Today we’d like to introduce you to Arelis Andrade.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Arelis. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been doing makeup for seven years now. I am very artistic and creative. Makeup has been my passion since I was a little girl. I could remember seeing my aunts and my mom do their makeup and I would go grab their makeup and play with it. I started high school in 2007. I had my first job and that’s when I started purchasing my own makeup. I had classmates from my high school reach out to me to do their makeup for events. I didn’t even consider myself as a makeup artist at that time. I didn’t even know what contour was and I didn’t even freelance at the time. I enjoyed doing it.
When I turned twenty-one, I had booked an appointment with a good old friend of mine. She was a makeup artist. I fell in love with my makeup. That’s when I knew the power of makeup. I got curious about how she did that so I started looking at makeup tutorials on YouTube. My boyfriend, now fiancée, gave me my first high-end palette, the Naked palette by Urban Decay, for my twenty-first birthday in 2013. I fell in love with the pigmentation of the eye shadows. After that palette, my makeup kit grew. I started practicing on myself first, then on my friends and family. When I started getting comfortable, that’s when I started my Instagram and started posting my work. I did many events from proms, quinceaneras, weddings, and other big events. I would do makeup on the weekends and work an 8-5 weekday job while still enrolled in college as a full-time student. I was pursuing a career towards the nursing program. I became pregnant in 2018 and I stopped working my 8-5 job and just did makeup while pregnant. I have always loved being my own boss. I love that I get to choose my own schedule and the freedom, but being your own boss takes so much work it’s not easy you will face many obstacles, but as long as you have a passion and stay determined you can make it happen.
Once I was about to have my son in 2018, I told my self I am going to add another service. I didn’t want to go back to an 8-5 job again. I came across eyelash extensions on Instagram. I fell in love with them. I saw it as art that’s when I told myself that’s the service I will add. A few months after, I had my son and I started looking for a lash school. I knew you had to have your license to be able to do eyelash extensions. I wanted to do it the right way. I saw on DFW Beauty Community on Facebook someone mentioned Learn Lash Repeat Academy. I looked it up and called for more information. I went and took a tour then I signed up in August 2018. I was still in college. I was currently only taking one class while going to the lash school and being a new mom. I would drive an hour to the lash school on Monday through Saturday, I had my classes in the evenings and got to college in the morning. I started getting very stressed out balancing both schools. I started getting anxiety attacks at both of my schools I would have to step out until I calmed down. That’s when I talked to my instructor. I told her how I felt and she made me realize I had to focus on one thing especially since it started affecting my health. That’s when I made my big decision and I stopped pursuing nursing and followed my passion, the beauty industry. That’s when I feel the happiest, doing what I love, making people feel beautiful. I then became a full-time student at my lash school and was determined to finish sooner. I was in school for almost ten hours a day. Being away from my son was the hardest, but I knew everything would be worth it in the end. He’s been my biggest motivation. I ended up finishing lash school sooner than I had originally planned, in November 2018.
After I obtained my eyelash extension specialty license, I knew I wanted to do volume. I took two volume classes. I practiced and practiced every day. Until this day, I still practice. I feel like you will never stop learning and there will always be new techniques. I like to do any style of eyelash extensions, from natural, to dramatic and still maintaining and keeping your actual lash in a healthy state. My clientele started growing. Social media is very powerful, you just have to be very consistent. I started balancing my lash appointments with my makeup appointments. I wanted to further my skills with makeup so I decided to take a one on one class and became certified. With everything I had on my plate, I still managed to graduate this year with my Associates of Arts Degree. My next goal is to obtain my esthetics license. This is just the beginning of my journey. I have many things in store for my future. I would love to inspire other women or men to not give up on their dreams. I had a classmate ask me what do you think about competition? I told her what competition? You are your own competition. Stay focused only in your craft, don’t compare your craft with others. That’s how you will perfect your own. This industry is growing, there is plenty of room for everyone. I am a very ambitious person, whatever I set my mind to I make it happen. I rather fail, then to live with fear.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a bumpy road, through my journey it hasn’t been easy. I have definitely faced many obstacles. Not everyone will understand or see your vision. Not everyone will clap for your achievements. I have gone through my trial and error phase, some will stick with you through it and some won’t. It was difficult balancing both schools, so much that it started affecting my health causing my anxiety attacks. Being away from my son for so many hours was the hardest. From making a big decision to stop pursuing nursing and just focus on my passion, the beauty industry. Driving an hour to my lash school Monday through Saturday was very challenging. The advice I can give to younger women that are just starting their journey. Do it with a passion, work hard, don’t give up. Be ready to face many obstacles through your journey but that’s what’s going to make you stronger. Be yourself, fall in love with your work. Set goals for your self, never stop practicing, surround yourself with positive supportive people, don’t expect everyone to understand or see your vision. Stay focus in your craft, everyone starts off somewhere, so don’t compare your work to someone else’s work, that’s how you will perfect your own craft. Look in the mirror, that’s your competition. Use social media to post your work, it’s very powerful to stay consistent and don’t ever give up, if you started, it’s for a reason, don’t be afraid to fail. If you come across someone’s professional work that’s in the same field as you and it inspires you to ask to see if they do any continuing education classes and will guide you. I would recommend trying different approaches to find the right mentor. By having a mentor they can help you enhance the qualities in you that you weren’t able to. Network with other artist and collab. Get to know other artists in your community. Don’t be afraid to step into the beauty industry, just know we were all once in your shoes.
What do you do? What do you specialize in?
I do any type of makeup looks from a natural glam to a dramatic glam. I am known for making your makeup last all day long. With eyelash extensions, I specialize in texture, making them look like a wispy strip lash. I also do natural eyelash extensions. I like to do it all. I am always up for a challenge but still maintaining the lashes healthy. I am very proud of how far I have gotten in my business and this is just the beginning. I am grateful for all my clientele that supports my business. What sets me apart from others is my skills. Everyone has their own unique skills and also, my personality.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I didn’t have an easy childhood from moving from Chicago to Texas when I was seven years old. My father was no longer in the picture. My mom has played both roles being a mom and dad. My mom has always been a very independent woman she has always worked so hard juggling two jobs to give me and my brother the best. Seeing her work so hard for us inspired me to be independent women just like her. When I was fifteen, I had the first job, my mom has always taught me to be independent and not depend on anybody else. She has always taught me to work for my stuff to make me realize that things are not just handed over, it takes hard work and sweat to obtain nice things. As I got older, I always told myself I wanted to be successful where I don’t have to work two jobs to make ends meet. I have always been very ambitious and hungry for success.
Contact Info:
- Email: arelis.gallegos28@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arelis.gg/
Image Credit:
Joselopezbeautystudio
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