Rising Stars: Meet Dominique Davis of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Davis.

Hi Dominique, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Dominique Renee Davis. I’m 29 years old and from Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 2020, I was let go from my job. For an entire year, I was unemployed, stuck in bed most days, feeling hopeless and unsure of my next steps in life. I was depressed and honestly just letting the days pass by. But deep down, I knew God didn’t put me on this earth for nothing — I knew there was something bigger for me.

I’ve always loved the beauty world. I love glam, dressing up, and feeling pretty. During that time, I started watching YouTubers and learning how to do makeup on my own. YouTube taught me everything I know. I fell in love with it. I began practicing on my friends, and eventually started taking them as clients out of my garage.

In 2021, I made a life-changing decision to move to Atlanta, Georgia. I called my cousin and asked if I could stay with her for two years — she said yes. I packed my bags and headed to Georgia with nothing but faith and ambition.

My first year in Atlanta, I networked like crazy. I attended every event I could, including Invest Fest, where I met Yandy Smith from Love & Hip Hop. She introduced me to the agency Teknique, which led to opportunities working on Love & Hip Hop. I connected with Bahja Rodriguez and began doing her makeup, which opened the door to working with the OMG Girlz. From there, I was connected to doing Tiny’s makeup as well.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to do makeup for Ari Lennox and work with major networks including Hulu, BET, TV One, and PBS. God has truly been good to me.

Currently, I am a Brand Ambassador for True Religion, promoting their clothing line for six months, and I’m hopeful this will lead to even more opportunities in the future.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggles have been consistency, finances, and learning how to believe in myself before anyone else did. There were times I was working for free or for very little just to build relationships and get my foot in the door. I also had to learn how to navigate rejection, being overlooked, and moments where opportunities slowed down and made me question myself.

Another challenge was relocating to a new city without a safety net and having to build everything from scratch — connections, clients, and credibility. Mentally, I had to push through self-doubt and fear while staying disciplined and motivated, even when results weren’t immediate.

But every struggle taught me something valuable — resilience, patience, and how to move with purpose. Those challenges shaped my work ethic and prepared me for the opportunities I have now.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a professional makeup artist, and I specialize in soft glam, natural glam, and on-camera makeup for TV, events, and brand work. My main focus is enhancing natural beauty while making sure everything looks clean, polished, and camera-ready.

I’m known for being professional, dependable, and easy to work with. I take pride in creating a comfortable environment for my clients and making sure they feel confident and taken care of. I’m most proud of turning something I taught myself into a real career — starting out doing makeup in my garage and growing into opportunities with networks like BET, Hulu, TV One, and PBS, as well as working with artists like Ari Lennox.

Alongside makeup, I’m also interested in modeling for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands. As a makeup artist, I understand how products look on camera, how lighting works, and how to bring a brand’s vision to life in an authentic way. Modeling feels like a natural extension of what I already do.

What sets me apart is my work ethic and my mindset. I don’t take opportunities lightly, and I show up the same way every time — prepared, focused, and grateful.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice is to start where you are and use what you have. You don’t need everything to be perfect before you begin. Practice as much as possible, even if it means working on friends or doing unpaid work early on to build your skills and portfolio.

I also wish I knew how important networking and relationships are. Talent matters, but showing up, being consistent, and being easy to work with opens more doors than people realize. Protect your reputation early.

Another big lesson is to believe in yourself before anyone else does. There will be slow seasons and moments of doubt, but that doesn’t mean you’re not on the right path. Stay disciplined, stay humble, and don’t compare your journey to others — everyone’s timeline is different.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominiquereneedaviss?
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AfKixSgYx/