A Royal Palm Beach native who worked in Hollywood as a child star, has grown up to become one of the most successful professional makeup artists in the western communities.
Nine-year-old Haley Blythe was one of the shyest students at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School when auditions were announced for a “Sesame Street” production that involved singing and dancing.
“I am not sure what came over me,” Haley recalled. “I was the world’s shyest, most quiet child. But something in me made me go try out and, apparently, the producers liked what they saw, because I was gainfully employed as a Hollywood model and actor for the next five years.”
The audition led to a relationship with a talent agency, and the offers just started coming in.
“This was back at a time when I was usually the only person of color on set, and even though I was so young, I still recognized that the hair and makeup people were not used to working on people with Afro hair styles or complexions like mine,” Haley said.
She shot Disney features, starred in commercials and appeared on the TV sitcom “All of Us.” She employed her mother as an agent as she commuted between Hollywood and her home in the Madison Green neighborhood of Royal Palm Beach.
“I had a wonderful time in Hollywood,” Haley said. “I call my time as an actor my ‘Hanna Montana lifestyle.’ I got to work with people like Will Smith, and once his wife Jada Pinkett Smith gave me a cupcake.”
Her mother, Marcia Blythe, took a very hands-on approach.
“My job was to watch out for her and make sure she had fun,” Marcia said. “I was very careful, every step of the way, to empower Haley and let her know that Hollywood was her decision and her dream, and we would support her in that.”
Young Haley had the final word on which auditions and roles she would play. “I let Haley lead the way,” Marcia said. “I completely trusted her gut. We only took jobs she wanted.”
A self-learner who religiously frequented YouTube, by the age of 10, Haley’s makeup skills had started to exceed those of the production set makeup artists.
“By the age of 11, I was doing makeup for all the girls of color in whatever production I was in,” she said. “By the age of 14, I started tiring of the Hollywood commute and just wanted to go back to being a high school girl.”
Her mother was completely OK with the early retirement.
“I trusted her even as a young girl to know what she wanted out of life,” Marcia said.
So, while Haley’s life in front of the camera came to an end, she was spending more and more time honing her makeup skills and became the go-to makeup artist at Royal Palm Beach High School. While her father preferred that Haley make plans to go to college, her mother recalled, “I was shocked when about 20 girls all came to our house on prom day, asking Haley to do their makeup. I told Haley, ‘You have a gift, you might consider doing this professionally.’”
And that’s exactly what happened. Her business, Beauty with Haley B, just celebrated its eighth anniversary of successfully delivering professional makeup services throughout the area.
“We do a lot of weddings, proms, birthdays, events. Some folks like to get professional makeup for headshots, and we have even done pro makeup for job interviews,” Haley said.
Her business operates out of the Aayat Threading Salon in the Village Shoppes plaza near Burlington at State Road 7 and Southern Blvd.
Friend and client Fabiola Bonny has known Haley since their first grade together at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School. Fabiola recently engaged Haley to do her birthday party makeup. “I’m so lucky to have a best friend who is a makeup artist, plus Haley is the sweetest person I know. She’s sunshine and roses,” Fabiola said.
Haley’s mother agrees.
“Haley is a successful businessperson who gives back to the community,” she said. “I think her business flourishes because she is so empathetic with clients. Just today, she woke up at 4 a.m. to do wedding makeup, and the bride was flustered because she forgot to get her nails done. Haley took care of that for free because that is the type of person she is.”
Haley points to her mother as the source for her strong moral code.
“I was brought up to respect everyone, even people who are different than me,” she said.
Her mother thinks that Haley commands respect in the community because she treats everyone with respect and is also proud how much her daughter gives back.
Haley said she loves giving pro bono services to organizations like Runway of Hope, which advocates for abused, neglected, homeless, hungry, exploited and trafficked children and youth.
While so many businesses fail in their first year, Beauty with Haley B has been thriving for eight years. When asked the secret of her success and any advice for young entrepreneurs, she said, “Stick to your moral core no matter what and mind your business closely,” Haley said. “Water your own grass and don’t worry about what the other lawns are doing.”
For more information, visit www.beautywithhaleyb.as.me, and find her on Instagram and Facebook @beautywithhaleyb.
