July 5, 2018

Meet Shemieka Taylor of Taylor’d Faces in Carrollton

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shemieka Taylor.

Shemieka, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I was a junior in high school, I took cosmetology. I didn’t attend cosmetology my senior year because I ended up getting pregnant. Fast forward to 2014, I was working at Citi in the bankruptcy department and had gotten laid off. While at home, I started playing in makeup. I was actually better than I thought even though I had crappy brushes. After I saw how good I was at applying makeup, I started to buy makeup almost every day of the week and just watch YouTube and do my makeup and try to perfect my craft.

The lady who use to do my lashes was offering a lash class and I had a little money in my savings account and asked my boyfriend what he thought about me spending $800 to do the lash class. I figured I would take the class and would make my money back fairly quickly. So, I took the class in October 2014 and started doing lashes out of my house. I eventually went back to working a full time job and would just do lashes part time after work and on the weekends. My clientele never really grew like I wanted it to while working from home, so I decided to rent my own space.

I was still working full time and would go to my suite that I was renting to do my clients. I ended up getting laid off from a contract position that I held and decided to close my suite and start back lashing from home. I debated whether I wanted to go to school for esthetics or just get my eyelash extension speciality license. I took the first step and enrolled in beauty school to get my esthetician license. I was working full time during the day, attending school at night and still doing lashes from my home.

2 weeks prior to me graduating and getting my license, I went into labor early. I had to stop attending school for about 6 weeks. Once my 6 weeks were up, I re-enrolled and pulled 12-14 hour days to finish up my hours. I finally finished my hours and took my state board exam and practical which I was so nervous about, but passed the first time. I fell in love with waxing at school and decided I was going to work at a waxing studio and try to turn my waxing clients into my lash clients.

October 2017, I opened my 2nd studio in Carrollton. I was still working at the waxing studio but I just was not making the money that they said I could make. I was tired of getting up and going to work for pennies and having to deal with rude clients. I decided to step out on faith and just pursue my business full time. It’s the best decision I could have made. I wish I would have done it sooner. I’m still building and still learning everyday. I’m my own marketing team, receptionist, problem solver etc. Some days are definitely more challenging than others but I would not trade it for anything. I love what I do and I love being able to make people feel beautiful and confident.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I have gone through name changes for my business, lost clients, wanted to give up, relocated a few times, spent I don’t know how much money. I don’t think anyone that is successful would say their path to get there has been a smooth one.

Please tell us about Taylor’d Faces.
When I first started my business, I use to go by the name Fancy Lashes. It was okay at first, but as I grew and started offering more services I wanted a name that didn’t put emphasis on just one thing. I wanted to incorporate my name in it some way. I came up with Taylor’d Faces. My last name is Taylor, “tailored” means to customize. There is no emphasis on just one thing and I love it. I’m a licensed aesthetician and I offer a variety of skin care services, including facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, etc. I still do lash extensions, of course, classic and volume. I offer all body waxing services, makeup application and permanent makeup services. I’m known for doing lashes and bomb brows. I’ve crowned myself “Dallas Brow Queen!!” I’m most proud of how far I’ve come as a business. There has been plenty of times where business was slow or where I just was not feeling motivated and wanted to give up, but I just kept going. It’s not easy at all to have and maintain a business. I think what sets me apart from others is the fact that I’m a one stop shop that does 100% of the services that I offer. I’m very versatile. Most shops have a MUA, someone different that does lashes, someone else that does waxing. I DO IT ALL and I know you’ll be satisfied because I stand behind my work.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I think I would have just went for it instead of being afraid and expecting the worse. God has us always and he will not put more on us than we can bare.

Contact Info:

Address: 1925 E Beltline rd
Ste 348
Carrollton TX, 75006
Website: www.vagaro.com/taylordfaces
Phone: 817-471-4351
Email: taylordfaces@gmail.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/taylordfaces
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Taylordfaces4/

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