By Karen Houston
You know you’re meant for a certain vocation when you’re approached for services before professionally offering them. In the midst of her job search, Elizabeth Taylor (who also goes by Beth) was approached twice within two weeks to makeover genetic males into striking women. According to one of her clients, whether you’re looking for a conservative, office-appropriate look or a flirty look for a night out dancing, Beth nails it every time.
Beth is a driven, accomplished woman with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics, a master’s degree in human systems integration, and she’s working on her second master’s degree in business administration. Her academic background and her core values help her build her business. Beth focuses on rewarding relationships, diversity, authenticity, passion, warmth, and fun. While her services are for all women, she caters specifically to transgender women because there is a demand from this community for a beauty consultant who can anticipate their concerns and make them feel comfortable—and eventually fabulous! Beth is tremendously passionate about meeting that demand.
Two admirers of Beth’s work saw photos and heard the story of a makeover Beth gave her close friend. They asked Beth to make them over as well, and these initial experiences spawned her business, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor. She is an independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay and an independent distributor for Ardyss International, a business providing body shapers to lift your booty and make you curvy in all the right places.
Beth converted a bedroom of her apartment into a studio with a closet full of clothes ranging from flirty to formal including, of course, the ever-versatile little black dress—a favorite among her clients. Her collection includes heels, purses, wigs, body shapers, panties, bras, and jewelry. She’s acutely aware of the concerns and fears that trans-women and those who cross-dress may have when seeking guidance in exploring their feminine side. Beth is there to offer help with her skills, friendship, and very importantly, community for her clients. She’s one step ahead when it comes to meticulous attention to detail and is keenly aware of how to work with varying body types. She knows some of her clients won’t be comfortable with bare shoulders or legs so she has cardigans, nylons or pantyhose on hand.
Makeover of Kylie, one of Beth Taylor’s clients
While Beth gives her clients the skills they need, she learns from them at the same time. Together they’ve shared ideas for certain tricks such as how best to hide beard shadows, for example.
I spoke to one of Beth’s loyal clients, Kerri, while she gave me a rave review of Beth and how she helped bring out her “Kerri side”. Kerri looked in the mirror after her makeover, and her response was emotional. She told Beth, “If I knew that my tears wouldn’t completely mess up this work you’ve done, I’d cry.”
Kerri highly recommends Beth as an, “intelligent, witty, articulate” woman “excellent at her craft” that naturally makes her clients feel at ease. Kerri adds that if there’s anyone in the area that is closeted, Beth’s studio is a perfect place to start exploring yourself. In addition to her makeover services, Beth offers party services where her clients can socialize and get to know one another to cultivate friendships and community, a step that is often the most difficult for those who have just come out on their own.
Inspired by the theme of Mary Kay’s latest seminar, “One Woman Can”, Beth states and firmly believes that:
One woman can increase awareness, acceptance, and inclusion of trans-women; one woman can give trans-women the skills, tools, and confidence to express their natural and inner beauty; and one woman can live by her core values while running her own business and changing the world around her.
Before I got off the phone with Kerri, she told me she and Beth went walking outside after her makeover: “Once my foot hit the outside and we walked down near the pool honestly I was almost floating.”
Beth equips her clients with brand new confidence and a self-possessed attitude by giving them the opportunity to explore their lives personally and socially as women.
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