Allow me to reintroduce myself...Part 2

Continued:
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I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn't nervous for this interview, even though I felt I had it in the bag. I was going to talk about my passion for makeup artistry and how I’d wander around Sephora, staring at the Urban Decay gondola, knowing that one day I’d be able to afford their Primer Potion and use it on all my clients. I wanted to tell them how this product alone, in its genie-style packaging, changed the makeup game—an OG product and the one and only primer I use to this day in my kit. I sat in the waiting room before the store manager came out to get me. Even though I was nervous as hell, I knew I had to ace this interview. This had to go according to plan.
When I talk about something I’m passionate about, you can definitely feel it. The way I convey myself through artistry, I feel, speaks for itself. But given that I had no cosmetic retail experience, I wasn’t sure if my passion would only get me so far. Luckily, it did. I got hired the very next day!
Sephora inside JCPenney was a unique partnership at the time. It hadn’t been done before, and it was a smart move to bring a juggernaut like Sephora to JCPenney shoppers. I knew this was a good place to start if I wanted to eventually work for Sephora. I started my training, took it as seriously as I did everything else, and our team started the setup and opening of the store—all within two months. I was in. Well, not completely in, but I had my pinky toe in. I was the only person on the team who was an MUA and licensed esthetician. Everyone else was just there for a job. And it showed. Within four months, I got promoted to Operations Consultant. My goal was to get as close to the freestanding Sephora as possible. I was determined to work solely for Sephora. Now, at the time, there was a rule that Sephora inside JCPenney employees were not allowed to be recruited by a freestanding Sephora. Don’t be confused; Sephora inside JCPenney employees were not Sephora employees. We were JCPenney property. Or at least that’s what it felt like when the JCPenney manager would remind us of this every chance she got. But did I listen? Absolutely not.

One day, I woke up and said, “Today is the day I apply to Sephora. This will be my sixth and last time. This is it.” I printed out the application, filled it out, and made my way to Sephora, confident as hell. I went up to the register, asked to speak to the manager, and handed them my application. The manager, Kristina, came out, introduced herself, gave me a minute of her time to hear me out, and invited me for an interview. I aced the first one. Then came the second interview, in which I had to pretend to help a customer at Sephora Collection. I aced that one, too. I was offered a full-time position at Sephora after that. I was on cloud nine! I finally achieved what I was working so hard for! Nothing could stop me… or could it?
Remember when I told you about that little rule that us JCPenney employees couldn’t be recruited? Oh, well, let’s just say that definitely almost cost me this opportunity. Once word got out that I was leaving for Sephora, the store manager of JCPenney decided to have words for me… in front of the entire store! This woman screamed at the top of her lungs about how livid she was that they were taking me away from them. I stood my ground and told her that I was the one who went down there myself to apply. I interviewed, and they offered me the position. It was my right. She was seething. Customers and employees were standing around and staring at us. It was humiliating, but I wasn’t going to let anyone tell me what to do. Come on, I’m an Aries.
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After the shouting match, she decided to call Sephora management and tell them that they couldn’t hire me. I remember sobbing in my car while on the phone with the Sephora manager, asking them to give me a chance and apologizing for this lady’s crazy behavior (I was 22 and had no clue). I thought this was it; I was going to lose this opportunity. The Sephora managers stood their ground and wanted to keep the offer. I was in. Officially in! When I tell you I couldn’t be more grateful for anything in my life than that at the time. I left Sephora inside JCPenney after my two weeks and never looked back. As a matter of fact, I never stepped foot in that place ever again. And that store closed in 2020.
My artistry journey flourished at Sephora. The training, the exposure to skin and makeup brands, and the skill set that grew all really started in my years working there. The camaraderie with other artists and the client base was an incredible learning experience. Working in retail cosmetics is not for the weak, but it should be required if you want to get into this business. It should be part of an initiation process, like college sororities or fraternities.
At this point, I was working for Sephora full-time, doing bridal work, and taking on some private clients. As time went on, the makeup industry was consistently ever-changing. More and more innovative products were being produced, and new skill sets were to be learned. Enter the rise of social media beauty of the 2010s: bold brows, bold bronzer, and bold highlighter.
I knew I wasn’t going to stay at Sephora forever. I was truly there just to get my feet wet. I worked my ass off, and I absolutely loved it. The knowledge that I gained and the experience that I acquired led me to become a more confident artist. But I wanted more. And remember, I had a plan, and that plan was in New York City. By 2012, I was ready to start planning for my move. I had worked my way up to Beauty Studio Artist, a Sephora-certified artist who could perform makeup applications, and I was creating a reputation for myself. A good one. I knew I was in good standing to make this move. I also knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was ready. I visited NYC, applied to Makeup Designory, and asked my manager to transfer me to a Sephora store in NYC. Everything was going according to plan. One day, I got a call from the school while working my shift. I paged to let everyone know I was going to the bathroom, but really I was waiting to get this call for over a week, so I scurried to the bathroom. I picked up, and a voice asked, “Hi, is this Jerica Santana?” I said yes, and he proceeded to say, “This is Makeup Designory, and I’m calling to inform you that your application was denied.” I didn’t hear a thing he said after that.
Part 3 coming up.
With love,
Jerica

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