Rivka Bodenheim: Getting Jerusalem’s brides and grooms ready for their big day

A wedding day is one of the most intense days of a person’s life. So many moving parts and months of preparation all lead up to one singular day’s event that is often one of the happiest the person will ever experience.

A key part of getting ready for the big day is making sure one looks the way one wants to, and a big part of that is makeup.

Brides and grooms alike want to look their best, whether it’s covering up skin blemishes or trying to accentuate one’s features so they look their very best on the big day. Many may try to do it themselves or ask a friend to do it, but makeup is a lot more complicated than it seems. Whether contouring and applying foundation or applying eyeliner and mascara, makeup is anything but simple. Anyone can apply something basic to oneself, but to truly succeed, one needs a sophisticated eye for color and contrast, as well as dexterity to handle such fine brushes and rollers.

Ultimately, an amateur’s work is no match for the craft of a trained and talented professional.

Rivka Bodenheim is one such professional and is an incredible makeup artist. I should know – I used her for my own recent wedding, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

In Jerusalem sat down with Bodenheim – after the wedding, of course – to hear about her own career, what misconceptions people have about it, and what aspiring makeup stylists should know as they try to embark on their careers.

What brought you to Israel?

I made aliyah as a 12-year-old with my family from Toronto, Canada. It was a lifelong dream for my parents, and they had been waiting for the right time to come. They finally did in 2009.

What got you interested in working in makeup?

I was always into hair and makeup and was your typical high schooler, braiding everyone’s hair and playing with makeup, trying it out on all my friends.

Essentially, when I graduated high school, I decided against pursuing hair and makeup, since I felt like there was too much competition. I ended up going to college to become an ultrasound technician, but I dropped it two months later and ended up chasing my dream.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about your work?

I’d say the biggest misconception is that it’s a fun hobby more than an actual job and that everyone and anyone can do it.

I’m not going to lie – I thought the same at first, but I very quickly learned that it takes a lot of hard work. It comes with long and crazy hours, and you need so much motivation for this kind of work. But there’s no price you can put on doing what you love!

What are the pros and cons of going to clients rather than working in a salon or out of your home?

The pros are that I get to visit so many different places around Israel. My job takes me all over, and it’s never boring.

The cons are the traffic and long hours of driving, but there’s nothing a good playlist can’t fix.

What advice do you have for aspiring makeup artists?

If this is something you really want to do and you truly love it, go for it all the way and don’t give up. Hire models, take good pictures, and build a portfolio. The best way to learn is to work for and assist other artists and stylists.

You’re definitely going to come upon some challenges and extreme exhaustion throughout the job, but it is so worth it to be able to make people feel their best and accompany them on one of the biggest days of their lives! The joy that comes with the job is something you can never beat, and it is the best feeling in the world.

Follow Rivka on Instagram at @rivka.bodenheim