Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Valentine.
Hi Jessica , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m Jessica Valentine, also known as Masscara Massacre. I’ve been licensed in the beauty industry since 2007, beginning my career in my home town Portland, where I trained as a makeup artist and learned lash extensions at a time when the craft was still finding its footing. Early on, I understood that beauty was as much about listening as it was about technique. I learned structure, balance, color and just as quickly, when to dismantle them.
That foundation led me south to LA and Orange County, California, where I founded EyeCandy OC and spent 13 years building a studio that rejected sameness in favor of intention. I wasn’t interested in correcting faces or quieting personality. I built my work around collaboration, trust, and individuality. That approach earned Best of Orange County for 12 consecutive years, word of mouth was my marketing.
It was during this chapter that I became the first lash artist to introduce asymmetrical lash extension sets as a deliberate artistic language. In an industry obsessed with symmetry, I leaned into imbalance, tension, and character. What began as instinct became influence, and asymmetrical lash design is now widely adopted and recreated throughout the creative lash community. Faces aren’t symmetrical. Identity isn’t either. Beauty shouldn’t pretend otherwise.
As my work evolved, so did its reach. I expanded north as co-owner of EyeCandy PDX in Portland, continuing to refine a style rooted in color, contrast, and refusal. My commitment to subculture artists, musicians, goths, punks, LGBTQ, unconventional outsiders naturally carried my work beyond the chair. I spoke on industry stages, advocating for creativity, inclusivity, and artistry that doesn’t require permission.
Eventually, I relocated to Austin, Texas, rebuilding once again from the ground up. There, I opened a studio where the “clean girl” aesthetic comes to die and unconventional beauty is not just welcomed, but celebrated. Every set is custom. Color is intentional. Asymmetry is sought after. Lash appointments here are an experience not just an expression.
That same ethos led my work into museum space. I was featured in the Chicago Architecture Museum, where lash artistry was presented not as a service, but as true art. A cultural statement rooted in identity, rebellion, and craft.
Nearly two decades into my career, my success has never been driven by ego or dominance. It’s been built on connection. On listening harder than I speak. On creating spaces where people feel safe enough to stop performing and start being real. My chair has always been a place of trust, not transformation into someone else, but reclamation of who you already are.
My lash work isn’t about trends. It’s about carving out space for identity and self-expression in an industry that often rewards sameness.
I’m here to make beauty louder, stranger, and honest. Proving that rebellion is just as beautiful as any “standard”.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not but challenges have definitely taught me more than any win ever has. The pandemic was a defining disruption in my career, ultimately forcing me to close my Orange County studio and return home to focus on EyeCandy PDX, co-owned with my sister, Alex. Choosing to work as an alternative lash artist has always been intentional, niching is inherently polarizing, but that polarity becomes a magnet for those who align with your ethics and a filter for those who don’t. I’ve also been deliberate about centering my work in a non-religious, inclusive space within an industry largely shaped by Christian culture, a stance that can be uncomfortable but necessary for authenticity. Rebuilding my business yet again in Austin meant starting from scratch, earning trust, finding community, and standing firmly in who I am. Each challenge has reinforced the same truth for me, longevity isn’t built by pleasing everyone, but by creating with clarity and conviction to attract those who seek the same authenticity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work lives at the intersection of beauty and art. I’m a licensed lash artist with nearly two decades of experience, specializing in custom, creative, and color-forward lash extensions, with a strong emphasis on asymmetrical design. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all beauty every set is built from consultation, collaboration, and an understanding of facial structure, color theory, and identity.
I’m best known for introducing asymmetrical lash sets as a deliberate design approach and for catering to subculture and the alternative community. My clients are artists, musicians, creatives, and people who never felt reflected in traditional beauty spaces. My studio is a place where unconventional beauty is celebrated, not corrected.
What I’m most proud of is longevity and integrity. I’ve built and rebuilt my career across multiple cities, maintained a loyal following through major industry shifts, and stayed rooted in authenticity even when it meant being polarizing. I’ve spoken on industry stages, been featured in museum spaces, and earned long-term recognition not by chasing trends, but by trusting my voice and my craft.
What sets me apart is intention. I lead with connection over ego, artistry over replication, and ethics over aesthetics. My work is precise, personal, and purpose-driven and the goal is never to make someone fit in, but to bring them back to themselves.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Success is subjective and at this point in my career, integrity. Staying deeply connected to who I am, how I work, and why I create. I lead with honesty, listen before I speak, and prioritize genuine connection over ego or trend chasing. That consistency builds trust, and trust is what sustains a career long after hype fades.
Pricing:
- Black Lash Extension Sets start at $165
- Creative Color Lash Sets start at $195
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Masscaramassacre.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masscaramassacre?igsh=MTRrbHlza3dvZ2t5bw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Hbfh5ozXV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
