Geek of the Week: Victoria Whitlow LouAllen

Where are you from?
Alabama

What started your passion for makeup?
Was there a particular moment you realized that this was what you wanted to do creatively?
I’ve always been really into art. I started out as a portrait artist, but I was always looking for new creative outlets. I began my makeup career almost by accident, I had several friends ask me for Halloween makeup ideas and how to accomplish that kind of look. I decided to upload a few looks that I created to my Instagram and was noticed by Anastasia Beverly Hills and it all took off from there.

What are your geeky hobbies?
Video games, Dungeons and Dragons, reading, and writing short stories and poems are a few of my favorites! I find that they are a way for me to de-stress and/or express myself creatively.

Who are a couple to a few artists you would absolutely LOVE to work with – as in do makeup together or do their makeup?
There are so many artists that I look up to but a couple that I would absolutely love to work with would have to be: Claudia Soare (Norvina) and Jaclyn Hill.

You’re due for a lil’ geek of your own here soon – do you have a name picked out? How’d you come up with it?
Yes, in just a few short weeks we will be welcoming our first child into the world. We decided on the name, Michael Artorias LouAllen. We plan to call him, Artorias or Art for short. His first name comes from my husband’s father and the name Artorias is from one of our favorite video games, Dark Souls. We have also named our pup, Sif after Artorias’s great wolf.

Was there ever a time you got dismayed about your goals but then something happened to turn life around? If so – what happened?
Putting yourself out there on social media always has its downsides, there are always going to be people who respond to you negatively and it can be extremely difficult to brush off those comments. I try to stay true to myself and my passion for what I do. Someone once told me that when a person lashes out at you in such a hateful way, especially to someone they don’t know, it says more about them than it does about you. That has really stuck with me and has helped me get through a lot of the negativity.

What is your Hogwarts house and why?
I was sorted into Slytherin House when I took the test on Pottermore but I’ve always had a strong feeling that’s where I would be placed. I am very ambitious and push myself to achieve any goals that I may have.

Since I obviously know you’re a huge Potterhead too, I’ll ask – which character is your favorite out of either the books or movies? Why?
That’s a hard one! There are several characters that I found myself drawn to throughout the series. I don’t think I have a particular favorite, but Hermione is one of them. She is driven and self-confident even when others look down on her.

So, I think there was a time you were considering being a tattoo artist.
Are you still considering this?
There was a time that I wanted to become a tattoo artist but I was able to spend some time actually practicing with the equipment and quickly realized that it just wasn’t for me.

I know you were thinking of bringing your artistry to YouTube alongside of your Instagram work – is this still a plan?
Yes! I didn’t realize just how much went into creating videos, so it has been a longer journey than I originally expected. I’m trying to learn all the ins and outs of the equipment and editing software.

Do you have any advice for fellow makeup artists just starting out?
It’s easy to get consumed by the amount of likes and followers, especially in the beginning. Try not to focus on the numbers and continue to post what you are passionate about.

Where can people find you on social media?
My Instagram page is @VictoriaWhitlow.