About Ashlee
Ashlee Rice was born and raised in Dallas, TX where her career in the beauty industry later began in 1999. She attended college prep boarding school all 4 years of high school outside Kansas City, MO. She was a theater major at the historic William Inge theater school in Independence, Kansas, where courses in Stage Makeup really blossomed into a desire to become a professional makeup artist.
Ashlee has traveled as a regional makeup artist for Lancome and Estee Lauder, working alongside Premier Makeup Artists for national makeup events for Foley's, Macy's, Dillards, Saks, Nordstrom and Neimans. She worked in Trademarks and R&D for TIGI Bed Head haircare and makeup learning how to make the most innovative hair products of the time. She also designed TIGI’s limited edition makeup collections, brushes, and revamped their existing makeup line. Her first cover was for Easy Rider magazine in 2006.
After moving west to Midland, TX as the new business manager for Estee Lauder, she then became the onsite MUA for luxury women's boutique Julian Gold, working with such lines such as Paula Dorf, Darphin, La Prairie, Lancôme, and eventually helped introduce Jane Iredale into the cosmetic department.
In 2008, she launched her very own Let’s Face It Makeup Studio with a primary focus on using only non-toxic jane iredale makeup and healthy skincare alternatives, while setting herself apart by bringing a new 'face' to makeup artistry by featuring custom makeup lessons, fantasy makeup, costuming collaborations and eventually underwater mermaid photoshoots.
In 2009 the MRT featured her Halloween fantasy makeup on the cover of their Lifestyles section. In 2012, her underwater makeup was featured at an Allure magazine event for Jane Iredale in NYC. Ashlee then made it to the top 5 for RAW Makeup Artist of the Year Austin, TX 2013.
Since, then, she has been awarded the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Best of Weddings by the Knot. Her makeup has been in broadcast and commercial work on documentaries about the oil industry, national television broadcast series such as 48 Hours and for other true crime reporters. Ashlee was also the assistant MUA to Kandy Glass for Austin Fashion Week, and coordinated the backstage makeup team for designers and Project Runway All-Star night 2015. Her makeup work has been used and featured for bridal editorials with Kayla Barker, Style Me Pretty, My Weddings Texas, The Knot, the historic Gage Hotel, and Society Texas. She has worked with recording artists such as Le Sorelle, Aaron Watson and Abi Music.
Ashlee specializes in fantasy costume design and makeup with innovative ideas such as her famous “Grinch". She has designed underwater shoots that have been used for print and advertising. One of her Halloween looks was featured by Pop Sugar Australia as a top 17 scary costume look for women in 2017. She has contributed to news articles, and media outlets multiple times over the last decade featuring beauty tips and even an awesome story on “underwater mermaid” photoshoots. She also travels to Atlanta for designer Dianaira’s fall and spring collections.
She is currently the West Texas regional makeup artist for jane iredale the skincare makeup, and sells the pharmaceutical grade mineral line at her makeup studio. Ashlee is also an Artisan Affiliate for the luxury brand Artis Brush. She specializes in makeup for bridal, boudoir, underwater, special occasion, fashion, editorial, HD broadcast, and Halloween special fx/costuming, as well as, art direction/design for photoshoots, and is even self taught at hand painted body art.
In 2019, she joined JK Dance Center as the new Assistant Creative Director along side professional dancer Kelsey Bourg Tanner. Ashlee continues to travel for destination projects and weddings, while she works with her base of clients in West Texas. She is married with two children. She is currently working on her first Fiction novel under a pen name, and also writes for her makeup blog "You Can't Make This Up".