When I lived in New York City, instead of heading home after work I’d sometimes go up to Central Park for an evening stroll. One winter, artists set up “The Gates,” and while walking through them I started feeling overwhelmed thinking I’d never get to the end. Then, for some reason, I turned around and saw all the Gates I’d already come through. I was in awe of how far I’d come without even realizing it, just by putting one foot in front of the other. Similarly, on Electra Lane’s seventh birthday, it’s a little surreal to turn around and see how far we’ve come.

In 2011 my Navy husband was stationed in Pensacola, FL, and we lived in a house on Electra Lane. I was depressed, to say the least, since I could not find a job and my side hustle, being a makeup artist, dissolved as my client list diminished with the move.

I ended up having the opportunity to attend graduate school and, for a school project, created social platforms and a website to showcase my makeup. It needed a name, so we called it Electra Lane.

As we soon relocated again, I was able to carry this “project” with me and begin to slowly build Electra Lane into what it is today: a way to teach women how to do their own makeup for every day life.

There’s now a growing list of items in my shop, and, for once, my husband and I have been in the same spot for five years so I’m thankfully and gratefully beginning to get established here in the Old Town neighborhood of Alexandria, VA (while keeping up my global client reach established through moving around so much).

So, one of the ways I’m celebrating is to say THANK YOU! I’m offering a giveaway unlike anything I’ve done before at the end of July. The winner will receive a makeup bag full of my beauty favorites, including some items from my personal back stock. All you have to do to enter is make sure you’re signed up for the Electra Lane Extra, our monthly newsletter.

And, of course, we have to have a tutorial so this week I’m sharing my go-to glamorous look. This is very specific to my features, but the video is so packed with tips and techniques that there’s something for everyone! You can shop the key products used HERE.

Please enjoy, let me know if you try it, and please, please accept my sincere gratitude for sticking with me and Electra Lane. Appreciate you, mean it!! -JY