Today we’d like to introduce you to KiAna Smith.
Hi KiAna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a 27-year-old makeup artist from Lake Charles, Louisiana. I moved to Atlanta in June 2021, after having 2 hurricanes and historic flooding I was forced to leave my home in Lake Charles La. I remember first being introduced to makeup by one of my best friends in high school when she applied some of her makeup on me. I remembered being so fascinated by the instant glam it gave me but upon returning home, my mom (who’s going was not a makeup wearer) immediately made me take it off. For years after, I didn’t attempt to try again with makeup, until getting my makeup done for my grandmother’s birthday and shopping for products after my service. I was so eager to return home and play in my new makeup. Fast forward to later that year I began to post selfies featuring my makeup looks and girls in my town began flooding in my inbox with the request for me to do their makeup. At that point, I was not confident enough to take any clients so I declined for months. It wasn’t until my best friend Jadasha suggested I “just try it out”, after all, what could I lose? In the following days, I invited a few of my friends to come over to my place and I would do makeovers on them and post it on social media. Ultimately was the start of something so amazing for me. In the first week of me accepting clients, I was booked with 14 clients. I worked from 7am-12am. I didn’t know the demand for my services would be so rewarding.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Honestly, it hasn’t been a smooth road but the journey has been so rewarding. Following the 2020 Hurricane Season, that consisted of 2 category 4 hurricanes in my city of Lake Charles, I was displaced for months living in different cities, unable to return home and work. The entire city was displaced. People began to relocate to neighboring cities and states. A vast majority of my clientele began leaving town as well. I found myself wondering if I needed to do the same. Not only did I need to rebuild my entire makeup kit and supplies after getting damaged in the storms, I had to rebuild my clientele. Things started to pick up as the city continued to rebuild. Until May 2021, during my birthday trip, the city of Lake Charles experienced yet another weather disaster, record-breaking flooding. I returned home to a completely different home from what I left. With the damages from the prior hurricanes and now this flood, We were alerted by my complex that we had a 2-week period to vacate the property for demolition. In a city that was still trying to rebuild from the previous year, we had no other choice but to relocate to the Metro Atlanta area. Leaving behind all the clientele I’ve built in the previous years, I now had to do it yet another time but now in a city where I knew no one. Since then, I’ve been trying to find a way to pivot my way back into the swing of things and being more consistent with building a clientele in an unfamiliar place. With the continued support from my husband, family, friends and amazing clients, I continue to put my best foot forward and remain resilient.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a professional Makeup Artist who specializes in my signature soft glam. Although I am very flexible and diverse with the makeup services I provide, I am known for the effortless soft glam that I give my clients. I would often time run across people who could immediately spot my work anywhere. Approximately 90% of my clients was return clients for my soft glam.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The COVID-19 crisis taught me that I needed to be more innovative in the way I service my clients, i.e, virtual classes was made and still is very prevalent since Covid-19. During that time, women still wanted to look and feel beautiful but safety was my top priority. Virtual makeup classes became a hit. I was still able to bring in some income and my clients were able to learn a new skills.
Pricing:
- $80 Soft Glam – this service includes full face of my signature soft glam, completed with lashes and a lip of your choice.
- $150 Bridal Glam – this service includes on-location full face glam for brides, completed with lashes and a touch-up lip kit of your choice.
Contact Info:
- Website: glammedbykiana.as.me/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kianalashaunn?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Image Credits
Photo #2. Patrick Williams @patrick.photography Photo #4.MadHart Productions Photo #5. Antonio Gauthier Photography
