Today we’d like to introduce you to Najah Ahmed.
Hi Najah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! My name is Najah; I am a luxury bridal artist in the DFW area. My specialty is full glam South Asian bridal–Pakistani, Indian, Punjabi, Bengali, Nepali… all of it!
I’ve been enchanted by the world of beauty since I can remember. As a toddler, I was playing with Barbies wherever I could, giving dolls makeovers at home as well as online on my computer. I did makeup on my family, friends, and myself even before I started going to school.
I’ve always had a love for desi bridal makeup and hair. As a young girl, I felt this indescribable excitement when I would see South Asian brides, be it in person, in a magazine, or on TV.
I’d always been in awe with the little princess dress-up they had at Disney. Girls would wait their turn in line to get their magic transformation. They’d go in with their normal t-shirt and jeans and would come out wearing the most ethereal princess gown, crown, makeup, and hairdo.
I want to provide this experience for my brides now as adults. Brides deserve to have that magical experience on their day. It’s a day that’s all about them. I want to make the getting ready process their most cherished memory.
I love helping people and educating others about beauty. My favorite part of doing makeup is when I hand my bride the mirror at the end–their boost of confidence and happiness makes me feel complete!
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?
Growing up in a strict desi household–not really. My parents tried to convince me to pick what they believed was a stable and safe career (like being a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or businesswoman). I respected what they said and went to university for business. I made an agreement with them that when I finished, I would get to go to school to become an esthetician and pursue my passion.
So, I went to university for accounting as my undergrad and worked 2 great jobs in the industry, but I wasn’t happy. I wanted to interact with people and connect on a personal level. I wanted to make people happy and make them feel confident. I wanted to feel that my work made a difference.
After I graduated with my undergrad, I was excited I could finally go to esthetics school. My parents quickly told me no, that I would need to get my master’s in business first. THEN, they would allow me to go to school for what I wanted.
So I went back to school and got my Masters in Management Science. As my time for graduation was approaching, I brought up the agreement with them again, but soon realized they still weren’t supportive of my decision and that I was on my own.
After I graduated from university, I enrolled myself in esthetics school and used my own resources to pay for it. It was a tough decision to make since my parents wanted me to do something else, but I am so grateful I had the courage to make that choice.
Being in esthetics school I get to fully indulge into the world of beauty–satiating my curiosity, and fueling my drive.
I love constantly learning about how I can provide higher-value services for my brides. I want to give my brides the best experience of their lives. I am so blessed to be able to learn what I am passionate about and keep growing.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in South Asian bridal, particularly Pakistani and Punjabi bridal. My favorite is full glam, but I do soft glams as well–whatever fits my bride’s vision!
A few things I am proud of are my passion for what I do, my attentiveness to detail, my skillset, my communication with my brides, and the way I make my brides feel comfortable and heard. I love building connections on a personal level and building relations with my brides.
I love what I do and I’d never have it any other way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.najahartistry.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/
najahartistry - Facebook: facebook.com/
najahartistry - Twitter: twitter.com/
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