We recently had the chance to connect with Sophia Alexander and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Sophia , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m in a season of learning right now.
I’ve been intentionally surrounding myself with people who are already living pieces of the life I want, other makeup artists, creative entrepreneurs, and business-minded mentors who aren’t afraid to dream big and back it up with action.
From other artists, I’m learning new techniques, better ways to organize my kit, and how to create looks that tell a story, not just sit on the skin. I pay attention to how they prep their clients, how they communicate on set, how they move backstage at shows, and how they stay calm when everything is moving at a million miles per hour. Every reel I save, every behind-the-scenes post I watch, and every conversation I have with another artist is like a mini masterclass.
From business people, I’m learning how to actually build the life I want around my art. I’m soaking up everything about pricing my work with confidence, setting boundaries, creating systems that make my life easier, and showing up online in a way that feels true to me. I’m learning how to think long-term, not just gig-to-gig. I’m watching how they talk about their offers, how they market themselves, and how they take risks even when they’re scared.
All of this is helping me step more fully into my own dreams.
I’m realizing that “successful” doesn’t just mean being busy, it means feeling proud of the work I do, aligned with the people I work with, and brave enough to ask for what I want.
Right now, I’m a student of everything: art, business, and belief in myself.
I’m learning from those who are a few steps ahead, not to copy them, but to remind myself that the version of me I’m dreaming about is real and worth working toward.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Sophia Alexander, the hair & makeup artist behind The Painted Profile, and I specialize in creating timeless, glamorous looks with a creative twist. I’m a licensed cosmetologist and professional makeup artist based in the Kansas City area, and I’ve spent the last few years working on everything from fashion weeks and runway shows to photoshoots, weddings, creative transformations, and film.
What makes my work unique is that I blend beauty and storytelling. I love doing soft, elevated glam just as much as I love bold, editorial and avant-garde looks. My goal is always the same: to make people feel like the most confident, seen, and powerful version of themselves, whether they’re walking down the aisle, stepping on set, or just stepping into a new era of their life.
My brand, The Painted Profile, is all about transformation, on the outside and the inside. I’m currently working on growing my freelance business, booking more fashion, film, and creative projects, and building an online presence that educates, inspires, and invites people behind the scenes of what it’s really like to be a working makeup artist. I’m passionate about turning creativity into a career and showing others that it’s possible to follow your dreams and build a life around the art you love.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom absolutely saw me clearly before I could see myself.
She saw the artist in me long before I had the confidence or language to claim it. Where I saw “just playing with makeup,” she saw talent, passion, and potential. Where I worried I was dreaming too big or being unrealistic, she saw someone who was meant to create, to lead, and to work for herself one day.
She’s the one who reminded me that my love for beauty and transformation wasn’t silly, it was a gift. She encouraged me to go to cosmetology school, cheered me on when I started taking clients, and celebrated every fashion show, film project, and new opportunity like it was the biggest thing in the world.
My mom has always reflected back a version of me that is stronger, more capable, and more powerful than I sometimes feel. She saw the future makeup artist, the business owner, and the creative I was becoming, even in moments when I doubted myself. And little by little, I’ve grown into the person she believed I could be.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most in my life is the fear of failing.
For a long time, I equated failure with proof that I wasn’t good enough, so instead of taking big risks, I would sometimes play small. I’d hesitate to apply for certain opportunities, undercharge for my work, or talk myself out of going after things I really wanted because a little voice in my head kept saying, “What if you mess it up?” or “What if they say no?” That fear showed up in a lot of ways: not posting certain looks or content because I worried it wouldn’t be “perfect,” being scared to raise my prices or set boundaries with clients, and constantly questioning whether I was “ready” for bigger projects like fashion, film, or creative collaborations.
But the more I grow as an artist and a business owner, the more I’m learning that failure isn’t the end, it’s feedback. Every time I push through that fear, I prove to myself that I’m capable of more than I thought. I’m slowly rewriting the story from “If I fail, I’m not enough” to “If I fail, I learn, adjust, and come back stronger.” That fear of failing is still there sometimes, but it doesn’t get to drive anymore. Now, I’m choosing to move anyway, because staying stuck hurts more than trying and not getting it perfect the first time.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies my industry tells itself is that bridal makeup has to look a certain way.
There’s this unspoken rule that brides are “supposed” to want the same soft neutral eye, nude lip, and ultra-classic glam, almost like there’s only one correct look for a wedding day. But the truth is, not every bride feels like herself in that style. Some brides love bold color, graphic liner, glitter, or a dark lip. Some want something super minimal and barely-there. Others want full-on editorial, vintage-inspired, or even slightly grunge glam. And all of that is valid.
The idea that bridal makeup has to fit into one safe, traditional box can silence a lot of personality and creativity. It can also pressure artists into ignoring their client’s real style in order to fit a mold. I don’t believe in that. I think bridal makeup should feel like you, just elevated, whether that means classic and soft, colorful and experimental, or anything in between. The most beautiful bridal looks are the ones where the person in the mirror actually recognizes herself and feels deeply, unapologetically like her.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do.
For a long time, I tried to follow the “safe” path. I looked into things like nursing and office work because that’s what a lot of people consider stable, respectable, and predictable. On paper, those careers made sense, but in reality, they didn’t feel like me at all. I felt boxed in, drained, and disconnected from the creative part of myself that has always been there.
Makeup, beauty, and transformation have always lit me up in a way that nothing else does. When I’m creating a look, collaborating on set, or helping someone see themselves in a new way, I feel aligned, present, and genuinely alive. It doesn’t feel like something I was talked into, it feels like something I was made for.
So now, instead of forcing myself into roles that feel “safe but wrong,” I’m choosing the path that feels true. It’s not always the easiest or the most predictable, but it’s the one that feels like my purpose, not an expectation someone else had for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thepaintedprofile.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepaintedprofile?igsh=MWpzaGxpNG12djJqeQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ASod4V2ss/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thepaintedprofile?si=RGuj0MBu_RugSQOL
