she let me explore all the different cosmetic counters since she wasn’t as well-versed in makeup and the different trends at the time, we got help from multiple beauty advisors. I went home with goodies from MAC, Bare Minerals, Clinique, and most of all my favorite at the time was Anastasia Beverly Hills. Almost every beauty influencer in 2016 used Anastasia Dip Brow and her highlight Glow Kits, so I made sure that I had my own by the end of the shopping trip. From there, I began to watch YouTube videos and practice on myself and my mom when she would let me. I continued to grow more and more in love with makeup and the way that it could enhance my natural beauty and also just make me feel empowered and beautiful. Around my senior year of high school, I started getting really good and I began practicing on friends and family for fun not knowing that in a few short years, this passion would soon turn into a full-blown business. After graduating high school, I went off to attend the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Education and after only being on campus a few months, I realized there were no student makeup artists. With this in mind, I began to practice more on myself and a few of my friends throughout the year. Fast forward to March 2020, COVID hit, and I moved back home. However, with all the free time in quarantine, I began to level up my skills even more, and I slowly gained more confidence in my skills. About a year later, in June 2021, I wanted to take makeup seriously, so I set up a small makeup area in the corner of my college bedroom. It wasn’t much, but this was the start to LuxedByJay. About three months later in September of 2021, I decided it was time to invest in myself, so I began to purchase all the products I needed to start and be able to do faces of all shade ranges. In October 2021, I created my Instagram page @LuxedByJay and posted my first booking schedule. I started out charging $25 in order to build my clientele, and I wanted to create an experience at an affordable cost for my clients, who were majority college students. My business began to grow over the next 6 months but, since I was a full-time student, I took a break in Summer 2022. However, once August came, I hit the ground running, and I began to revamp my brand, and it continued to grow from there! I was home-based at this time but I had a whole room fully dedicated to makeup which was very exciting for me. In March of this year, I was blessed to do Bri Trilla, an up-and-coming rap artist’s makeup for her SXSW performance. This further validated for me that I was walking in my purpose, and it let me know that this was only the beginning of an amazing journey ahead. Over this past summer, I had the opportunity to do makeup for a bridal party which I loved, and am hoping to expand my artistry into bridal makeup as well! I moved back home to Houston from college in August and I completely rebranded and took a leap of faith and began to rent my own private suite so that I could further elevate my brand. This journey has not been easy, there are good days and bad days but, I am grateful for all the lessons learned and the amazing opportunity that I have been blessed with to not only help enhance others’ natural beauty but to also make them feel seen, heard, and beautiful!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been an amazing journey, don’t get me wrong, but with anything, there have been some struggles. I began my business while being in college so at times, it was hard to balance schoolwork and being a makeup artist. I wanted to service as many clients as I could but, sometimes my schedule would just not allow it. Also, I was initially doing makeup in my bedroom which could be a bit intimidating sometimes especially if I had never met the client who was being serviced before. However, I had really great experiences overall. Another struggle I have faced more recently is building my clientele here in Houston. I gained a really good client base over the course of a year and a half in Austin, so it has been an adjustment since I have basically started from scratch here, but I am grateful for all of the love I have been shown and to every individual who has booked with me in the past two and a half months!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a self-taught makeup artist, specializing in natural glams but, I also really enjoy doing creative looks as well! I am known for my glams being natural but beautiful and long-lasting. I am most proud of my growth as an artist since I am self-taught. There is a lot of trial and error but I am thankful for where I am and looking forward to my continued growth! I think what sets me apart from others is my personality and the experience I create for my clients. My studio is a safe space for all individuals regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Everyone is welcome to be who they are when they get LuxedByJay.
What’s next?
My plans for the future is to one day open my own salon/salon suites made up of other Houston area creatives and beauty providers. I want it to be a sanctuary where people can come in and walk away feeling like their best selves! A dream of mine is to be able to do makeup full-time in the coming years as well as beauty influencing and content creation which is something I have slowly been getting into. I am also looking forward to get more opportunities to do makeup for weddings and celebrities!
Pricing:
- Natural Lux (Glam) $70
- Soft Lux (Glam) $75
- Ultimate Lux (Glam) $85
- 1:1 Makeup Course $300
- Bridal Makeup Price Varies $100 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: www.luxedbyjay.com
- Instagram: @luxedbyjay
- Other: Tiktok @luxedbyjay
Image Credits
@ttsenre
