About Andrea
Andrea graduated from Emerson College in Boston, MA, where she majored in Dramatic Arts and Creative Writing. After an unremarkable and short stage, television, and theatre career, she joined an all-women public relations firm in Manhattan where she learned to write ad copy and developed her marketing skills. Among her clients were modeling agencies, Sun Line Cruises, Playboy Resorts & Country Club and La Prairie Skin Care Products. Representing these interests meant that she had to be ahead of leisure trends and sensitive to the inner workings of the luxury and entertainment industry. And while proficiency in the field was critical, in order to maintain client trust, she had to look good.
Despite having left the full-time work force to remain at home and raise her children, the lesson of 'putting one's best face forward' did not disappear. Relying on her background in stage-makeup, she began experimenting on her friends, encouraging them to modify their makeup and hairstyles in order to enhance their features. (An interesting aside: Andrea arrived late to her own wedding because she underestimated the time required for styling the hair and makeup of her mother, sister, and future mother-in-law. Talk about dedication . . . .)
As a religiously observant woman, for several years she taught women from varying streams of Judaism. She often sensed that a hat or headscarf created a distraction to those she was instructing. And although she owned several wigs, they were heavy, uncomfortable and made her feel matronly.
One morning - prior to making aliyah in 1995 - she was thumbing through the newspaper and came across an advertisement for a prestigious New York hairstyling/wig school. Suddenly, she knew what she wanted to learn before moving overseas!
Operating from a simple garage studio in Jerusalem, Andrea discovered that clients were more receptive to trying new looks when they were wearing makeup. Self-taught, she was able to share a few tips with women who were daunted by the idea of applying cosmetics. Seeing what a little color and accentuation might do, these same clients became more demanding with respect to their hair/wig styling expectations. And before long, Andrea's hair clients asked her to apply their makeup for the weddings of their children!
She answered that challenge and attended several renowned makeup courses in Jerusalem. In addition to learning product quality and technique, Andrea discovered something very important: she hated the way Israeli makeup schools envisioned beauty! Dismayed by the hard and often costume-like makeup of Israeli kallahs, from the day she opened Jerusalem Bride, Andrea has offered something previously unknown in Israel: A look that is chaste and classically elegant.
Every girl has imagined how she might look on this most special day. And year after year, friends and family members of former Jerusalem Brides call upon Andrea to actualize those personal dreams.
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