working girl
in every issue
Photographed by Andrea Knapp
Tamara
Weatheford
building a beautiful career
D
arlington native Tamara Weatherford admits that she has always been really good with color. “I can dress people. I have an eye for seeing what goes
where and what looks best.” Tamara’s first job, when she was 15, was at her
aunt’s Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio. It was there she did her first makeover, which happened by accident. “It was a Saturday, and a bride came
rushing in to the store needing her makeup done. Her makeup artist had an
emergency. I was scared to death, but I did it, and it went well!” Growing up,
she knew that she loved makeup. However, she didn’t realize her gift until she was in college,
when she accepted a job at Merle Norman in Columbia.
In 2009, Tamara was informed that the Merle Norman franchise in Hartsville was available
for purchase. “With that being so close to home, I packed up and moved back. With the help of
my family, we began the journey of blush.” To prepare for the road ahead, she traveled to Los
Angeles for a two week training session at Merle Norman. “My two weeks in Los Angeles was so
much fun. I actually took my grandmother with me. We had never been on a trip with just the
two of us. The instructors at Merle Norman knew how long I had been a part of the company
and actually put me in charge of teaching some of the artist and facial classes!” In addition
to learning the tools of the trade, she got to share a special moment with her grandmother
during their stay. “I had never watched the sunset on the ocean, and I got to do that with Mama
Rachel.” Each year, Tamara continues her makeup education and training with Merle Norman.
Tamara opened blush (a Merle Norman Cosmetics Studio) in June 2010. “Being a marketing
major, I knew the word blush was perfect to use for advertising, answering the phone, and it
went with both makeup and fashion. I knew I wanted to take it both ways.” The only regret she
has so far is trying to follow everyone’s wishes. “When you open your own business, you have
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a lot of fears. I am young, so I have to deal with my age often. As a young business owner, you
think you have to take everyone’s opinions and do something with them, or they will be upset.
That was my first mistake. You can listen and respect their opinions, but that doesn’t mean
you have to act on everything everyone says. Follow your own heart.”
Specializing in bridal makeup, Tamara is one busy girl. “I love weddings! I started doing
bridal makeup while working at the Merle Norman in Columbia. I quickly realized that it
would be a great service to the bride to travel to her location. This has been our busiest
year yet, and I usually travel every weekend for a job. I am blessed to have this part of my
business, and I love it. You get to enjoy the journey of the bride... The engagement, bridal
shower, rehearsal and the wedding! It is so much fun. It has been a huge success for me and
blush.” So successful, in fact, that she now has a Glam Team consisting of two hair stylists, a
photographer and two other makeup artists. “We start about four months before the wedding. The brides come in once a month for a free brightening facial. This makes their face
perfect for the day of the wedding!”
Although makeup is her passion, Tamara also enjoys fashion, which is why she decided to
make blush a clothing boutique as well. She admits that her best kept secret is a line of jeans
called Beija-Flor. “The two hardest things for a woman to find are jeans and lipstick… blush
has conquered both!” At blush, it’s all about the customers. “I keep a very close relationship
with all of my customers. I get text messages, e-mails and Facebook messages daily asking
about skincare, makeup and clothes.” To suit the needs of all customers, blush also offers a
service called Beauty On Wheels. “We take makeup to ladies who can’t get to the store or ladies who no longer drive. We also deliver clothes and other items that blush sells.”
Her favorite makeup “trick” is what she refers to as her concealing magic. “Instead of using a
concealer, use a foundation at least two shades lighter than your regular foundation. First, put
your foundation on. Then, from the outer corner of the nose up to the outer and inner corner of
the eye, apply a small amount of the lighter foundation. This will brighten the entire face and
take years off your look. It gets rid of dark circles!” Her top five favorite Merle Norman products
are - the Ultra Powder Foundation, Lip Pencil Plus, Miracol Mask, AHA Toner and t