Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Walton.
Hi Dominique, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My makeup journey actually started by an accident, lol. I was about 20 years old. I never liked makeup nor have I ever worn it before. My cousin would put on makeup and I used to hate it so much. She was so beautiful but she would cake on makeup and would just look a mess, lol. But I started getting adult acne (I never had bad acne in middle/high school) and I was working at a corporate job so I went to the Clinique counter to get some foundation just to cover up my acne and to look the part like the other women I seen at my job. I would throw on just foundation before work and by the end of my workday, my makeup would look HIDEOUS! Because of that, I started to look more into what I needed in order for my makeup to look good all day. It started with one YouTube video after the other. After a while, I started to do my own makeup looks and going live on Facebook to do it and people would ask me to do their makeup. I wasn’t ready at the time but I gave it a shot one day with practicing on my sisters and it just went from there! I did one person makeup then that one person recommended me to another and so forth and so on. I believe word of mouth is one of the best forms of advertising. I started doing proms, graduations and small weddings. I got invited to be a part of a pop up shop which made me want to get my things together as far as websites, portfolios and business cards goes. It actually took me some time to make it more business like because before it was just a side hustle. And now I am a full-time makeup artist! I have my own office suite called The Pink Office. I do about 15 weddings a year. I am booked every Saturday getting ladies ready for their event for the day. I am truly enjoying being able to do what I love full time now.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has its ups and downs. The main struggle comes from self-doubt and doing a lot of comparing yourself to others. Comparing your work to others and not having the confidence you need within yourself. Especially in an industry that everyone wants to be a part of within in a small city. But I think it’s important to know who you are as an artist and what you bring to the industry. Also being confident in knowing that your work is good and it’s okay for you to not to be for everybody.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a makeup artist. I strongly believe that makeup enhances the beauty women already have. I enhance. I like to keep my makeup looks soft and natural with a pop of glam. But I believe a session with me is more than just makeup. I believe it to be an experience. A therapeutic experience. Some women come to me and confide in me and know they can come sit in my chair and release. Whether if we talk or if they come in just to get a good face beat and relax to some music. I believe in the power of a good glam! I truly believe in “if you look good, you do good”. It’s a confidence boost. To look and feel beautiful inside and out, you can be unstoppable. I believe what I am doing and what is planned for me is bigger than me. I just fell into the makeup industry. God has truly ordered my steps within this business. Sometimes I elevate in this business unknowingly and I believe it’s all God’s doing. Currently, I am closing the lid on my wedding glam team. I want to be the one stop shop for my brides when they are searching for glam for their special day. I love for my brides to be at ease and so I figured what better way to do that than by cutting out the stress for that part of their special day.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
During the crisis, a lot has happened for a lot of people. A lot of people have lost loved ones. I learned that family is important and it’s important to spend as much time as you can with them. Time is something you can’t get back but memories are forever so spend that time as much as you can. And I think that’s why I like being an entrepreneur. You can have more freedom. You can work from where you want to work and create your own schedule. You have more time for family as well as time to create other business ventures. And you can keep pouring the money you receive from the community back into the community. I also learned that breaks are important. Take time for yourself. Take care of yourself and your mental state. During the beginning of the pandemic, I took a break from makeup. I was dreading the coming month which was April. That month was going to be so busy for me from weddings, prom and my regular 9-5. I was burning out. So I didn’t accept any clients for the next two months (Although it was mandatory some folks was still trying to get their makeup done). I was losing my passion for makeup. But a break from it definitely allowed me time to myself and time to see that Hey! I really do have a passion for making others feel and look beautiful and this is where I belong.
Contact Info:
- Email: StrokeOfTheBrush5@gmail.com
- Website: StrokeOfTheBrush.com
- Instagram: www.instragram.com/StrokeOfTheBrush_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrokeOfTheBrushllc
