New York - New York

Give us a little background on yourself.

Angelique Velez, can quite literally say “love raised me, lipstick saved me”. Makeup artist and founder of Breakups to Makeup used her own personal journey with heartbreak to fuel the creation of Breakups to Makeup (B2M), which is now one of the country’s most sought-after high-quality accessory and apparel brands for makeup enthusiasts. Sold online and in retail stores including Sephora, QVC, Walmart, Urban Outfitters, Ricky’s, and NYLON Shop. Born and raised in New York, and of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent, Velez launched B2M in June 2013 to spread the message that makeup is more than just a simple product, but also an art form. As a makeup artist for more than a decade, Angelique recognized the importance of this creative outlet and wanted a way to educate and inspire others while turning heartbreak into moments of self-celebration. Under her leadership, unmatched creativity and a massive passion for adding a touch of wit and glam to Breakups to Makeup, her infamous clutches “Love Raised Me Lipstick Saved Me” to “I Would Cry But My Mascara is Designer,” have been seen in the hands of legends such as Cher to being featured in national media outlets such Refinery29, Marie Claire, Allure and Latina, to name a few. Prior to embracing entrepreneurship and dedicating herself full time to her passion project, Velez was and still is, a professional makeup artist. Velez has had the opportunity to work with leading artists such as Dick Page, Tom Pecheux, Kabuki, Christian McCulloch, Hung Vanngo, Makky, James Vincent, and Yuko Takahashi and has been a part of shows for Michael Kors, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Project Runway, Alexander Wang and Tommy Hilfiger. She’s also worked notable televised events multiple times including the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and the MTV Video Music Awards. She is also a proud member of the IATSE Local 798 Union. Velez currently resides in New York, but enjoys traveling, while also being a full-time mom.

What do you think makes makeup so special in our world?

Makeup is so special because it is our form of art. It is the way we express ourselves to the world and as artists it sparks our creativity. I personally love how there are so many aspects and genres to our industry and how vast it really is. Makeup is my outlet.

What are some of your notable and/or favorite projects?

I am a proud member of the IATSE Local 798 Union. I am also an educator.

• The MTV VMAs

• Victoria Secret Fashion Show

I have also worked over 15+ seasons of fashion week and have had the opportunity to work shows such as:

• Michael Kors

• Marc by Marc Jacobs

• Tommy Hilfiger

• Project Runway

• Alexander Wang