Graduate Feature: Adela Simpalean

They both have two notable things in common: they’re fun and they’re two groups of strong personalities that challenge my mind and my emotional being—I love them, and I owe them a lot! We learn from one another other, we stand up for each other, we communicate openly with one another, we care for those around us, we build together, and we trust in each other.

Why did you decide to go into makeup artistry? What about it appeals to you?

I remember as a young girl, I liked to draw and knit—and I still do. I also remember that when it came to reading and watching movies, I always focused on the characters. If I put all those quirks together—interest in people, attraction to characters and their peculiarities, drawing and knitting—I can admit that all these lead me to doing makeup and personal styling as an adult.

I decided to enroll in an online makeup course a few years after I started fistiQ – the beauty salon. I regretted that I wasn’t doing something beautiful with my hands, and makeup is the first idea that eventually lead to my opening the beauty salon.

What I like about makeup is that it’s a way to enhance beauty in people. I get to show them how beautiful they are and help them feel great in their skin. That’s my mission as a makeup artist.

When we speak of characters, makeup has to be the fine and exact point of expression, smoothly integrated within all the defining elements of the character. The greatest challenge is to reach the optimum level. Not too much, nor too little.

Hair & concept by Dan Stoica | Photography by Emil Costrut | Makeup artistry by Adela Simpalean

We noticed that you’ve been a finalist in a couple contests with QC Makeup Academy. Do you have any advice for others about creating prize-winning, unique looks?

I entered the contests to stir up the ability to create a concept while making good use of my skills and knowledge.

I realized that with each “production”, I further developed the ability to pay attention to multiple areas at once. The theme, criteria for evaluation, attention to the model, and my artistic style come together in a synergy of these elements.

My advice to others would be to make a list of all the important elements you must take into consideration for your work. That would make a huge difference not only for the contest itself but for every makeup job and production you work on!

See her entries for the following contests:

• Merry Little Elf Makeup Contest
• Mermaid Makeup Contest: Sparkling Surface

Hair & concept by Dan Stoica | Photography by Adriana Becichi | Makeup by Adela Simpalean

What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before starting your makeup training?

I think I started doing makeup for the sheer pleasure of it. Then it turned out that it isn’t just about myself, but about the other people involved, too.

You’re also taking the Fashion Styling Course. Are you thinking about becoming a double threat?

Beauty is a global thing. Feeling good about oneself is a global thing. In the beauty salon that I own, our mission is to deliver synergetic services and advice to our customers: hair, skin, nails, makeup and fashion. My motivations for learning makeup go beyond my own personal drive. I wanted to complement the offerings of my salon.

How do you think QC Makeup Academy has prepared you for working in the field?

I am happy with my choice in QC Makeup Academy. As a student, I learned valuable information on classical techniques in makeup application. I was stimulated to go further with practice while discovering my own makeup style.

The courses are smart. They make you think and develop a consistent behavior of thinking about all the possible details that count. The client profile, condition of the skin, physical health, the client’s special occasion, the message the client wants to deliver with her/his look, pros and cons for a particular choice, the difference a certain choice would make, etc.

Were you nervous about enrolling with an online makeup academy?

Not at all. I was happy to have the opportunity to study online. In fact, it was my only choice at that time due to limitations in my personal schedule. Being responsible with the administrative tasks for the salon, makeup was just a hobby that wasn’t at the top of my priorities. Now, I’ve learned to manage my schedule so I can enjoy makeup as both a hobby and a profession.

Do you have any career highlights thus far that you’d love to share?

Yes, being part of an experimental project is one. It’s a short movie to be released in April 2019 for which I am the primary makeup artist. It is a very resourceful, enriching, and awakening experience. The director gives me the freedom to create the most appropriate makeup looks according to the context. The tremendous challenge is to make responsibility and creativeness meet: capture the message of the director, while adding personal value to the project.

I also have done makeup for various other beauty projects for my salon that include, fistiq: Faces of Beauty, Neo Natura, History Repeating, and Q Collection (photo collections and movies). The greatest outcome from being part of a large projects for me is that I learn to synergize with, and pay accurate attention to, each member of the team. I want to do the best I can in delivering flawless application of my makeup vision while enjoying the experience as much as I can.