I'll try and lay this out quickly- hitting the key points, so not to bore. 

I was an artist from a young age, that was my jam.  Any extra classes, camps, etc. revolved around some medium of art, and I had many projects going in my room.
I stole makeup from the leftover product my mom had after a career with BeautyControl(think Mary Kay) and experimented.
I was the resident homecoming and winter formal hair stylist, and would sit my BF down and pluck her eyebrows

My mom encouraged I go to beauty school(my senior year in HS got whack), so Summer of 2001 I started. I attended while assisting at a nice salon in town. I graduated, got a job as a stylist, grew my books super fast, and set some big goals for myself, thanks to a book called, "Dare to Win". I wanted photoshoots, editorial, etc. (and other things); I have my dreamboard to this day.

Fast forward 2 years, I moved to LA.  By myself, from Pennsylvania, just shy of 21, with my own savings. I enrolled in MUD, which is a well known makeup school for film, photo, TV, etc.  School was awesome, and I started doing test shoots immediately (I also got my CA cos license a few months later so I could work in a salon $). I approached H/MU Artist agencies with a PRINTED portfolio, asking for a chance to assist their artists. It worked,  Disney, Victoria's Secret, Oakley, etc.  Amazing.

Time, time, time goes by, I end up in Austin. This was 17 years ago. There wasn't another artist with a website- I stood out.  I contacted every production company with an email, and attached photos of my work.  I advertised on The Knot to get some income that way (and that business TOOK OFF!).
I did some films, got other gigs- all while still working behind the chair, and opened my own studio quite quickly.  It was adorable.  Sweet and fresh.

Time, time, time... well, I guess that's really it.  Things built. I had kids, it slowed me down.. and I rebuilt. And today, for me, I have the best job in the entire world.
The end: )

It's obvious what my time is spent doing on a job.  Hair and makeup.
However, a good amount of time goes into maintaining my kit in between jobs.  Thoroughly cleaning my tools happen after a job- full washing and sanitizing, not just a spray. And then comes the incremental work.  The other week I spent a good 4 hours just de-potting and organizing my shadows.  I recently got a new lipstick and cream blush palette system(which was very pricey!!) that reduces the weight and space those products take up in my kit. That took me a few hours as well.  Going through products from time to time making sure they are all fresh, buying and trying, cleaning out brushes and pin boxes, re-upping and keeping disposables organized, wiping all of my palettes, pencils, etc. down to keep them clean, etc. This all takes time! I change up my kit according to the specific job as well.

Point is... it's not just show up and work the hours needed.  It's maintain a beautiful, functional, and fresh kit.  Pack, lug, travel, show up, travel, clean and sanitize, refill, - do it again!!