Grace Revington can truly say her new venture is built on a good foundation.

The 30-year-old, who’s based in Bournemouth, has just launched her own makeup artistry business.

Grace Olivia Makeup specialises in makeup tutorials, wedding and occasion makeup.

She’s already secured 25-plus bookings for this summer and says her 2022 diary is filling up fast.

Grace has more than ten years’ experience in the beauty industry, painting thousands of beautiful faces while working for high-end luxury cosmetic and skincare brands.

In 2014 she moved to London with cosmetic retail giant SpaceNK as a National Pro Artist.

Grace stayed with the company, which has 72 stores and a further 29 in the US, for four years travelling around the UK and Europe.

Her role included training SpaceNK members of staff, holding group and 1-2-1 masterclasses, hosting events, working backstage for fashion designers, helping on nationwide campaigns, and being part of photoshoots for top magazines such as The Telegraph’s Stella.

However, Grace said London life was not all it cracked up to be and the stresses of retail caused her to revaluate her career.

She thought she’d packed her makeup brushes away for ever two years ago when she embarked on a career change and joined Sunny Bird PR, the Bournemouth-based PR agency.

Grace said: “I needed a break from the beauty industry, I found myself falling out of love with it, and was desperate for a change.

“I was thrilled when Sunny and the team gave me the opportunity to join the team in Bournemouth and immerse myself in the world of PR and social media.

“Agency life is full on, it’s fast paced and demanding but so rewarding when you secure amazing coverage and results for clients.

“I took to it quickly and I can honestly say, without the position I would never have had the confidence to launch Grace Olivia Makeup.”

Grace’s decision to revisit makeup came during the latest lockdown where she found herself in an unsettling place.

She said: “It’s kind of strange when you have always been the person that powers through, offers advice to those in need and has never suffered mentally before.

“I found the latest lockdown so hard, I felt drained, and I couldn’t see a way out of it.

“I think there were many factors that were contributing to how I was feeling, the obvious being not able to live life normally due to coronavirus, but I was also thinking back to when I was truly happy in life and in a job.

“It just clicked and I realised it was when I used my skill as a makeup artist to not only make people look and feel great on the outside but feel special and confident on the inside too.

“There isn’t a feeling quite like that.”

Grace’s style is boho/festival focused, however she can turn her hand to classic romantic looks, as well as Hollywood glamour, evening makeup and high-end editorial makeup.

Her belief is that makeup should not be used as a mask but rather to enhance natural beauty.

Grace’s experience in PR and social media marries perfectly with her new venture and she also plans to help local beauty businesses with their communication strategies.

She said: “I’m in a position where I know the best way to promote myself and manage my own social media, I even built my website from scratch in one weekend.

“I want to continue using all I have learnt and support local brands and businesses in the beauty industry.”

Grace’s first client is Dorset-based skincare brand BAO Skincare.

She has already secured a feature in Woman and Home Magazine and various other interviews for its founder, Beth Coldrick, pictured right.

Grace has more brands in the pipeline which she will be supporting in the coming months.

She said: “I have so many plans for Grace Olivia Makeup, from hiring a team, to having a standalone studio that other local artists can use, to creating an Etsy style e-commerce store for engaged couples.

“It’s been a tumultuous year for everyone, but it’s also been a time of pause and reflection.

“For me, I feel strongly that I am so ready for this exciting new chapter.”

• graceoliviamakeup.com

Grace Olivia Makeup is also on Instagram and Facebook.