Meet Vanessa Vaz | Makeup Artist & Super Saiyan Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Vaz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Wow-this question made me really think about the cool stuff I’ve done. I’d say I’m pretty proud of everything I do, but my shinning moments actually both happened last year. So the first one is like something I still can’t really get over, but I was able to assist Ms. Lauryn Hill’s stylist for a performance she had, in which she wore the dress I picked. And all of this because my homegirl put me on. Second being I did the makeup for an Indie Film called “For Rosa”, which is an amazing story about a group of immigrant women were sterilized without consent in the 1970’s at USC Medical. It was the first time I had to do a period piece, so I was really excited. And the story is so good, I couldn’t say no. I got to where I’m at professionally just by working hard, and meeting a lot of people. But also, by just having a nice attitude. Things are fairly easy when you are a good person and maintain good work ethic. That’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned to be honest. I’ve seen a lot of people work hard but because of their attitudes, they blocked so many blessings. Nobody wants to work with a person with a sh*tty attitude. If I had to tell anyone something about myself or my brand, it’d probably would be to stay authentic. My brand is authentic and so am I. And that’s all we have at the end of the day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ohhh I like this! I just moved to New Orleans, so my friends have been coming to visit-with heir masks on duh. So, first off-we gotta get some coffee and some pastries. I usually hit up Mojo Coffee shop-it’s a fire local brand, my homegirl manages one of their shops! Then all week we’re hitting the art galleries, City Park, NOMA (New Orleans Museum of Art), the Botanical Garden-those are some of my fave places in the city. Obviously-we gotta hit the French Quarter and Bourbon street-which I never go to but as a visitor, you must. On Friday nights, we usually find some random stuff to get into; maybe somebody’s kick back, maybe an art gallery party. There’s a cool event called Mind of Art-which is a night market where local artisans post up, as well as various food trucks, and there’s usually a few performers. Always a fun vibe. Saturday nights we’re usually at Club Caribbean-a super dive bar that plays Caribbean music and the different sounds of the Diaspora. Think bashment boogie in Brooklyn, mad fun. There’s also tons of amazing parks in New Orleans to check out. This city never ceases to amaze me with it’s beauty. But my favorite thing about Nola is definitely the food. WHEW. I’m vegan and have been since 2012, and trust and believe when I say-the vegan food here is unlike any I’ve had ever. I sometimes wish I lived here prior to me being vegan cause hunnnnnyyyyyy the smell of crawfish in the morning will make your soul leave your body. lol.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My tribe. Without them I would be lost and really bored. They give me the love I can’t give myself, they hold me down, they open doors for me (literally and figuratively speaking), they nurture my creative and ratchet sides lol. I couldn’t even ask for a better group of people.

Instagram: @TheStylishRebel