Justine Divanna, a young woman born and raised in New Jersey is a Makeup Artist, Hairstylist and a TV Host that has worked with major TV networks like MTV, BET, TLC, and A&E. She remembers watching all those TV networks while growing up and acknowledges that her hard work has paid off but she strives to continuously work hard daily.
In her Cosmetology class, Justine recalls how one day she was given three options to choose from by her teacher. The teacher had pulled out a wheel in which Justine and her classmates saw the three options—Hairstylist at a salon, Makeup Artist for weddings, and a few others, but the one that caught her attention was “Hair and Makeup Artist for TV/Film.” She went on to choose the choice that had grasped her attention and it has been a decision she’s been thankful she made.
After working hard and graduating from Cosmetology School, instead of attending college she went to Vidal Sassoon known as one of the best hair schools there is in Santa Monica, California while being 17 years old. After completing the courses at the hair school in California, Justine headed back home to save money and hopefully someday go back to California, where she knew she desired to live. Once back home, Justine worked at a salon for a year, realizing that it was not where she wanted to work. Her heart yearned for more of becoming a Makeup Artist, since that was her passion.
With the help of her mother, Justine went on to attend Make-up Designory and felt so excited. After graduating from Make-up Designory, Justine moved to Hoboken, New Jersey and worked as a freelance Makeup Artist in New York City, but wanted more. After her hours were cut off and her lease from her apartment was up, she called her mother one day and said, “You know how I always said I eventually wanted to move back to California and become a Hair and Makeup Artist for TV/Film? I think that there will never be a more of perfect time.” Three weeks later, her bags were packed and she had found a girl from a roommates website. The girl allowed her to sleep in a couch, until Justine found a place of her own.
Over the next few years in California, Justine did Makeup for a show on TLC and other Makeup gigs. Her career changed though, when she interviewed on the Red Carpet at the Hair and Makeup Artist Guild Awards. She had never hosted or interviewed anyone. At one point, she remembers seeing Jane Lynch walking down the Red Carpet. “It was the most surreal, terrifying, and exciting time of my life,” said Justine. With that experience, Justine discovered that she wanted to be a TV Host. Therefore, she went on to host on dozens of Red Carpets, while doing Makeup for private clients. While pursuing her passion, Justine has lived unforgettable moments. “It was a surreal experience getting to work on a commercial with singer Shontelle and CAT Footwear, along with an MTV commercial with Snooki & Deena for The Jersey Shore. Getting to interview celebrities like Ryan Gosling, Tyra Banks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jane Lynch, Tamera Mowry, Loni Love, and a bunch of other celebrities have been a life changing experience,” stated Justine.
Justine believes that no one should ever give up on their dreams and shared transparently what she went through years ago. “I was made fun of during all my school years. People were so mean, talked so much shit about me for no reason, and it really had a huge effect on my self esteem. I am living proof that you can go from feeling completely worthless, to finding yourself and knowing your worth. I’m not going to pretend it’s easy, because I still struggle every single day with feeling good enough, and question if I will ever end up where I want to be (I still have so much I want to accomplish in my career). I’m still learning to take everyday day by day, to live in the moment, live life with no regrets, and to just enjoy the ride. It’s not easy to do, but if you practice that mentality everyday, it will eventually come naturally,” explained Justine.
Her plan for the future is to continue doing Makeup along with being a TV Host for shows like, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, E! News etcetera. For more information about Justine Divanna follow her on her Instagram at @LetsfaceitwithJustine.