Meet Jaeden Yates

We were lucky to catch up with Jaeden Yates recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaeden, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I had to hype myself up when I felt down in my younger years. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood with little to no black representation in the media that I was consuming, I didn’t have any blueprint to work off, so I had to paint an image of what I believed to be success. I was super in my head and even had moments of hatred for standing out, but as I grew up I slowly learned to perfect my representation of myself to the public to be what it is today. In short, self love with a pinch of delusion and narcissism (in a healthy way of course)

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

What I do is simply express my artistic talents through media. Makeup has been a huge outlet for me to achieve that in any means necessary. I love making videos showcasing my artistic skills and aesthetic while at the same time teaching others my tips and techniques. I frequently get asked how I find the time or what drives me to dedicate so much effort in my appearance, to which I can honestly answer that it’s just how I’ve been all my life and I find it exhilarating to see beauty in any way I can. Currently, I’m aspiring to become an educator in esthetics which tackles all things beauty which includes skin care and makeup. I’ve always been open to sharing my experience and journey as an up and coming makeup artist and I know it can be challenging for those who may be starting at square one. I wanna be a guidance and support to those who want to feel and look their best in any way possible.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The most important qualities that come to mind that I think everyone should know is to have patience, be consistent and be critical. A full face of makeup is not going to take 15 minutes nor does it need to take several hours to achieve a flawless look. They’re gonna be multiple days where it’s simply a trial and error, but you have to trust the process. It’s also important to be consistent in how much you’re trying to work on your craft. It took me years to get to where I am now with my skills, and with every look I learned what I liked versus what I didn’t like to apply it to the next. It’s also important to note that not everything you do is beautiful or amazing. I have multiple photos and videos of me back in high school that I thought was the peak of my abilities, however, now looking back at them, I can confidently tell myself, “That was an INTERESTING choice I did…” You need to know when to point out flaws and details from a prior look or project and learn how to better in the next. There’s always room for improvement! You shouldn’t beat yourself up at the end of the day, but you can always do better to set the bar higher from where you are right now. For those starting out and wanting to make a name for themselves, be hungry, be passionate and know your worth in any industry you step into. There’s gonna be dozens of people in the field, but ask yourself what makes you stand out from the rest?

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Two people come to mind as of thinking of it. My mother for starters of course. She’s been in my corner since birth and with any activity, idea, or path I choose she’s there to motivate and always be the second opinion I can rely on. The second person is my dear best friend Marley. I’ve been at my absolute lowest dealing with personal issues, creators block and all round stress but he’s always there to clear my mind and put things in a different perspective that I’m not able to see at the time. Those two are ying and yang for when it comes to my creativity and motivation to keep me going. If they approve, I know I’m doing something right. Even with me being heavily critical of myself, they both come together to praise me for my achievements and help me acknowledge the milestones I’ve surpassed over the years while pushing me to keep going when I feel I’ve hit my limit.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Jaes.tumblr