Today we’d like to introduce you to Shania Walker.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shania. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started getting into make-up and hair when I was in high school. I was sort-of thrown into doing hair because I was tired of letting people ruin my naturally curly hair- because they had no idea how to work with it. So, I taught myself how to cut and color my own hair and how to install different types of extensions on myself. Going through high school, I struggled a lot trying to find my own identity, so I used my hair as a creative outlet to express myself. You name a color, and I can almost guarantee that I had it at one point! It wasn’t until the end of my junior year that I really started to get into makeup, and realized that I have a strong passion for beauty! Fast forward to today, and I am working diligently to turn my passions into my career! I have begun my own freelance business, Naya J. Beauty, and am constantly uploading new content on my social media pages. The road isn’t always easy, but hard work and believing in yourself is key to being successful in any work that you do! Makeup and beauty have a special place in my heart, and I aspire to bring that same joyful experience to all my clientele.
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’s never going to be easy. That’s just a fact of life, but it’s how you choose to see your struggles and how you overcome them that make or break your journey. For me, a lot of my struggles came from within. Coming from a small town, where creative minds aren’t celebrated as outwardly as others, it was hard for me to believe in myself. It wasn’t until college that I started sharing my work and stopped doubting myself. I tried so hard to “fit-in” to a certain mold, to be who I thought people wanted me to be because I was scared to fail, but failure is inevitable. My advice to other women would be to get out of your own way. Don’t let the fear of failure deter you from starting, because the only way for you to manifest your dreams is to believe in them first.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Naya J. Beauty – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am a self-taught makeup artist and content creator! I am working to start my freelance business, while I am finishing college and hope to bring the same joy and confidence that I feel when I’m creating to my clients. I am most proud of myself because even though I’ve faced a lot of adversity, I’ve never let anything stop me from working towards my goals. Everything down to the photos you see on my social media is done by me! I’m self-taught in both makeup and hair (though certification is on my list of things to do!), and I take a lot of pride in that. My brand is unique because it reflects me. Growing up, I’ve never seen or idolized women that looked like me in the industry. I want my work to open doors for girls and boys like me so that we can continue to eliminate discrimination in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: nayajbeauty.com
- Email: shaniajoann@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shaniadoubleyou
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