Interview with Hair and Makeup Artist Aori Nitta, Grand Prix Winner of the First Okinawa Resort Wedding Hair and Makeup Contest 2023

Grand Prize Winner of the First Okinawa Resort Wedding Hair and Makeup Contest 2023

Interview with Hair and Makeup Artist Airi Nitta

Aoi Nitta, originally from Iheya Island—a remote island in northern Okinawa Prefecture—is now in her 11th year as a hair and makeup artist. While raising her four children, she works as a freelance hair and makeup artist, showcasing her skills both within and outside the prefecture.

She recently competed in the First Okinawa Resort Wedding Hair and Makeup Contest 2023 and was honored to win the inaugural Grand Prix.

We asked him about his thoughts on entering the contest and what led him to win the Grand Prize.

＜Working Mom, Aori Nitta＞
The author met up with Mr. Nitta for an interview at a café along the coast just before noon on Okinawa’s main island, where summer-like weather still prevailed.
I’d heard she was a mother of four, but to my surprise, she showed up holding a three-month-old baby.
He was born and raised on Iheya Island, moved to Naha after high school, and after attending a vocational school specializing in weddings, went to Tokyo to work and train as a hair and makeup artist. After returning to Okinawa, he reportedly based his work primarily in Naha.

However, she said she returned this year to Iheya Island, where her parents live, to raise her four children. Currently, she travels by boat from Iheya Island—a remote island—to the main island for work, rushing back and forth between jobs both within and outside the prefecture. On the day of our interview, she was on a business trip to Naha. I expected her to arrive alone, but she came carrying her baby in a baby carrier. Naturally, since the baby still needs to be breastfed, she always brings the baby along on postpartum business trips; she works while relying on babysitters to look after the child wherever she goes.

＜After winning the Grand Prix,＞
In fact, Ms. Nitta, who is currently thriving as a working mom, says that every time she had a child, she often felt discouraged by thoughtless comments from those around her, such as, “You shouldn’t work and leave your little child behind,” or “Once you have a baby, you’re supposed to give up on the things you love.”

She was worried because her family wasn’t exactly thrilled about her returning to work after giving birth, but then a model she knew invited her to enter this contest. But get this! She reportedly received the message right in the middle of labor with her fourth child—and it was the day before the deadline.

Apparently, thinking, “If I enter the contest and win, I might be able to convince those around me,” she hurriedly submitted her entry right after giving birth.
And out of about seven entries, she was crowned the first-ever Grand Prix winner. “I never imagined it would be me, but I was just so happy,” said Ms. Nitta. As expected, winning the Grand Prix earned her her family’s approval and made her subsequent activities go much more smoothly.

 

Incidentally, for the contest finals, the stylist reportedly wanted to make the most of the “fresh flowers,” so she started by selecting the flowers and then chose a simple, classic updo that would let them stand out. She arranged the flowers to hang down like ear cuffs. Since the model had such a bright, beautiful complexion, she chose a black dress, which is also currently in style. Since the fresh flowers also complemented the black dress beautifully, the overall look was simple and chic, yet elegant and glamorous.

 

＜The Appeal of Working as a Hair and Makeup Artist＞

Ms. Nitta says she was full of insecurities as a child.

She says she became interested in makeup and dedicated herself to it with the hope that applying it would help her look beautiful and gain confidence. While attending a bridal vocational school, she studied not only makeup but also hair styling, and has since become a hair and makeup artist who provides full-body styling, from hair and makeup to costumes. Above all, she says the appeal of her job lies in hearing clients say, “I’m so glad Aori was my stylist!” and seeing clients happy and enjoying themselves on set—every time that happens, she feels from the bottom of her heart that she’s glad she chose this career.

 

＜What I'm Doing to Hone My Skills and Improve Every Day＞

As you’d expect from a Grand Prix winner, Ms. Nitta never slacks off in her daily efforts. As soon as she hears that a skilled hair and makeup artist from the mainland is holding a seminar in Okinawa, she rushes right over. She also actively cX6 out talented artists within the prefecture, having them do her hair and makeup and asking for their advice—she’s always on the ball.

She also reportedly uses social media and other platforms to stay on top of the latest trends and is constantly working hard to improve her skills. Incidentally, it seems that K-beauty makeup is currently all the rage among young people. She’s also incorporating elements like the K-beauty use of glitter into makeup styles for adults, striving to stay at the cutting edge of trends.

＜Challenges I’ve Faced as a Hair and Makeup Artist, and How I’ve Overcome Them＞

Although Ms. Nitta says that winning the Grand Prix and gaining her family’s understanding made her work significantly easier, she admits that she has struggled to balance her career with raising her children since they were born. However, she says that above all, she has been able to persevere and move forward thanks to the joy and encouragement she finds in her children’s smiling faces when she comes home from work.

Since I have a lively 3-year-old daughter of my own, I can really relate to that. I struggle constantly to balance work and parenting, and I often end up dragging her along to work with me. Every day, when I pick her up from daycare late in the afternoon, I feel both grateful and comforted as she runs toward me with a smile. In this day and age, it’s essential that society takes an understanding approach to parenting as a matter of course. I feel that if Japan shifts toward a model where society as a whole protects and raises children, opportunities for new mothers to thrive in the workforce will expand.

 

＜Advice for Aspiring Hair and Makeup Artists in Okinawa Prefecture＞

With the motto “Hair and makeup that brings out the best in the client,” Ms. Nitta says she always strives to identify and highlight each client’s unique personality and best features. Her message to the young hair and makeup artists who will shape the future is to “keep going,” no matter how difficult it gets. Ms. Nitta herself says she was trained and honed by numerous senior artists who gave her that same advice.

Thanks to that, she said she is now able to make a living as a hair and makeup artist. She added that while it’s not all fun and games—there are plenty of tough and difficult moments—she hopes you’ll keep moving forward, believing that if you never stop putting in the effort, the time will surely come when your hard work pays off.

 

＜Future Dreams＞

Ms. Nitta is currently making a name for herself as a hair and makeup artist, primarily in the bridal industry. However, she shared her dream of launching a company specializing in “1.5 receptions” in the near future—driven by her desire to “increase the number of more casual weddings”—where the ceremony is held with only close family members, and a party equivalent to a reception is held to invite a large group of friends. To that end, she said she is currently not only honing her skills as a hair and makeup artist but also learning on the job about the roles of wedding planners and photographers.

As a hair and makeup artist, she also spoke with a sparkle in her eyes about her plans to expand her career overseas—to places like Paris and Hawaii—and her desire to become an artist who is sought after by clients in those locations.

 

Even while raising four children, Ms. Nitta has steadily built her career as a freelance hair and makeup artist and continues to evolve. I feel she truly serves as a source of inspiration for many working moms. The day she takes flight from Okinawa to become a world-class hair and makeup artist is surely not far off. We can’t take our eyes off her future endeavors!

 

 

＜About the Author＞

Name: Mariko Ikeda Occupation: Announcer / Freelancer / Director, Wonder Zero, Inc. / FM Yanbaru Radio Host /
She currently serves as the 2023 Okinawa Resort Wedding Ambassador

After graduating from Waseda University, she joined TV Miyazaki as an announcer and worked hard as a sportscaster for “Super News.” She also fulfilled her dream of covering the Olympics. She later returned to her hometown of Tokyo and Saitama, where she has been working as a freelance announcer.

I’ve lived life on my own terms—working as a secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, earning a master’s certification in the Oribe school of samurai tea ceremony, serving as a news anchor for J:COM Saitama, hosting various events and weddings, doing voice-over work, teaching communication skills, and working as a writer while conducting interviews and writing articles—and even winning the runner-up title in a Mrs. contest. I have since moved from Tokyo to Okinawa, where I am working to create a world where children can dream. While serving as a radio personality on FM Yanbaru, I’m also doing my best as the mother of a 3-year-old daughter.

In a corner of the Yanbaru Forest, we’ve leased a plot of land and named it “Da Vinci’s Forest.” We’re developing it into a place where adults can have fun and play to their hearts’ content—and where children, watching them, can follow suit and enjoy themselves just as much. We’re actively seeking dedicated partners to join us in this endeavor. We believe that a world where all adults live each day to the fullest and are truly happy is the very world where children can dream.