Vendor Spotlight |Award Winning Make-up Artist | Beauty & the Blush | Tasha Puckey Photography
I am so thrilled + honored to interview our next amazing wedding vendor. Codi Lee Clark from Beauty & the blush is such an amazing down to earth human being. I got to know Codi a little more on a trip to Colorado in 2019. She’s hilarious, ridiculously amazing with her talents + if you are looking for a wedding make-up artist you don’t have to look much further.
- Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Codi and I am the owner of Beauty and the Blush LLC. A small-town company that I created from the ground up, that I never could have done without the love and support of my husband and family. I couldn’t love my “job†more. I am 29, soon to be 30 BUT NOT YET, yes still 29 years old. I live in Central Pennsylvania, one of what I believe is the most esthetically beautiful places on earth. I love the mountains and views Pennsylvania has to offer. I am also an Oilfield wife of 3 years, 11 years together. In which we created one of the most unique, sassiest, cutest, little girls with the biggest heart. She is 3 going on 27, and her name is Gianna. I live for Christmas and the whole holiday season. I actually have a tattoo of a candy cane with a snowflake beside it on my arm. I especially love all of the Holiday baking competition shows. I’m a total junkie for them! I love jamming out to 90’s music or 80’s rock. I also have a newly found love for scrunchies and I don’t regret it. At all. A fun fact is that for being a MUA I rarely ever wear makeup anymore. I have the pleasure of sharing a beautiful studio with my best friends, the members of Dear Grace Photography in the Lock Haven area, where we make dreams come true. With them, we are proud to announce that we plan to open a new business together for the upcoming wedding season of 2020. No, I will not tell you what it is, good things come to those that wait!
- What was your dream job growing up?
When I was little, I actually had 2 dream jobs. My first was to be a pasty chef! SURPRISE! Has nothing to do with my baking show addiction. Every birthday and holiday I would ask for cake decorating kits and I was always trying to teach myself how to create beautiful tasty treats. My second was, believe it or not, to be a Photographer. I was accepted straight out of high school by Boston University for their Photography program. But life happened and I did not go. My grandfather was a professional photographer in Massachusetts. And even though he passed away before I was old enough for him to teach me all he knew; I still think that a part of him became a part of me through the lens of a camera.Â
- 3 words that describe your brand.
Three worlds that describe my brand are definitely whimsical, glamourous and YASSS QUEEN!
- How did you get into the wedding make-up industry?
When I was a little girl, I would watch my mom putting her makeup on all the time. Back when burning your pencil eyeliner was the fad. Yes, LIGHT it with a lighter, blow on it a little then apply it to your eye. I don’t know who came up with that but thank god its over! Any who, I slowly became obsessed with makeup. How just applying it to the right areas with the correct colors could transform your face and mood about yourself. I wanted to bring that joy to people with my talent. Doing makeup is almost second nature to me. Its something that comes naturally and I love doing it. It therapeutic and almost like art to me in a way. So, I started my business a little over 4 years ago. Never imagining it would go as far as it has. I have traveled across multiple states from Massachusetts to Colorado to share my love for doing makeup. My work has been published in “First for Women†magazine, and I myself was featured in “The Wandering Photographer†maternity magazine with hair and makeup I did on myself for a photo I had taken with Amanda Steinbacher Photography LLC. I’ve worked on sets for plays, as well as alongside many amazing photographers and venders for weddings, fashion shows and photoshoots. So, one day I made a choice this is what I want to do with my life. I want to make people feel and look amazing, and simply never looked back.
- What sets you apart in this industry?
The thing that sets me apart in my industry is my personality. I am someone who LOVES to laugh and have a good time. But still get things done and makes you feel like the queen that you are. I also can adapt easily to what it is specially that YOU want. I don’t do one specific style of makeup. You want a natural everyday look, you got it. You want to be snatched to the high heavens? Let’s do it girl! I also have a passion for doing Halloween style makeup, doing things outside of the box and letting my creative juices flow! I am very tentative to what it is that my client wants so that they feel comfortable coming back for every event.
- What does a typical wedding day look like?
A typical wedding for me starts BRIGHT AND EARLY! I am often one of the first vendors to arrive and I like to think that I help to set the tone for the day. I bust out my speaker, so we can jam to some Ja-Rule radio and just do the damn thang. I like to make it the least stressful on the bride as I can because this is one of the biggest days of her life. Grab a mimosa girl, have a seat in my chair and relax. I love getting to chat individually with each bridesmaid while I do their hair or makeup, seeing how she knows the bride or funny stories they have about each other. A typical wedding for me usually lasts into early afternoon where I do simple lip touchups and then hand them off to the photographers to get the amazing shots they need before the ceremony begins.Â
- What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
Being a part of the wedding industry is something that is very near and dear to my heart. Seeing the bride all done up, after they zip up her dress, and she slips on her shoes then she faces the mirror for the first time. The look on her face, THAT is the moment that is my favorite. And that moment is what keeps me in this industry. Her seeing what her groom sees in her comes to life and things become real to her. That she is beautiful inside and out. I became part of the wedding industry almost 5 years ago. And I remember one of my first brides was magazine worthy GORGEOUS in her dress! I stayed to watch her walk down the aisle because seeing the groom’s reaction is just as good as seeing the brides. I bawled. Standing by the fence with the caterers, sobbing like I had known the couple for years. They asked if I knew her and I simply replied not really, but look how in love they are. After that day I was hooked and couldn’t imagine myself not being a part of the wedding industry.Â
- If you could do anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?
If I could go anywhere tomorrow, I’d go camping. Yes, I said camping. It is one of my favorite pastimes and I love how close it brings families. Relaxing by the fire, playing cards, just living our best lives while consuming all the yummy foods. There is simply no better food on earth then a mountain pie or hot dog cooked over the fire. It is something that my family used to do together when I was little and it’s something, I plan on doing together for a long time. - What has the Covid-19 isolation taught you?
The isolation that COVID-19 has brought has defiantly opened not just my eyes but also millions of Americans. It has taught me to step back and take a breath. Even though there are TONS of negatives this virus has caused, sitting around thinking of all those things aren’t going to do anything healthy for the mind or body. It has showed me that things happen unexpectedly, and even though I am not allowed to physically work, there are still the kindest of souls out there helping to support my business in this extreme time of need. Quarantine has brought me time to build sheet forts, time to take nature walks, time to be painting rocks and drawing on sidewalks with chalk. It has brought me TIME. Time with my daughter, husband and immediate family that this time of year I normally don’t have. These times are one of the roughest I’ve gone through business wise, but nothing with outweigh the memories I have created during the Quarantine of COVID-19.
All images captured by |Â Dear Grace Photography
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