Today we’d like to introduce you to Katia Hunley.
Hi Katia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started doing makeup in 2015 after I got hooked on watching makeup tutorials on YouTube! I randomly came across a video and I couldn’t stop watching them. I wanted to learn how to do my own makeup, but taking clients was never on my mind. After a year or two I realized my work was pretty good so I applied at Sephora to get more practice in. I was already taking clients at that point and eventually had to quit Sephora so that I could take more clients at home. Fast forward to 2024, I took a leap of faith and quit my full time job so I could be a full time makeup artist. In the past few years, I’ve gotten booked for weddings, makeup classes, Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball/ Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, flown out to do makeup & more!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been a smooth road for me! 80% of my clientele are returning clients that have been with me since 2016-2018. Even when Covid happened, my business slowed down but it picked up immediately once the shut down was over. Another thing that helped is that there weren’t many makeup artists when I first started so I didn’t have to go look for clients. Mac and Sephora were really popular at the time so I charged $35-40 so that I could get people to book since Mac was $50 per face.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in natural makeup looks. Every time I get a new client that books me, they tell me they love how natural my work looks. I do full glams but the skin will always look clean and soft. My goal is to enhance features and making the makeup feel “light.”
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
It’s important to stay professional and be nice at all times. Of course there’s times where I feel frustrated but at the end of the day, I stay calm and polite. My business runs smoothly because of that. I rarely have problems with clients. My clients will tell you, I’m super nice and understanding! Treat your clients how you’d like to be treated!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katiaannette.as.me/
