Business Spotlight
Mantra Creative Beauty
Location: 116 2nd Street East
Mantra Creative Beauty is a wedding and special event hair and makeup company dedicated to bringing each client's vision to life. With over 25 years of combined experience, their team of professional artists provides personalized styling including airbrush makeup, expert hairstyling, and men's grooming for weddings, photoshoots, proms and events. Focused on enhancing natural beauty, they create customized looks that feel authentic, polished, and unforgettable for every special moment. Co-owner Katie M. shared the following about her business:
What inspired you to start Mantra Creative Beauty? I've been a working makeup artist for nearly 20 years now, so I've had plenty of time to discover what I love (and don't love) about the industry. Once lockdown started, I had the time and energy to develop a business format that felt holistic and valuable. Coincidentally, a few months later I reconnected with an old friend from junior high who had recently lost her job in healthcare. Over a social-distancing Happy Hour she mentioned that she had a knack for hairstyling and like the saying goes.... the rest was history!
What are your signature services or specialties? On-site wedding hair and makeup, as well as hair and makeup for professional headshot photography
Can you tell us about what your client experience is like? We have clients tell us all the time that they can definitely tell that my business partner Kayla and I are best friends (sometimes they even think we're sisters!) That's the greatest part of the experience to me. Oftentimes our brides come to us nervous and sometimes uncomfortable because this industry can be a bit intimidating at times. At the end of the day, makeup washes off and hair can be brushed out. The experience is meant to be fun, laid back and collaborative!
Tell us about your team of professional artists and what makes them special? One of the most special parts of my job is getting to train and apprentice new and inexperienced artists. I benefited from amazing mentorship early in my career and it feels full-circle to be able to do the same for others.
What do you love most about what you do? Wedding days! We get to be there on one of the most important days of people's lives! I feel so privileged to be invited to share that experience with them, and it's a big part of what made me fall in love with what I do for a living.
We have to ask, tell us about Memphis, your PR manager and guest services pup He's truly the hardest working member of the team! When we first set up shop, we worked out of a small studio in my home where we would host bridal trials. Memphis would obviously want to be involved, and seeing as he is a 150lb herding dog, he succeeded in that venture more often than not. We started to notice that he had a calming presence for some of our more anxious brides, laying his head in their lap while we worked on her makeup and hair. Don't tell him (he's already got one heck of an ego), but we've actually booked several weddings over the years because of Memphis!
To learn more, visit mantracreativebeauty.com
If you’re interested in having your business featured in the update, or if you have information to share, email Julie Grove.