Daily Inspiration: Meet Vivian Stephens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivian Stephens.

Hi Vivian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Vivian Stephens. I’m a professional makeup artist, creative director, and photographer with 19 years of experience in the industry.
My love of makeup started at a young age watching my mom work with clients as a Mary Kay consultant. I was so inspired by how encouraged and confident my mom was able to help these women feel and I wanted to extend that same empowerment to people of all walks of life. I truly believe that beauty should be accessible to any and everyone, and being able to express oneself in the most unadulterated way is such a gift. I feel incredibly blessed and privileged to be able to share that gift with the world.

My expertise in working with all skin tones and textures, and ability to bring a refined, high-end aesthetic to every project has allowed me to have work featured in commercials, editorial spreads, and global campaigns.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a professional makeup artist and photographer I often have to navigate the ebb and flows of this demanding industry. It’s difficult to not feel like a struggling artist with big dreams, however I have even bigger challenges. Living with scleroderma has been a constant battle, affecting not just my body but my passion for beauty. I remember the nights spent crying, feeling like I was never going to break through the barriers stacked against me. Often times those barriers make me feel like I don’t have access to rooms with opportunities I’ve worked tirelessly to be in.

I fought through rejection and self-doubt, all while desperately trying to make a name for myself in this competitive industry. There were days when I barely had enough to get by, dreaming of the success that seemed so far out of reach. But I’ve continued to cling to my passion, using makeup and photography as my escape and my voice.

Today, I stand before you, still navigating these challenges, but more determined than ever.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in representation in Beauty. I believe everyone should have access to that. So, I have made it a point to specialize in being adoptable. I want people to be able to see themselves as beautiful in however many forms that comes in. Being a chameleon in this industry has allowed me to approach any opportunity in any challenge with a fresh set of eyes and allows me to take my technical skills and refinement and deliver beautiful results for my clients.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is that every part of the journey is the journey. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. It’s hard for me to not want to be a perfectionist. It’s hard to not want to draw comparison to all of the other makeup artists and photographers that I am inspired by. The thing is, practice does not make perfect. It should never make perfection. Practice makes improvement and as long as I’m providing consistent results, and they’re an improvement from the last project. Then I’m satisfied. I believe as an artist the fun stops when there are no longer opportunities to learn. So I approach every new makeup session as an opportunity to learn something new, to try something new and to constantly be creating. I want everyone that I work with to know that, I truly care about what I’m doing and that I’m invested in helping their vision come to life

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vivistep.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivistep

Image Credits
I’m the creative director, makeup artist, and photographer for all of the images provided.