Meet Nikki Calloway

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Calloway.

Nikki, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I always loved makeup. I used to sneak into my grandmas room and play with her eyeshadows and lipsticks. Eventually when she got tired of me playing with her stuff, she took me makeup shopping and bought me my own.

I remember one E.L.F palette she bought me when I was about 12 years old. My mom and dad didn’t support me wearing makeup but I always found a way to sneak it into my backpack and put it on in the mornings before school. It was always something I can rely on in a really hard time in my life. It was like an outlet for me. I’ve never been that great at expressing myself but with makeup it does all the talking for me. I can create whatever I want. There’s essentially no rules(just tips on how you could make it look better). I started posting my makeup looks when I was 17 on twitter. It was always just a hobby and there wasn’t all the drama back then. Just people sharing their art and ideas. I loved the idea of a community where I can post my creations and get feedback and other people trying out my looks. Eventually, some of my looks went viral and I started getting attention. Fast forward four years later and I’m currently at 18,000 twitter followers. I still can’t believe how many people support me. It’s so amazing and I’m so grateful for everything.

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?
I’ve struggled with my depression and anxiety for over a decade now. It definitely has affected my passion. Not being able to post looks as much as I want to cause I can barely get out of bed. Not having any motivation to pick up a makeup brush. I still struggle a lot with my depression on a daily basis. Thankfully, I have been getting help and in the process of therapy. But it’s still heartbreaking when you really struggle to do what you love. What you know you were born to do. But all I can do is try my best and that’s what I strive to do on a daily basis.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I would say I’m mostly known for my detailed looks and makeup concepts. I also post a variety of different art styles. I LOVE experimenting! That’s my favorite thing about makeup.

What were you like growing up?
I was always an extremely shy kid. I never had a lot of friends. I was kind of always the outcast. I was severely bullied growing up so finding friends was extremely difficult. And when I did find them they weren’t always the greatest, but I would always continue the friendships out of loneliness. Thankfully I have outgrown that trait now. I was always into art. I used to draw instead of doing my homework. School was very hard for me so I expressed that frustration through art. It was the only thing that kept me grounded and where I felt safe. Unfortunately, I haven’t drawn I single picture in years, but my art back then was actually quite good. I wish I kept all my drawings.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkicallowayy/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/nikkicallowayy

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