Why We Started L Makeup Institute

Childhood Inspiration from LMI’s Founder, Lisette Waugh

As a young girl growing up in a Latin household, fashion and makeup played a large role in how I expressed myself. I was drawn to high fashion magazines and devoted to trying to recreate the looks that I would see. I have very vivid memories of skimming through magazines like Vogue and Bazaar and tearing out pages of all my favorite looks. 

I would then run to the grocery store and purchase various brands of makeup and try to recreate the different looks that I fell in love with. The struggle wasn’t recreating the looks but trying to find a foundation color for a young Hispanic girl that didn’t have a pink or orange undertone. I believe this setback started my obsession with makeup and ultimately led me to the beginning of my professional career as a makeup artist.

Lisette Waugh’s Decision to Open LMI

I am often asked after a successful career as a makeup artist, why take on the very ambitious challenge of opening up a school? Well, in the 90s when I chose this career path, outside of New York or LA, schools like ours did not exist. 

The main reason I started LMI was to create an environment to support those like me who want to pursue their passion of becoming a makeup artist. 

Even now, you may be able to learn some basic makeup artistry or special effects tricks as part of a cosmetology program, by attending a local makeup workshop, or watching YouTube tutorials, but those only scratch the surface of what you need to know to have a successful career as a makeup artist. In fact, makeup artistry is more than just learning bridal or beauty makeup, and there are no shortcuts to becoming a great makeup artist. 

Designing LMI’s Programs

Our programs are designed to instill in you the complex technical skills necessary for you to become a well-rounded makeup artist. The program I created consists of beauty, hair styling, airbrush, body painting, and makeup effects. These classes were specifically assembled to build off each other, taking your skills to new heights as you progress through each course. 

What makes LMI different?

You may ask, what separates LMI apart from other makeup artistry schools? I cannot speak on behalf of other schools, but we are very proud of all that we have accomplished over the past 11 years from changing Nevada law so makeup artistry is recognized as a standalone industry to being awarded a school of distinction by ACCSC. But nothing compares to how proud we are of the success of our graduates. 

I contribute our graduate success to our amazing staff, our passionate and highly trained instructors, and the proprietary curriculum I developed exclusively for L Makeup Institute. 

In addition, our incredibly appointed facility is designed to support each style of makeup taught. Having a low student-to-teacher ratio ensures each student discovers their own artistic expression. Students receive top brand makeup kits with over 500 items, having an on-site photography studio to capture student work and the length of our programs. Every detail is thought through and woven into the curriculum. 

Learn More About LMI

Our promise is that the entire L Makeup Institute team is always striving to elevate our students’ educational experience, and that begins with the first time you enter our school through your graduation and beyond. 

What does all this mean for you? We love what we do. We believe in a classroom environment of respect, collaboration, inspiration, and creative expression. We are teaching relevant employable skills. We have a sincere interest in your journey to become a successful makeup artist and we can’t wait to meet you.