VEGETARIAN PROFILE: Jessica Diez – Makeup Artist

Location: Kawa Café, Sydney

Me, Myself with Jessica Diez

Last week I had the up most pleasure of having lunch with gorgeous makeup artist Jessica Diez, I was a bit of a pig and ate the all day ‘big vegan breakfast’ while Jess had avocado and tomato basil toast.



Jessica grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches with her parents whom are both artists. Jess told me that her parents taught her to respect for animals from a very young age as her father adored and looked after exotic parrots. She had dreams of being a blues singer and always knew that she was a person that needed a creative outlet. Having studied media at Macquarie University she moved into makeup when she realized the beauty in transforming peoples faces. She has now been a makeup artist for 4 years.

Jess’s amazing work on moi!

Here are some questions that I asked Jess....


(Me) How long have you been vegetarian? And why?
(Jess) Coming from a Spanish heritage eating meat was something my family took for granted, but I just could not stomach it, I had absolutely no desire to eat it. Finally, after progressively cutting it down to just fish I gave up meat completely when I was 13. (This means that she’s been a Vego for 16 years!!!)


Tell me about you eating habits…
For me, being Vegetarian is so easy. I eat a lot of grains such as rice mixed with Veggies. I like herbs and flavor, so my favorite dishes are inspired by Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine. The biggest thing for me is mixing up it up. I never stick to one thing because I like to keep myself inspired.

What about when you are working? Is it ever a challenge when you are shooting on location?
In the fashion industry we often work crazy hours (As you would know!) so sometimes we get so carried away shooting that lunch does not come until 2pm! So I always pack some fruit and nuts to keep me going. Most clients are pretty good with veggie options, but when there is no alternative I opt to pick out the meat. Some vegetarians refuse to do that, but when I’m hungry I don’t have a problem with it as long as I don’t eat the actual meat it’s self.

We were both very indecisive and couldnt decide what to eat!
 

Your skin is so perfect!! What do you do to keep it in such good shape?
I believe that diet is a HUGE part of looking after your skin. I don’t think that there is a single right way, every person is different and what works for some might not work for others. For me drinking a lot of water is the key. One thing that I’m pedantic about is water; I never drink water from the tap. In Australia they add Fluoride and other chemicals to our water, so I always buy pure spring water to drink.

Do you have any makeup tips you want share?
I think less is more. I always try to get away with as little as possible, especially for everyday makeup. If you have any flaws try to blend them into the rest of your face rather than trying to cover up your entire face. I love the fresh-faced sun kissed look and like to use nude and pink shades around the eye. These colors are great for contouring the eye lids without loosing the natural freshness.


When we worked together last week, I met your cute pup Pixie. Are you a bit of a dog lover?
I love dogs! In my family we have two Chihuahuas (my favorite breed) Pixie the eldest I bought from a pet shop about four years ago. But Chispa was rescued from Queensland, she was destined to become a breeding dog .My parents fell in love with her instantly and couldn’t stand the thought of her becoming a breeding machine. So they paid a lot of money to get her out of there. I think that getting a dog is a lot of hard work, and people need to be fully aware before they choose a dog as a pet. My pet peeve is when parents buy dogs for their kids without realizing that they will actually have to look after the dog and spend money on the up keep.

 

Jess with Pixie and Chispa

What is your biggest problem with the animal industry?

I think the way animals have been industrialized. It is no longer natural (especially the way chickens are kept!) The excess mass consumption of animal products defiantly cannot be healthy, and it is very cruel too.

Thank you so much Jess!!