Glen Cover ‘making up’ the rules as she goes

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It is not uncommon for little kids to find their way into their parents’ cosmetics bag. Not too long after that bag is discovered, they emerge victorious from the bathroom with a full face of makeup — often recklessly applied — and a feeling of accomplishment in their work. For local makeup artist, Jennie Gonzalez, of Makeup by Jennie G., this classic mishap was how her passion for makeup was born.
“Oh Lord, I was horrible — you couldn’t leave me alone!” Gonzalez said recalling her own brush with her mother’s makeup bag. “You would find me there covered in red lipstick — that was my favorite color.”
Gonzalez would always do hair and makeup for her relatives anytime there was a party or family gathering. Having grown up in Brooklyn in the same building as all her cousins, there were plenty of people to practice on.
Gonzalez attended the Learning Institute for Beauty Sciences, now known as Empire Beauty School, in Manhattan in 2000. After she got her official cosmetology license she worked in several different salons for a few years across New York City and Long Island. Eventually, she decided to try her hand at retail.
She got a job at Macy’s in Hicksville, at the Benefit Cosmetics counter. “That’s when I just fell in love with really doing makeup,” she said. After Benefit she moved to the Elizabeth Arden counter, which readied her to take her career to the next level.

“When you become a makeup artist, the goal is to work at MAC [a cosmetic company],” she said. “When you make it to MAC you know you made it somewhere.”
Gonzalez researched and practiced. She was determined to become the best makeup artist she could be to achieve her MAC goal. “I wanted to make sure I really knew what I was doing with makeup before going into MAC,” she said.
Her drive and determination paid off.
Gonzalez landed a position as the third key manager of a MAC location in downtown Brooklyn. After years in makeup retail, she decided she wanted to connect with clients on a deeper level. Ten years ago, she moved to Glen Cove to begin building her freelance makeup business, Makeup by Jennie G.
As she built her business, she did makeup in a salon in Glen Head and for Peter Budraitis Photography shoots. She also worked at Wonderful Wedding Cakes in Locust Valley. The varied work allowed her to make her presence in the community known.
Building strong relationships with her clients is one of the most important and rewarding parts of her job, Gonzalez said, and she credits her strong people skills to the jobs she used to have. Gonzalez pointed out that these skills are especially important in the cosmetic field since makeup is not something everyone does on a daily basis. It’s important to get to know your clients, she said. Knowing if they wear makeup every day and understanding their preferred look can greatly affect their satisfaction with the finished product.
After growing her brand over the past 15 years, Makeup by Jennie G. has grown a large network of loyal clients who love what Gonzalez does. And working with some clients for several years has allowed Gonzalez to feel like part of their family.
“For some [clients] I’ve done their engagement party or their bridal shower, then I’ll do their wedding and then their baby shower,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t consider them clients; they’re like my friends.”
Part of her appeal is not only her stunning work, but also how comfortable she makes her clients feel. Danielle Langone, who graduated from Glen Cove High School in 2017, said she hired the makeup artist for two of her proms. Gonzalez “always made me feel comfortable and beautiful,” Langone explained.
Glen Cove resident Julia Farley, who once got her makeup done by Gonzalez, “couldn’t recommend her enough.” She said Gonzalez was “both professional and personable and genuinely has the client’s interest at heart.”
Gonzalez also strives to make her clients feel comfortable in less than ideal circumstances. Sometimes she is given very little space to work. She’s even done makeup crouched in a tiny bathroom or hunched over in a closet. This prompts her to dress as casually as possible when working with clients — sometimes wearing pajamas — and, often, she won’t wear makeup herself.
“You’re not going to judge me by my pajamas,” she said. “You’re going to judge me because I’m giving you good work.”
Above all, Gonzalez loves her job and is incredibly passionate about what she does. The greatest pleasure, she said, is that she has turned one of her passions into a full-blown career, and that she can pick up and move her business wherever she roams. “I’m truly, truly grateful.”
For more information, or to book an appointment, visit www.microbrowsbyjennieg.com.