Blogging has become a media sensation in the past few years, and the world of make-up artistry is caught up in the moment! Recent Complections graduate Jilly Ijoe was at the forefront of the trend, starting an online beauty blog in 2008 with a friend. She soon went solo, and Kirei Makeup has become an internet sensation receiving over 15,000 hits a month. “I started doing the blog for fun,” Jilly told us. “I did make-up for fun, and helped at my cousin’s bridal store. It didn’t become an obsession until after,” she laughs.
Jilly chose to come to Complections based on the small class sizes, the focus the school has on so many different aspects of make-up artistry (beauty, theatrical, special make-up effects), and the amazing credentials of the instructors. “When I saw their experience,” Jilly says, “that sealed the deal.” After studying make-up for fashion, film and television, theatre, prosthetics (as well as three weeks of hairstyling for photography and film), Jilly graduated in the top three percentile of her class.
Now Jilly finds herself balancing a busy schedule of fashion shows, bridal jobs and photo shoot creatives, which she hopes will soon translate into magazine submissions (she has already had her work published in Kismet Magazine for their February 2010 issue). She recently worked on the Miss Canada Universe pageant 2010 in Toronto, and was also the Key Make-up Artist for the short film Sunday Night Dinner.
With all this going on, the blog also keeps her busy – “I try to update at least every other day, and at least three times a week.” Major cosmetic brands like Maybelline and L’Oreal have taken notice, and Jilly was also invited to the Balm Shell Beauty event. Although she considers it a “hobby”, the blog has become an excellent personal marketing tool for Jilly’s great talent, and she enjoys the “sharing” aspect of the blogging community. We don’t doubt that her diverse skill set and go-getting attitude will help Jilly find the success she deserves!
