LOCAL beauty school Face Forward is breaking beauty boundaries with its recent partnership with US-based professional make-up training school Make-up Designory (MUD). The collaboration aims to elevate the quality of beauty education locally, bringing the “MUD approach” to students in Jamaica with courses scheduled to kick off in April.

“What I find that we have to do to stay on top is to be dynamic at what we do,” stated Sharon Wint Levy, the director of Face Forward, who discussed the move in an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Students from various parts of the world frequent MUDs, specialising in diverse make-up disciplines for film, television, and fashion. The school aims to help students’ vision come alive as they infuse their talent with skill. The partnership builds upon the longstanding relationship between Face Forward and MUD, with Face Forward serving as a retailer of MUD products within its cosmetics store for over seven years. Despite being a small business since its inception in 2009, Face Forward has played a pivotal role in nurturing numerous freelance make-up artists currently thriving in the local market. However, with the partnership bringing international courses to our shoreline, potential make-up artists are set to experience more for their buck. The MUD brand is by make-up artists for make-up artists, and the school component and its curriculum are fostered in the same way which Wint Levy views as a great value to Jamaican make-up artists and students.

“We are intrigued to forge a partnership with them to offer their courses at our institution,” said Wint Levy humbly. “What MUD has done to create their curriculum is interact with different players in the market, the film industry, bridal, and editorial, to find out what they require students to have to be employable,” she said in expressing admiration for MUD’s approach.

The curriculum is meticulously structured based on the feedback of make-up artists actively working in the industry, ensuring students are equipped with the necessary skills. With the new partnership, students will be required to purchase the Make-up Designory kit tailored to their chosen course, providing a comprehensive working kit for in-class use. The resulting joint certificate from MUD and Face Forward is globally accredited and recognised, enhancing students’ marketability on a global scale.

“You want your students to be global,” Wint Levy asserted confidently. “Once students participate and complete the programme, they are more marketable globally and have a long-lasting relationship with Make-up Designory. They can also transfer credits between other MUD campuses across the world.”

MUD currently operates two campuses, one in New York and its main campus in Los Angeles. Additionally, MUD has established partnerships with several esteemed schools across the US. For students outside the US, MUD Studio courses are available at various licensee-operated locations, including select international locations in Europe, Asia, Central America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Face Forward, proudly counted among MUD’s partner schools, is set to introduce MUD’s extended-duration courses, including fundamentals, beauty essentials, and airbrush make-up. Excitingly, Face Forward will soon incorporate special effects into its make-up courses, spearheaded by Wint Levy and two faculty members who have completed specialised training. The cost of the course is set at US$1,200, covering the licence fee and the cost of products. Embracing the MUD approach, the programme will be structured into segments for effective learning and extended practice sessions, preparing students for global opportunities.

“We are preparing students for global entry, so students can work anywhere in the world. The film industry is booming, and here it’s growing. The tourism sector is another area booming for destination weddings, so students are not only stuck in Jamaica,” Wint Levy expressed optimistically to the Caribbean Business Report.

The overarching goals include increasing student intake and tapping into the Caribbean market, with plans to have students from the Caribbean registering for the programme within a year. Previous successful trainings in Trinidad have paved the way for Face Forward’s expansion into other Caribbean countries, solidifying its position as a local leader with international collaboration in beauty and cosmetics education.