00:00I have been addicted to getting tattoos for 13 years, ended up homeless because I was spending 95% of my check on tattoos, eating out of the trash just to eat.
00:12Today marks my six months of my sobriety for my tattoo addiction.
00:16I'm hosting a dinner party for my friends and my husband, and I'm very excited for them to see my new look.
00:22I feel like this transformation will complete my journey to the next chapter of my life.
00:27Oh my gosh, so excited.
00:30Hi, how are you?
00:37Hi, I'm good.
00:39I'm Crystal.
00:40I'll be doing your makeup today.
00:41Please come in.
00:42Okay.
00:43My name's Alex, and I've spent between $25,000 and $50,000 on my tattoos.
00:49When I first started, it was more like for artwork and to just express myself, but it turned into an addiction when I was constantly thinking about them 24-7 of the day.
01:00I got my first tattoo on my left arm of my best friend in high school.
01:04I was instantly addicted, hooked.
01:06It's affected my life because it started out as something fun to do, like a hobby.
01:11But it turned into something that I consistently thought about for hours at a time, and I started forgetting about everyday routines and forgot about family and friends and panhandling for money.
01:23I actually ended up homeless because of it, eating out of the trash just to eat.
01:28After beating my addiction, I feel like I need to do a new look to commemorate a new beginning.
01:33So you've chosen not to cover up your tattoos for today's look.
01:37Tell me about that.
01:39I've spent years without the tattoos, and then once I tattooed my face, I felt more like myself.
01:45So just covering them up would just make me feel insecure and not myself.
01:50Yeah, because they're part of you, and you don't want to feel like you're covering something that you're not.
01:55So why have you chosen this transformation today?
01:57I wanted to show that I can get sober.
02:02I had a tattoo addiction, and I've been six months sober.
02:05So something new to transform my look and also start, like, a new chapter in my life.
02:10So the plan and the vision I have for today's look is, like, I want to make your eyes pop.
02:16I kind of want to incorporate maybe your tattoos into the look, but still make it, like, in a glamorous way.
02:23Just something that matches your style and also makes you feel beautiful.
02:28So I have everything we need, and I'm going to go set up, and we'll get started.
02:37These are the facial radiance pads from First Aid Beauty.
02:40I'm going to use them to give her, like, a little bit of exfoliating and also to clear her skin of any, like, impurities.
02:50This is the Tarte Shape Tape.
02:52It's a concealer.
02:53I'm going to use it as a primer for her eyeshadow.
02:57Have you ever had your makeup done before?
02:59Professionally, no.
03:00Oh, okay.
03:00So this is, like, the first time then.
03:02First time, yes.
03:03Oh, okay.
03:05Do you get judged on the way you look?
03:07When I first started, I got judged because it was, like, night and day.
03:11And where I came in, you know, looking without tattoos, and the next day I was almost, my whole face was, like, 60% covered.
03:19And people were wondering if it was real, does it hurt, associating face tattoos with crime and being uneducated.
03:28I've been told, is it spray paint?
03:31Do you wake up in the morning and color your face with Sharpies?
03:36No one's ever going to love you because you did that to your face.
03:39Your face used to look so beautiful.
03:41Now it's ugly and just associating that I've been in prison or crime.
03:47People are still very judgmental in the world and not accepting of difference.
03:52This is a Rare Beauty blush on the shade Happy, and I'm using it as a blush for a little bit of grossiness on the cheeks.
04:00And I'm trying to, like, make some of your tattoos stand out a little more.
04:05Make it part of your look.
04:08This is the Anastasia lip pencil in the shade Malt, and I use it as a lip liner for her lips.
04:15When's the last time you wore lashes?
04:18A little more.
04:18Maybe eight years.
04:20Oh, wow, it's been a while.
04:21Yeah.
04:22Okay, so we're all done with the makeup.
04:24Now we're going to get into your outfit and your wig.
04:27So, are you ready to see yourself?
04:35Yes.
04:35Okay.
04:36I'm excited.
04:37Okay, let's do it.
04:42Five, four, three, two, one.
04:46Oh, wow.
04:50Cool.
04:51We're different.
04:53Yeah, how do you like the look?
04:55I love it.
04:55Well, I love the lips and the eye shadow and the hair.
04:59I love that it's, like, still me.
05:01Like, I can still see me, like, my style.
05:03And if I dressed like this more often, that's kind of how I would look.
05:07Conservative but girly.
05:09Yeah, like, in your own feminine way.
05:11I love the wig.
05:13It's been a while since I've had long hair, so it's nice to see.
05:16And then the makeup, like, brings my tattoos out.
05:21Like, the little gems.
05:22And how do you feel like your family's going to react?
05:27They're going to be surprised and just something new to look at because they're so used to see me in t-shirt and jeans.
05:33Oh, my goodness, we're here.
05:36How are you guys feeling?
05:37Oh, my gosh.
05:38So excited.
05:39Very excited.
05:41Excited for it.
05:42Anxious.
05:43Can't wait to see her.
05:44It's been a little while.
05:45I don't know what to expect.
05:46I want to see where it's going.
05:46How far has Alex come over the past six months since beating her addiction?
05:52Proud of Alex.
05:53Proud from where she was so dependent on everything.
05:55And now she's starting to, you know, grow up and take a different path.
06:00And I'm proud of her.
06:02I am so excited about this.
06:04I'm not sure what to expect.
06:05I know that Alex is going through her sobriety right now.
06:09And she's such a strong woman going through this.
06:13And I just can't wait to see her transformation.
06:16Yeah, whatever it is, it'll be super amazing, though.
06:29Oh, my gosh.
06:30You look so gorgeous.
06:31Oh, my God, baby.
06:32Yay.
06:32Oh, my goodness.
06:33I'm going to give you a hug, okay?
06:35Yep.
06:35Oh, my gosh.
06:36You're so beautiful.
06:38I love how you've done.
06:39I love the whole look.
06:40So pretty.
06:41Super girly.
06:41Cheer, little Miss Bougie.
06:44How pretty you are.
06:45Do a spin.
06:46Yeah.
06:47That's good.
06:48Oh, it's so pretty.
06:50Looks different, but I love it.
06:52You love it?
06:53Yeah.
06:53Oh, my goodness.
06:54That's cute.
06:55Yeah.
06:55The makeup is gorgeous.
06:57The hair, the dress.
06:58I love the hair.
07:00So pretty.
07:01And are we all four of us match long hair?
07:03Yes.
07:05Yeah.
07:06I can still see all the beautiful art, but it just, your little hourglasses.
07:11Okay, spin for us.
07:13Oh, so pretty.
07:14I think she looks like a princess.
07:17You've got your story, but you're dressed so feminine, and the hair is a beautiful color
07:22on you.
07:23It's just, it's very flattering.
07:25I think it's gorgeous.
07:27It's beautiful.
07:28It's very pretty.
07:29I was expecting their reactions, that I looked different, pretty, more confident myself.
07:35I'm really happy with my new look.
07:37I think I'll keep this look for moving forward.
07:40It takes a while to put on the makeup, so I have to find the time.
07:44This experience has taught me that if you have family and friends that love you, you can
07:49always get sober from an addiction.
07:51I feel like another part of my sobriety journey is complete because it's transitioning or moving
07:56forward to the next chapter of my life journey.
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