Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Contrera.
Hi Natalie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story really started with a love for art long before I ever picked up a makeup brush professionally. I realized I wanted my work to be about more than just technique — I wanted it to celebrate culture and community too. That’s where my love for beauty and culture events for SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) people came in. These events became spaces where beauty traditions, heritage, and stories that don’t always get the spotlight in mainstream spaces.
Alongside that, I started teaching makeup classes, which quickly became one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. I share knowledge, helping people build confidence with their own skills, and watching beginners become professionals.
On the professional artistry side, I want to be clear about where I focus my energy: my makeup artistry services are strictly commercial and production-based. That means I work on photoshoots, e-commerce content, commercials, and other production work (not personal bridal, proms, etc). This lets me stay specialized in the fast-paced, detail-oriented world of production beauty, where camera-readiness with photographers, brands, and creative teams is everything.
So today, my work lives across three pillars: commercial and production makeup artistry, SWANA-focused beauty and culture events, and makeup education through classes.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Honestly, no. It hasn’t been a smooth road, and I think pretending otherwise would do a disservice to anyone else walking a similar path.
One of the biggest struggles has been navigating identity in a world that isn’t always welcoming. Showing up as an Arab American means constantly existing in the tension between two spaces (to keep it light). Dealing with xenophobia and having to prove I belong in rooms that weren’t necessarily built with me in mind, while also, ironically, never quite feeling “Arab enough” within my own community. That in-between feeling is exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. You’re too much of one thing in one space, and not enough of it in another. Building my SWANA beauty and culture events actually became a way to work through that. This is the entire “if there’s not a seat at the table, then build it” creating the space I needed for myself and others who felt that same disconnect.
And the financial reality of building a kit is no joke. A professional-grade kit isn’t a one-time purchase; it’s an ongoing investment that has expiration dates and hygiene always in mind. It adds up fast, and you’re often spending before you’re earning.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in commercial and production makeup artistry. Think: photoshoots, e-commerce, headshots, and commercials.
I’ve always been told I am such a community-driven person. So I think I am known for:
* Culture. Centering and celebrating SWANA beauty and identity.
* No-makeup makeup looks.
* Dewy skin.
* A skin-first mindset.
* Being community-driven.
I think I’m most proud of right now: building cultural spaces for SWANA people..
Most artists want to be known for glam or their craft. They want to be celebrity artists or bridal artists. I want to be known for community and giving back. I want to be known for helping production come from start to finish. I want to be known for giving it my all.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I don’t know if I see big shifts as much as I see AI going more into things for better and worse.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nattycontrera.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattycontrera
- Other: www.beautyiscultureevents.com, www.instagram.com/beautyiscultureevents
