Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirsten McGurn.
Hi Kirsten, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Like most kids looking for freedom from chaos, I pursued continuing my education after high school and got accepted into quite a few art schools. Surprisingly enough, I couldn’t afford it and ended up dropping out after one year. My mom, whom I had lived with for my entire life up until that point, passed away the year I left for school and I was determined to bring myself into adulthood as quickly as possible. Then I found the service industry. Without writing a novel, I’ll say that I certainly learned a lot about life during the 16 years I spent working in bars, restaurants, chains and, briefly, a casino. Entering my 30s, I came to the realization that I had no idea what I wanted in life for myself, but knew that ultimately I had to try to like myself as a person if I were to continue surviving on this rock we call Earth. Fast forward through a lot of therapy, and I can honestly say for the first time in my life, I feel incredibly positive about my future.
I’ve always had an interest in learning to tattoo, but school taught me that having to create something specific with any form of a deadline wasn’t for me. Eyebrows are the first thing I notice on a human face, so when everyone became obsessed with “brows on fleek,” I did, too. Being a natural redhead and retired “scene kid,” I never left the house without eyebrows. Eventually, I grew tired of spending more than 8 minutes on my face and got my brows microbladed by Kenzie Perez before she opened Fresh Cosmetic Studio. I had already started thinking about learning to do brows at that point, but had no idea how to get started. Kenzie is, and has always been, an incredible source of knowledge and support. It was a no-brainer for me when she started offering trainings, and that was the beginning of a shiny new path for me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Unsure what this “smooth road” thing is, but the biggest struggle so far was taking the leap to leave a job that paid my bills and made it possible for me to have substantial savings for the first time. I’d made attempts at leaving the service industry before, but having only a high school diploma and no on-paper experience in any other field, there felt like no other option to make the amount I was making weekly. I took Kenzie’s course in September 2021, but didn’t actively pursue a new career right away. I ended up going through a very rough time after coming to more than one abhorrent realization about a person I’d started dating, and one of the medications I’d been taking for months had started to show unpleasant side effects. I had no energy, and doing one activity during the day was all I could handle without reaching exhaustion. I struggled with managing my disordered eating habits because I simply had no energy to cook for myself. I was honest with my psychiatrist about what I was experiencing, so I did eventually change medications but it’s taken half a year to feel (mostly) back to normal.
I finally quit my job at the end of August. The business was booming, we were understaffed, and being in management in the restaurant industry essentially means sacrificing personal needs for the greater good. It didn’t take long for me to reach the end of my rope. I actually value myself now, so it felt incredibly stupid after all of that hard internal work to continue to go do this thing that made me miserable. I was putting a job above my basic human needs by barely eating or sleeping, which my therapist says isn’t being nice to yourself! So I quit.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My partner, Aura, and I share a small, private studio that he opened in September on E. 5th. He specializes in blackwork tattoos, while I offer microblading and combo brows. He’s been tattooing for years, but I’m just getting started and growing my portfolio. I’m super excited to learn and expand my services in the near future, first with freckles. My ultimate goal is to learn paramedical tattooing techniques, like scar camouflaging, and be able to offer those services pro bono for survivors of domestic violence and self-harm. I’ve struggled to feel comfortable in my own skin for as long as I can remember, and I am confident I have a lot to share that can help others who have felt the same way.
What makes you happy?
When you hand a client the mirror for the first time after you’ve completed their brows, their face goes through many subtle changes as they take it all in. Surprise, disbelief, joy, disbelief again, then, “Wait, I look damn good!” It’s a great feeling to bring someone else that kind of happiness and confidence.
Oh, and my dog.
Pricing:
- Microblading/Combo brows – $300-$350
- Special pricing – $200 for a limited time!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kursedbrows.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kursed.brows?igshid=NmNmNjAwNzg=
