The “Dream”

Almost all of our clients ask the same questions, “How do you say Le Rêve and what does it mean?” Rêve is French for “Dream”, Le Rêve means “The Dream.” Then you can guess the next question, “Why did you choose Le Rêve?” This is where my story begins…

Let’s start from the beginning, my name is Hanna. I am the owner and founder of Le Rêve Makeup & Hair. My love for makeup came in high school. There was not a single defining moment in my life that cause my heart to fall in love. I played multiple sports growing up and never was a “princess.” My freshmen year of high school I let my sisters talk me into becoming a cheerleader. I thought cheerleaders were girly and not my style. Maybe putting on my cheerleading uniform changed me. From my freshmen year of high school until now, I became that girly girl! My journey has been up and down from that very moment. I was an honor roll student, in the National Honor Society, grades were important and my teacher never suspected I would become a makeup artist.

When I told my family, friends and teachers my dreams, the respond was heart breaking. I was a senior in high school, all my friends were applying to colleges to be Nurses, Teachers, Business professionals and here I was wanting to move to the “big city” and become a makeup artist and then one day own a salon.

Negative comments constantly were thrown at me. There were a lot of fights, tears and sleepless nights. My support system was limited, to most people I was making a huge mistake. My career choice was not consider “noble.” I was capable of being anything I wanted, why would I choose to be in a career field that does not always have the best reputation? I struggled believing in myself. I was told, if I did not attend college, I would not have a stable income, insurance, and all the important “adult” necessaries. Now a days, without a college degree behind my name, they look at me as if I’m nothing. The feeling of being “nothing” was miserable. I felt like the whole world was against me. I was embarrassed of myself and my dreams. So I did what everyone wanted me to do, I gave up and went to college.

After high school, I attended The Ohio University – Chillicothe campus. I was on track for Business, Marketing and/or fashion marketing, my mind and my heart couldn’t agree. I was capable of attending college, I had worked hard in school and was in the top 20 of my graduating class. It wasn’t that college was too hard, it was that I knew who I was and what I wanted and I couldn’t get that from “traditional college.” Day after day I went to college to please everyone but myself. I ended up becoming a receptionist for The Nursing Department at Ohio University-Chillicothe while attending school there. I can so vividly remember sitting at my desk and crying. Day after day, tears. I fell into a very deep depression the end of high school and it continued throughout the first year of college. I questioned everything, I was lost, confused and severely unhappy.

After about a year and a half, I stood up for myself, I really don’t know when it was, the moment I said to myself, if I don’t try to be who I want to be, there might not even be a “me” left. I was broken. I left college and attended The Ohio State School of Cosmetology. There are only so many days, you can feel lost in a world before you either make the decision to follow your dreams or spend the rest of your life wishing you would had. This journey has never been easy. After cosmetology school I worked in a local salon in southern, OH. I liked providing hair services to clients but I loved providing makeup. I knew I had to move away to find myself and achieve my dreams. My husband and I moved to Chicago in 2013. I attended Makeup First School of Makeup Artistry and that changed my life forever. The knowledge I gained was incredible. Doors opened up, I found myself and my career. Chicago developed me into the makeup artist I am today. Chicago made me feel like anything was possible.

Unfortunately, I still never felt good enough for anyone. I struggled, I was assisting other artist, taking free sessions to build my portfolio. I was a “starving artist.” I could never let the feeling of disappointment I gave others, out of my head. Someone would still make a comment about my career and I fell harder into the pits. I spiraled, I started to give up because I felt like I was a failure to my loved ones.  Maybe they were right, I need to go just go to college and have a “normal” career. I started taking classes again in Chicago at a local college. I was at an all-time low, again. I loved makeup and wanted to run my own business but it is not like a “normal” career. I didn’t just go to work and make a highly wedge. If I didn’t have a client in my chair, I was making zero dollars an hour. I had no connections in Chicago, I was a small town girl, trying to make it big, fighting against all the odds. For the first year in Chicago I was taking classes and constantly debating if I would choose a new career or became a makeup artist and own a salon one day.

After many nights of tears and prayers, I decided I am not a quitter, I was made for this! I know God has an amazing plan for me, I was raised in the Church but I truly believe I connected with God after my grandfather’s passing. For me, my grief drew me closer to the Lord and it changed my life. I was more involved with Church, praying and I fell madly in love with current Christian music. I once again stopped taking college courses and made makeup my first and only priority. I finally believe I was good enough and my life changed. I truly believe once I began a more serious relationship with the Lord, I found my voice and strength. I jumped in head first and I wasn’t turning back.

I started my on-site company, Le Rêve Makeup & Hair in 2014 while living in Chicago, IL. Every day it is a reminder that I’m living my dream, it makes me work harder, longer and better. I work hard to prove the world wrong. I am successful. I don’t need money, high status, whatever it is the world makes us think we need to be successful. I am successful because I serve an amazing God and who had plans for my life and I never stop trying and doubting them. Maybe I don’t have a four year degree, but I spent two years in Cosmetology school, four months in makeup school and three years working for free building my skills.

I have a small business and a heart full of passion. Nothing can stop that! So watch out world, because I have guts to dream and dream very big. Moving Le Rêve back to Ohio, was a hard decision, but the best one yet. My business grows more each day. I have a team of hair and makeup artist and that’s just the beginning. There is so much more to come. I feel God pushing me to strive for more. I am so thankful I kept God at the center of my journey because he is taking me places that I dreamed of!

And so you ask, why did I chose Le Rêve, I think you know why. Because it is “The Dream” I always felt in my heart and know I was made for.

 

“Lord, I think you for the abilities you have given me. Where I am lacking in skill help me to grow and improve so that I do my work well. Open doors of opportunity to use my skills and close doors that I am not to go through. Give me wisdom and direction about that. I commit my work to You, Lord, knowing You will establish it (Proverbs 16:3). May it always be that I love the work of my hands so that what I do will find favor with others and be a blessing for many. May it always be glorifying to you.

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. PSALM 90:17