Julisa Bezjak, or JujuFruits as her Instagram followers know her, was awarded Makeup Artist of the Year at this spring’s Denver Fashion Week. Bezjak sat down with 303 Magazine to share her favorite parts of doing makeup – from runway shows to her cousin’s prom.
Bezjak first was introduced to the Denver Fashion Week scene through her friend Cameron, or, as the Denver scene knows this designer, SlivLife, who was participating in the show. Cameron needed a makeup artist for his runway show in 2023, and Bezjak stepped into the Denver runway world.
She was playing around with makeup before she can even remember, diving into her mom’s makeup drawer and trying out every product. She prides herself on being a Bratz and Monster High Doll lover which sparked early creative inspiration growing up. She fell in love with fashion, and then saw how much makeup ties into it. So, she started to focus on that side of the scene.
Bezjak is inspired by smaller creators that she sees on her page. She likes to try different ideas on her own more than follow specific tutorials. Pushing the boundaries is a big part of her makeup designs: who says eyeliner can’t double as lip liner? She’s a big believer in seeing what you can do with what you already have. Buying the next best thing isn’t tempting for Bezjak. Instead, she would rather create with the products she already owns.
When asked if she had any makeup tips for the world, Bezjak said, “The best way to get the most out of your makeup is experimenting.” She is a big believer in not confining to the “rules” of makeup products, using eyeshadow for blush and liquid lipstick as eyeliner.
Her favorite part of DFW is meeting everyone, saying: “It’s always just a fun thing. Even though it gets super hectic and sometimes crazy, its just a real community that lies behind the scenes.” Catching up with old friends every year and being inspired by all the creativity coming to life is what DFW is all about.
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When asked about her favorite era of makeup she says, “right now!” Lately, she’s been loving the way makeup is turning away from only being about making you look “better” to being about artistic expression. Full face paint and using the face as a true canvas is what excites Bezjak about the future of makeup.
The best part about being a makeup artist, according to Bezjak, is seeing the reaction of the model or person’s makeup she is doing. When people aren’t used to seeing themselves with more creative makeup styles and feel totally transformed it “gives them a new perspective on themselves.”
Nevertheless, makeup can cause both positive and negative impact. The new generation of young kids making makeup tutorials and wearing more and more makeup at younger ages can be seen as “growing up too fast.” However, Bezjak sees this early experimentation in a positive light. She explained, “I see makeup as a form of art, so I think, no art can ever be bad for kids.”
“I think overall, self expression is really important, so if kids are able to do that and are comfortable…” she continued. “Back in the day it wasn’t as accepted for younger boys to wear makeup, so I think with how this generation is, it’s more positive than negative.”
Bezjak hopes to keep pursuing makeup as a full-time gig, and winning Makeup Artist of the Year at DFW was a big push. She expressed being very shocked that she was even nominated, sharing, “For me that was very inspiring, and it makes me just want to keep pursuing makeup and be able to make it a full time job.” For now, though, she’s just enjoying this time in her life where she is a “barista by day and makeup artist by night.”
