Pauleanna Reid recently featured me on her blog installation called: Girl on Top ~ See below
Beauty is her middle name. Sherlyn Torres is a rare talent who has her sights set on expanding her empire across North America and beyond. Her portfolio speaks for itself, including celebrity clients such as Arisa Cox, Keshia Chante, Trey Songs and Fefe Dobson just to name a few. Besides her flavorful personality, it is her attention to detail and pure love for the art which has earned her respect in the fashion and beauty industry. An artist since childhood, Sherlyn has been breathing life into her passions over a span of nearly three decades. You will Fall in love with her journey. Here is her story…
How old are you? 20s/30s/40s? 30’s
What is your zodiac sign? Scorpio
What is your educational background? Art, Makeup Artistry & Hair Styling
Where were you born? Raised? Live now? Philippines then moved to Canada at 9yrs of age. Currently residing in Toronto.
Single or Taken? Taken by Tavis Gordon
First job ever? Administrative work at Symcor RBC
First “real” job? AIM Trimark Investments
Your 5 “must haves” of the moment? 1) my iphone :/ 2) pro makeup kit 3) matcha lattes 4) scented candles 5) hand cream
How would you describe your personal style? Minimal chic meets preppy & nautical
What is your favourite book? The Art of Makeup by Kevyn Aucoin
What are you currently listening to? Maylee Todd / Yuna / Quadron / Kanye / Fkatwigs / Banks / Miguel / J.Cole / Nas / Getatkat / Nicola Conte / Gnarls Barkley ~ too many great artists to name!
So what do you do?
I’m a professional makeup artist who also styles hair on demand 
Take us along the path (personal & professional) that took you where you are today. I’ve been an artist since childhood ~ However, straight out of high school, I started working at the bank in order to help my family with living expenses. A couple years later, I ended up in the mutual fund industry without a real desire to work in the financial world ~ I just went with the flow during a merger and felt dependent on the steady stream of income. After working a few more years in the corporate world, I came to the realization that I’m not living my true potential. The work I was spending a good chunk of my day on was not in line with my real passion :/… I liked the people I worked with and friends I made, but deep down I knew I wanted to do something more creative for a living. I decided to enroll into an art class to revive my love for drawing and looked into another interest of mine ~ interior design. In the process, my long time friend Nicole who was currently working as a makeup artist encouraged me to give makeup a try since we've both been obsessed with beauty products since grade 8 or 9 and I often made up my sisters & cousins faces on special events. My partner Tavis also supported the idea since he knew how unhappy I was at my current job. I took their advice and pursued a career in the beauty industry and many years later I’m really glad I made the move. I was lucky to be able to make a good impact at a short time when I first came out of school but it hasn’t been a walk in the park over these years. All industries are becoming more saturated but if you stick it out and continue to push through it’s definitely worth the sacrifice.
What’s the toughest thing you’ve been faced with thus far? Losing my dad. Death is inevitable but no one’s ever going to be prepared for it when it happens. I grieved for years but learned to accept the fact and move on because I know this is what he would have wanted.
What did your parents want you to be? An architect but they’ve never been the type to place pressure. Even though they didn’t fully understand my decision to switch careers at first, they still supported me no matter what :)
What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given? Have the courage to create
What advice do you have for women who want to follow in your footsteps? Build a strong body of work | in the process, establish a brand & find your niche ~ the beauty industry is so vast so there’s many ways to branch out but try not to spread yourself too thin.
Is it possible for a woman to successfully balance both love and career? Why or why not? Yes, it’s tough but it can be done! Having off times set aside for couple outings and finding a partner who understands the nature of your business definitely helps.
What’s next for you? I’m constantly working on my personal brand ‘Sherlyn Torres Beauty’ and continuing to provide quality work as a makeup & hair artist in the fashion, beauty and advertising industry. I’ve also been contemplating on a side business for the past year ‘Beauty Inc’ which will be an extension to my personal brand but encompassing multiple artists on one roster for jobs that require a team of artists.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years… 10 years? In 5 years, owning my own studio for ‘Beauty Inc’ providing quality beauty services and products that I believe in that are in line with my personal brand. In 10 years, enjoying time with my family, traveling to places I’ve never been while generating a stable stream of income through my artistry and beauty company.
~ This is my second feature on Pauleanna's site! Thanks for the continued support ;) Check out my previous feature here » The Girlfriend Code