Heidi Nymark on Switching Lanes from Snowboarding to Makeup

We can talk to our PROs all day and there are no two permanent makeup artists that are the same. This month we talked to Heidi Nymark about what took her from pro snowboarding to makeup and everything in between. 

Tell us about yourself! Your background, history & the nitty gritty of all things you! 

I have Norwegian roots. I’m a pro-snowboarder turned pro-makeup artist. I love nature and beauty and natural herbs and ingredients. I’m a devoted mother, wife, mentor and friend.

How did you first get into the beauty industry? The PMU Industry? 

The permanent makeup industry first struck my interest when I noticed the lack of quality work missing from people's brows and overall makeup routine. Everything I was seeing was overdone, fake looking and taking away from people’s natural beauty. I wanted to be able to take my knowledge and skills into the industry and enhance people's beauty.

With my knowledge of herbalism and green beauty I wanted to introduce a less toxic way of doing PMU. It's about more than just a pretty color, you need to delve deeper into the product, how it’s made, how it retains the skin and any sort of reactions it might cause. I set out on a hunt to use the best products on the market that were non-toxic but that worked. 

What makes you feel the most beautiful? 

I feel most beautiful when I’m doing what I love –making others feel better about themselves, snowboarding, yoga, and of course, skin care. When I take care of myself first, I feel less overwhelmed and can take care of others better. 

What fears or concerns did you face when you started your PMU journey? 

Putting permanent color on someone's skin is without a doubt scary. You want to have a happy client so fears of the color retaining properly or taking well to their skin was definitely an initial concern when I started out. 

What was the biggest obstacle holding you back, and how did you overcome it? 

I’d say my biggest obstacle was finding the right school and the right product. I’m kind of a perfectionist so I needed to make sure everything was in line with my beliefs and that I had the right protocol before even beginning.

What is your advice to someone who is looking to start something but is holding back? 

Oftentimes in life, you have to close certain chapters in order to open new ones. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and make sure you surround yourself with others in the industry –find a mentor and stay positive. 

Would you do anything differently when you became a PMU artist? 

Yes, I would have chosen a different school. I wish I would have researched more on the type of school I chose because the one I did end up going to pushed out way too much information in only a short period of time. My 15 years of experience and knowledge as a professional makeup artist helped me retain some of it but in the end, I actually ended up going back to school to relearn. A longer program over the course of a week vs 2-3 days would have been a better option for me.

What have been the most helpful resources for you? 

Without a doubt, friends in the industry. Having a solid network of artists that I can bounce ideas and methods off of has been my lifeline. I was also in permanent makeup facebook groups which provided a wealth of knowledge that I could pick and choose from and decide what worked best for me. 

What’s one thing you’re going to keep doing and one thing you want to stop doing? 

I’m never going to stop educating myself. Knowledge is power and there is so much to learn. New products and technology are coming out each and every day. It’s so important to stay on top of it so you can provide the best for your clients.

I’m going to stop taking on work that doesn’t serve me anymore so that I can be a better mother, wife, friend and business owner. 

What is one piece of advice you would share with someone just starting out in the permanent makeup industry? 

Again, I can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research. Picking the right school and finding your community is so imperative to success. Don’t compare yourself to others or be intimidated by what lies ahead. Instead, utilize the knowledge and examples the artists you admire are providing to your own benefit. We all start at the bottom, turn your fear into determination.

What is one piece of life advice you would give to your 18 year old self? 

To never forget about “you” and remember the importance of self-care. Self-love and balance in life is so important and I neglected that for way too long. Be open to change, to learning and growth. Life is going to change so much in the years ahead, it’s better to  welcome it then to fight it.

Want to learn more? Follow Heidi on Instagram and SULA Beauty here.