Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaina DeLoera .
Hi Elaina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I jumped in the beauty industry straight out of high school, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do. The industry has evolved so much, I never thought I would end up specializing in what I do now, much less self-employed by it. I learned how to do lash extensions back in the early 2000s when they first came about. Learning this specialty taught me “attention to detail” and a ton of patience. While doing that, I was also working for MAC Cosmetics which taught me how to express my creative side and push the limits. This is really where I became a Master Makeup Artist. I think I decided at a fashion show that I didn’t want a regular “9 to 5”, I wanted to be where the fun was at, I wanted to wear all the cute clothes and the fun heels!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has had a ton of potholes, speed bumps, and the occasional fender-bender. Some people think that being self-employed is easy, or that you don’t have to work as hard. WRONG! Sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day for doing what I do. It’s not all lashing & makeup, behind the scenes is even more tedious. Making time & setting boundaries so that I can catch up on the “not-so-fun” admin stuff has always been my biggest struggle. It’s not easy running a One Woman Show but, it sure is worth it.
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?
Glam 103 Studios specializes in Lash Extensions, Special Event Makeup, and most recently Permanent Makeup. I recently became a triple threat, adding tattooing to my services. Clients would always come to me for outlines prior to getting permanent brows done, so I thought- why am I not doing this myself? I’ve got 18 years of experience under my belt, that’s a really long time! It was never about money or exposure, it was always about FUN and the art. I’m committed to my craft and am always looking to learn and try new things. That’s the key to mastering this industry, you have to accept that you don’t know everything, and things always change and evolve, AND you have to be able to move with it! My clients know they’re safe and in good hands, I am in this business because I genuinely LOVE what I do, and that makes 18 years feel like a breeze.
What does success mean to you?
Success is a gift; if you can honestly say that you are happy with what you do and bonus if it doesn’t even feel like work- that’s everything right there! It’s a surreal feeling when I stop and really think about how ‘this’ is how I pay these bills! Most recently I’ve expanded my business to a tiny town in the West Texas area, this one really tested me and my ability to succeed. I’m starting all over and am building from the ground up again. I have to remind myself constantly: you did this once; you can do it again! I remember when I was first getting started, I would ask my family all the time if I was that small-town rapper trying to get a record deal?! Success is not something that can be measured. It doesn’t have a time frame, a dollar amount, it’s not even something you can compare. If you want it that bad, you just got to feel the fear and do it anyway!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: glamx103xstudios
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/glam103studios
