Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Lin
Hi Nancy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share how my small business Brows with Nana (now relocated at Hoshi Studio).started. It is a huge honor, and I never thought in a million years that my story would be featured with the VoyageDallas!
It all happened right before Covid-19 hit in early 2020. It’s hard to believe this all happened just a few years ago when it felt like yesterday. After my previous workplace had shut down, I took a HUGE leap of faith and poured all my savings to fully invest myself in learning the art of cosmetic tattooing, with brows being the first type of cosmetic tattoo at the time. I had the choice to use my savings to pay off my mountain of credit card debt I had accumulated at the time, or to take a chance in learning a new trade that would eventually become, my new career. And so, I chose the latter.
This was not an overnight decision that I had made by chance. I had been researching the field for at least over five years while working at my previous jobs. I was highly intrigued in the field as I felt like I needed a creative outlet in whatever work I did. At the same time, I had wondered if doing brows, or any form of cosmetic tattooing could become a new passion while earning some income and asked if I could see myself pursuing this long-term. Cosmetic tattooing could give me that creative outlet and at the same time, I enjoyed working with my hands. I had tried various business ventures back then while juggling with other jobs and also did not succeed. This was partially because I could not commit myself full-time to that one business, So I knew that if I were to go into permanent makeup, it would be all or nothing. You know what they say, “Go big, or go home!”
So why brows? I had always been crazy about brows or anything related to brows like drawing and filling them in for myself and friends whenever they asked for my help. Brows were the only makeup I would wear on a daily basis, and I felt naked, or weird going out without anything penciled in since I believed brows were the first thing that a person would notice at first contact. They are the most prominent feature that not only frame your face, but also bring more facial harmony and balance.
During that time, permanent makeup (especially brows) was starting to pop up and grow in DFW with very few well-established artists and almost non-existent, high-quality trainings. I was looking and researching various experienced trainers’ portfolios not only in Texas, but also out-of-state and abroad as well. It wasn’t until after a ton of research and exchange of emails with the owner and her husband at of one of the earliest founding permanent makeup studio, Hoshi Studio (which I found on Google and Instagram), that I had decided to take my first training here. I was very selective in choosing who to invest my education with at the time, because PMU courses can cost thousands. The education, tools, ink, needles, supplies, and everything in this field can cost a fortune and there are trainers out there who like to make fast money off of students without providing any quality training, or opportunities to get more hands-on practice post-training. I knew I had made the right decision when choosing Hoshi.
After completing my first course, I would shadow my trainers whenever I could and practiced on fake skin for months until I had gained the confidence to finally start working on real skin by taking on models in my first studio in Plano! Usually, artists who are just starting out might work from their homes (which is not legal and is also unsanitary), but I had wanted to start my business right from the beginning and paid a grand or two to get my tattoo license and all the necessary certifications and zoning letters needed to open up shop. When looking for a location, my hair dresser at the time who was cutting my hair, had asked what I would be doing after losing my job. When I told her I had just finished my first PMU class for brows and was looking for a place to work, she had offered me a spare room at a miraculously affordable price and the rest was history. Brows with Nana came to life.
From there, I would pour all of my remaining savings into social media marketing and charged super low for brow models and did a lot of free work or touch-ups just to get more hands on practice on whatever skin I could get to build my portfolio. I remembered taking on my very first model who spoke no English at all. I had worked with her for almost eight hours because I was so nervous, spilling ink everywhere. After my very first procedure, I couldn’t stand or walk properly. All the mental and physical exhaustion from that night took a toll on me, and all I knew was that I wanted Mcdonald’s (haha).
After many more procedures after and meeting new clients and faces and working late nights (until midnight or 1am even), I’d continue to shadow and start assisting my trainer Holly Starcevich at Hoshi Studio to hone my skills and gain more knowledge. Working by myself at the studio had its own limitations in that I had to figure out a lot of things by myself without relying on any coworkers for help. I wanted to further my growth by working alongside other senior artists, so when my trainer asked if I had wanted to start taking on clients at Hoshi, I was elated. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and not every person could get a chance to work together with a group of talented artists within the same space.
Fast forward to now, it took a lot of risks and patience with myself to get to where I am today. Never in my life did I expect to become a cosmetic tattooist, tattooing people’s faces like brows and lips, but I love doing what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world. I can say that I am truly blessed to be able to wake up excited and to be able to keep going in this industry to bring a bit of beauty and luxury into someone’s daily routine and life. To see my own art on someone’s face and knowing that that person is walking around with my work on them is such an honor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge in being a small business owner and artist, I would say, is being your own cheerleader, every single day. I had no support other than the support from my trainers and strangers when starting out this business so I had to cheer myself on every day. As artists, we can be super hard on ourselves and our self-worth can be directly tied to the quality of the work we provide. Then, we compare ourselves to other more experienced artists with beautiful work and criticize our own work. It’s hard, but at the end of the day, I had to accept that my only competition is with myself and that I am walking my own journey versus a trainer who has been in the industry for decades. Good quality healed work and artistry comes with time and cannot be rushed.
That being said, unless you are also in the same industry, people just don’t know how excruciatingly difficult and challenging cosmetic tattooing can be. It’s not only physically laborious, but also super mentally taxing. When I am outlining, or starting the base of the tattoo, I don’t breathe! All my focus and energy is going into the makings of a piece of art that I cannot mess up on because it’s the face! How stressful can that be? If you go too deep in pressure, or implant too much ink into the skin, you can’t just “erase” your mistake. Not all parts of the tattoo can be removed with laser completely, so this is a very high-stress and high-pressure job. From my 15+ years of experience working at many fields ranging from healthcare, nursing, retail and restaurant management to all things real estate and working in biomolecular labs, cosmetic tattooing is by far, the hardest industry I have ever worked in. My trainer said that skills like brow shaping for symmetry and tattooing is a life-long skill that can take years to master and perfect. Having an eye for beauty and talent is not enough. It takes daily practice and trials of error to master your craft.
On the financial side of being a small business owner, a business provides no stable income so that can be difficult if you are supporting someone else or a family. There are days where it’s really busy and I get booked out a few weeks at a time, or there are slow periods where no one is booking, and you have to be ok with that and be productive in other ways like practicing and making content. Whatever income I make, I find myself constantly pouring funds back into the business experimenting with new tools or supplies, and staying on top of continuing education. And there are days where I take on models for discounted pricing and work for free to improve my craft. You have to do whatever it takes so that your artistry and skills do not tarnish.
Nowadays, with new technology and techniques constantly on the rise, I feel the need to keep growing and progressing to be at the forefront of my industry in order to provide the best quality work for my clients. The learning never stops. Wearing all the hats as a small business owner is frustrating too. I had to learn how to design my own website, do content creation, photography, marketing, and don’t even get me started with social media. On top of all that, I have to keep up with improving my artistry and technique. It can be a lot to handle, but I know I’m not alone because if thousands of other artists in my industry can do it, then I can do it too.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in a very natural and undetectable look for PMU brows which can be known as Microshading, ombre or powder brows. My style has a very soft, powdery, and airbrushed look to it. I believe that a cosmetic tattoo should be a natural enhancement — something special you can wake up and look forwars to and instantly look put together and go without effort! There are so many different styles out there ranging from a “natural” look to a more “makeup” or bold look, but my favorite style is one that is undetectable to keep others guessing. It’s always optional, but the person can always layer on more makeup on top of their cosmetic tattoo for a bolder look if they feel like it.
Something new and exciting is that I just started offering Lip Blush too which is basically lip tattooing for again, a natural enhancement to the lips. This helps to define the natural shape of the lips more and to also correct and even out the natural undertones and color of the lips for an overall lip tint, or lip blush look. As we age, we lose volume, shape, and color in the lips. A lip blush tattoo can be restorative to wind back the clock for a timeless look.
PMU can transform the lives of everyone in ways you can’t imagine. For those who have lost hairs in their brows due to over plucking, or cancer, to those who can’t see how they’re applying their brow makeup because they’re blind…cosmetic tattooing can be for everyone. I am reminded that PMU is a luxury and we do not all need to have it, (as it can save and create more time, money, and bring confidence back to those who have lost it) but lately, I’m starting to think that we all need a bit of luxury and glamor in our mundane lives. Just like how self-care is a necessity, I hope to start seeing everyone indulging in a bit of PMU in the near future because it shows you care for yourself.
How do you think about luck?
While I do kind of believe in a bit of luck (and feng shui), I’d say a lot of the credit to my current and developing success goes to my trainers at Hoshi Studio: Holly Starcevich, Terry Sotelo, Whitney Tobar, and Taylor Coborn (Arch & Cupid). I think meeting the right mentors at the right time and pouring a lot of time, energy, and effort into learning from them and assisting them whenever has led me to where I am today. I am truly blessed to have met and to work alongside such inspiring artists in my life. In this industry, you have to pay hundreds, or a grand or so, just to shadow and learn from a trainer for just a day for one specific technique, and apprenticeship is almost nearly impossible to obtain. With Holly, she lets her students come in freely to shadow her as long as they put in the effort — without expecting anything in return. I’m so blessed to have come across her generosity and friendship. She truly has a heart of gold.
Thank you to Bella from Grace Beauty Salon in Plano, for generously offering a spare room to help me kick start my career.
I also want to give a special shout out to Eva Cruz, one of my early OG clients who helped my business survive and thrive during the pandemic with her flurry of referrals of nurse workers. I would not be here without everyone’s support.
Also thank you to Jon Starcevich (Holly’s husband) of Hoshi Studio for opening my email and providing a detailed response when I had first inquired about training, the industry, costs, and a plethora of other pmu and business-related questions. I probably would not have taken my first PMU class without your response!
Pricing:
- Pricing for my services currently range from $350-600.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.browswithnana.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoshi.studio.nana/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/browswithnana/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brows-with-nana-plano
- Other: https://linktr.ee/hoshi.studio.nana
