Sask. makeup artist trying to break barriers in the industry

SASKATOON -

Breanna Pijnenburg is a local makeup artist born with scoliosis, she's paralyzed from the waist down but she isn’t letting her disability hold her back from her goal.

“I loved makeup ever since I was 12. My cousin was the first person do ever do my makeup. I say professionally because I felt really good,” said Pijnenburg with a laugh.

Pijnenburg currently operates out of the Guild Studios after being certified as a makeup artist through MC College.

"My ultimate goal is to have my own makeup brand."

She said she learned a lot of what she knows from YouTube videos. Pijnenburg identifies as Cree.

“It’s important to have people that look like you in the industry,” said Pijnenburg. “I have never seen anybody in a wheelchair, like ever in the industry so I want to change that. I want to make this the new normal.”

Creating that change while in a wheelchair has come with difficulties.

“It’s tough because the world around you isn’t accessible so you kind of have to go with the flow and make your world accessible,” said Pijnenburg. “I make the changes I need to have, like a little short stool and like a little bigger room and have clients come to me.”

On Sunday Guilt Studios hosted a styled-makeup shoot to showcase Pijnenburg's makeup skills with models of diverse backgrounds.

“I feel like if you have like a difference about you, you can definitely make that your way to stand out. It doesn’t have to be a negative.”

Laura Jones is one of the models participating in the shoot who describes herself as a curvy model.

“The purpose of this shoot is to be able to really almost see diversity as normal,” said Jones. “Breanna is a friend of mine and an amazing makeup artist. She is showing that there no limits in terms of what you can do with your talent.”

Proving age can’t hold her back Lois Unger is another model participating in the shoot.

“I am overwhelmed by Breanna's enthusiasm and what she has done. She works from a chair, doing makeup, professional makeup and it looks amazing.”

Pijnenburg hopes the next stage of her career involves heading to Vancouver to work to attend the Blanche Macdonald Centre’s makeup school.