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

Hi Erin, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor in the success of my brand is the ability to adapt to trends and new directions in the industry, relying heavily on my intuition and maintaining a positive outlook. I’ve been in the beauty industry for over 20 years and I’ve reinvented myself many times in order to stay relevant in the industry, Just like Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” The only thing that has truly been a constant for me, is that I never stop looking for what’s next.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My love of creating beauty has taken many forms over the years – makeup, hair styling, cosmetic tattoo, and now artist development. I’ve worked as a professional makeup artist for over 20 years, working with celebrities, red carpets, ad campaigns, and in all types of media. As much as I love working on set, I felt like I found my true voice and opportunity to make an impact in the cosmetic tattoo industry. At the beginning of the pandemic, my intuition told me that it was time to make a shift in my business. It was time to focus on helping other artists get through the devastating lock downs. I got organized, got on zoom, and started creating content to provide a lifeline for new artists to keep moving forward in spite of covid 19 closures. I think what sets me apart as an artist is that I’ve created my own techniques and work flows that create undetectable beauty enhancement. I love natural beauty and subtle transformations, which is what made me a successful makeup artist. The last few years I’ve been focusing on teaching, and artist development. It’s been so wonderful to bring my experience as a makeup artist into another world, and create a platform where new artists find their way. I’m coaching and mentoring, and building a community of talented, ambitious, like-minded artists. I’ve found that the more I give of myself, the stronger I am, and more resilient I become. I’m really proud of the program that I’ve created, the community of artists that I’ve helped to bring up, and feel so grateful that I was able to make these shifts when I did. I’ve never been more in love with my job! The biggest lesson for me has been to stay rooted in the energy of growth and expansion, not make fear based decisions, and to stay in tune with my intuition.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Los Angeles!!!! There are so many things to do here… If my bff was visiting, we would go hiking, hit the beach, eat ALL the shave ice in Korea Town, and definitely rooftop drinks if covid wasn’t thing! Some of my favorite spots are EP LP rooftop, Runyon Canyon, Oakobing, and hit the Melrose Trading Post flea market on Sundays.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe a lot to the people who have believed in me along the way! My agent at Art Department Los Angeles (Chip Adams), my clients who continue to support me, and I’d like to shout out Kim Crider, brand strategist at MEI-CHA who has encouraged me to step into more of a leadership role in the cosmetic tattoo community. I’ve been so inspired by the way she has created an inclusive community of artists, and a platform where artists find their voices. People like her make anything seem possible!

Website: www.contourandink.com

Instagram: @contour.and.ink

Linkedin: @erinskipley

Facebook: facebook.com/contourandink

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=contour+and+ink&find_loc=Koreatown%2C+Los+Angeles%2C+CA

Youtube: youtube.com/contourandink

Other: Makeup site: www.erinskipley.com @erinskipley on IG (makeup/hair) https://www.art-dept.com/la-hairmakeup/erin-skipley/8989/www.art-dept.com

Image Credits
Paige Sierra

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.