Women Who Took The Plunge: Featuring Vivienne Vermuth

When it comes to establishing your own business, sometimes it ends up more of a brand. You seriously have fingers in several pots, are multifaceted and don't want to just pick one. Guess what? YOU DON'T HAVE TO, and returning contributor, Vivienne Vermuth is proof. She is a makeup artist, burlesque dancer, costume/hat/pasties designer, producer and much more. Feel free to check her out!

So we all know that you are burlesque dancer, but you have your hands in several other pots. What all do you do, and what lead you to turn a passions into a business?

Overall, i'm just creative. I love to make things. Since I was a tiny person I've tried to always make everything around me more interesting, beautiful and fun. I'm more than blessed to be able to take my creativity and turn it into a business.

How long have you been in business for yourself and what made you finally decide to take the plunge?


Honestly about 6 months fully. My last boss actually takes credit. She was pretty good about giving me time off for my projects until one incident came up where she completely dropped the ball and cost me a major client. I then realized how much time and money I was wasting working for her and having to turn down paid work. I walked out and never looked back!

Branding is a very powerful tool. How do you brand your burlesque identity with your other business endeavors?

Its all intertwined. Being in burlesque has opened outlets for me to pursue creative ventures that I never would have had. Its hard to make burlesque profitable, but if you are smart and do it right it can be a great career!                                                                                                                                                              


What is something you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started out?


Don't be afraid of not giving friends favors. Your true friends will understand that you need to eat too, and will not take advantage of you. Those who don't, well you don't need them around. And never ever devalue yourself, you are worth being paid and making a living!


One thing that is a bit different about you is that your stage persona and business identity relate to each other. How do you balance you personal life with your very public persona?


Its really hard, but I take it day by day. I have to be reminded to shut off my phone, stop answering texts, etc. When I'm hanging out with friends. I have a group of friends who use my government name only and I like it. Its hard to remember to relax, but its great when I can.


If others are interested in hiring you, how can they get in touch with you and what should they expect?


Vforvermuth@gmail is best. They can expect emails at 3 am, that are friendly, courteous and detailed to the project. I'm very detail oriented and work hard at whatever task I'm assigned.


Bonus Question: The Animal mask you made... ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THAT IS F'N AWESOME! Are you hiding any other tricks under your sleeve? :)

My next projects involve full 6 foot span wings, a poinsettia nudesuit, a full burlesque tour of South Texas, and maybe sleeping a full night. But we will see on that last one...

Meet Vivienne

Growing up I was the weird ugly kid that sat in the back of the classroom and mumbled at the other kids. I read books when they watched MTV, and I stayed on the swingset when they played volleyball. When boys would even look at me I would call them names and throw things at them. Why? I had the lowest self esteem imaginable. I grew up in an Irish Catholic family... lots of kids, mainly boys, so i grew up in jeans, t shirts, playing baseball and getting dirty. Being pretty was never on my mind. To add to my tomboyishness I had a wicked case of acne vulgaris (the kind that leaves massive scarring), screwed up teeth and a horrid haircut (chili bowl with curls. Yeah.) High school changed my life.

I had to attend a public school for the first time, because the area Catholic high school was out of our way to attend. The first day was unbearable. I went from a school of 150 kids (total) to having a freshman only class of 350 (over 1400 at that school). I wanted to die. But luckily, I met some female friends who took me under thier wing and showed me how to be a girl. They showed me the beauty of makeup, and my whole outlook on life changed. All of a sudden, I wasn't so ugly. Boys started talking to me, my hair grew out, and I got braces. I made friends that I have even still to this day.

Having been in dance most of my childhood, I decided to try out for my schools' prestigious kick squad and made the team! I fell in love with the overly sequined costume, the red lipstick, teased hair and blue eyeshadow. In college I participated in theater programs and found out that I was good at makeup. Really good. I started working in retail and my career went from there. I find the most satisfaction, however, in teaching what I know to others. Helping teens learn how to regain thier self esteem through corrective coverup, because I went through that. I have volunteered at battered women's shelters, teaching women how to find beauty in themselves, as part of programs to help them better thier life situation and find self worth and love. 

My role models have always been drag queens, because they embody how I feel makeup is best used - a tool to become who you want to be. It's not just mascara or lip gloss, it can help you become more self confident in yourself. It can show your creativity and uniqueness, or help you blend in. To me, everytime I have a client in my chair, my goal is to make that person feel amazing about themselves... if they can look in the mirror and smile at thier reflection, if I can help them see the true beauty that they are, then I have done my job right. Beauty does come from within, but as women we should be able to change our appearance to suit what we want to see and show the world, and if I can help even a small group of women love themselves and find thier beauty, then I am satisfied.