Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniella Flores.
Hi Daniella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started experimenting with makeup when I was 12 years old. I would watch my mom apply her makeup at her vanity while I admired her beauty while I sat on the bed. She then handed me a blue tube of Covergirl mascara that was dried out and hardly had any product. I would apply the mascara every day, asking members in my household how my lashes looked and if they looked like mom’s. After this first encounter with beauty, YouTube was becoming popular, and at the age of 15, I began watching YouTube videos from Patrick Starr, Manny Mua, and other influencers. From there, I taught myself what techniques worked with certain skin types, different kinds of products, and what products best enhanced my natural beauty. From here, I knew I wanted to help other people feel as beautiful as I did with makeup on. It wasn’t meant to hide or conceal my natural beauty, but I saw it as a way to enhance my natural features and play round with art. I began to create elaborate looks calling the attention of family members and friends. Soon enough, I was being booked for Weddings, Quinceañera, and other events. I began researching application techniques, famous makeup artists, and their tricks and began to find my own.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Every journey is not easy. I struggled with self-doubt, and overprotective father who hated me wearing makeup, and lack of resources. I wanted to become a professional makeup artist after high school, but I knew my parents who never allow me to pick that as a career choice. So, I put myself through college at John Carroll University and paid for my education alone by tooth and nail. I had 3 jobs to pay tuition, car insurance, groceries, etc. If my parents could have given me everything, I knew they would. My parents have spent their whole lives working so that my sisters and I could have access to opportunities like applying to colleges and scholarships, loans, and more. However, after deciding to be a communication major with a focus in Integrated Marketing, I still loved wearing and applying makeup for others. I applied to Ulta Beauty in 2018 as a Beauty Advisor. Here is where I learned from my co-workers the best makeup, application techniques, education videos from brands, and so much more. I stayed connected to my creative side of beauty and encouraged others to do the same. I was a part of an amazing team of beauty experts who supported my passion for education, beauty, and my life. They cheered me on throughout college, they helped me intensify my love for beauty, and from there, I began the journey of being a freelance, self-taught makeup artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I am a Mergers and Acquisitions communication specialist. I am pursuing my Master’s degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship with the goal of starting my own beauty brand. I specialize in creative design; I am bilingual and a first-generation Latina.
I am most known for leading with my heart, humor and flowing through life with grace and positivity. I am most proud of myself for putting myself through college, having 3 jobs while being a full-time student, and still coming out on top. I am proud of my family for giving me everything they could and teaching me life lessons of perseverance, humility, and gratitude.
What sets me apart from others is that I can find the good in everyone. I see the beauty in all things, and I do my best to captivate that beauty in my work and personal life. I have an amazing and supportive partner who loves me unconditionally and pushes me to become the best version of myself every day. He knows how much passion I have to help the BIPOC and other marginalized communities through education, conversation, and resources. I want to tie in my passion to help uplift and amplify BIPOC voices through creating a beauty brand that focuses on melanin skin and skincare while being sustainable, refillable, and affordable.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Network, network, network. I have applied to so many beauty positions and have been told no countless times. Ulta Beauty denied me over 5 different jobs at their headquarters; Benefit Cosmetics moved on with another candidate, and other cosmetics companies never even followed up. Know YOUR worth. Once you know how valuable you are and the skills you hold…create magic, and others will see your value and talent. Try to educate yourself on different skin types, skin colors, and skin conditions. Be a master of many things and then find your niche talent and go for it. The only person standing in your way is you. If there is a will, there is a way, and people who have passion always find a way.
Pricing:
- Full Glam Makeup: $150
- Natural Makeup: $85
- Makeup consultation: $25
- Skincare consultation: $25
- Strip lash application: $20
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luxbeauty_danie/?hl=en
- Facebook: Glambydani
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniella-flores-86a5b2186/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2IHZDwabKtCLBEKc1N3Vrw
Image Credits
Jessica Thomas
