Today we’d like to introduce you to Kahli Smith.
Kahli, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am originally from Salt Lake City Utah, born and raised. This is where I started my career in cosmetic tattooing, but I guess we should go back even before that.
At 18, I started working as a makeup artist (at the time for my dream company) this is where I think I picked up my artistry skills on what is aesthetically beautiful and complimenting for someones face. Meanwhile, I also started working the front desk at a tattoo shop called King of Swords in Utah. It was here I was lucky enough to meet someone who believed in me and gave me a chance to work alongside him in a private tattoo in Salt Lake. After about a year of tattooing eyebrows as a side gig trying to build up my clientele, I realized I could take the leap to become fully self-employed by the age of about 20. I worked tirelessly to build my clientele and get better at my craft. I worked in that private studio with steady clients for just over two years before deciding I wanted something different and more than the home town I’ve known.
With that, I came home and asked my best friend if she would like to join in my journey to moving to LA. She said yes and, and we decided on Santa Monica is the spot to live! We showed up in Santa Monica with nowhere to live, how hard could it be to find a place anyways? Well, a whole lot harder than we thought. Ended up sleeping in our vehicles for two weeks. Me and my 90lb pitbull in the MINI Cooper, and my friend in her 70’s RV that was completely full with all the plants we just had to bring on the move.
Eventually, we toughed it out and ended up getting a small apartment off of Broadway. I worked in Santa Monica for a month before I realized the salon I got hired at wasn’t as great as promised over the phone. I needed to make some changes to make LA work for my dreams I had planned and worked so hard for.
I decided to move out on my own, to my favorite neighborhood and now home Echo Park. From here, I found some other artists I admired at the time and I was offered a job at a cosmetic tattoo shop in Los Feliz. I worked at this shop with some other talented lady artists for over two years. I learned so much and grew as a person and artist, and once again was ready for the next chapter in my career.
From here, I decided it would be best for me to find my own shop and create the space I had always dreamed of. That is when I started Fiction Cosmetic Tattooing in June of 2019. I wasn’t born in CA, but now it is my home. I am happy and proud to live and be a business owner in Echo Park Los Angeles.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think anything good comes easy. So I’d definitely say it hasn’t been an easy road, or predictable for that matter. Things change, plans change, life changes. And with that, you just have to keep moving forward. But I’m also a fully believer in letting things happened. Work your ass off and everything will eventually fall into place. And even when it doesn’t I feel like I live in paradise and that’s pretty amazing.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Fiction Cosmetic Tattooing story. Tell us more about the business.
My company is Fiction Cosmetic Tattooing. It is me and one other main artist, but we are blessed to have some really talented artists guest spot with us from all over the world. People get very confused when I tell them what I do, so let me explain a little further! Cosmetic tattooing is permanent or semi-permanent makeup. But don’t get us confused with your aunt with the tattooed pencil thin blue eyebrows.
Everything we do is extremely natural and realistic. We offer microblading, combo brows, ombre brows, faux freckles, beauty marks, eyeliner, and my new favorite lip blush! Since what we offer is only semi-permanent, you don’t have to commit to anything longer than about three years.
The thing I’m most proud of with the shop and what we stand for is everyone is welcome. I’ve been lucky enough to create this place I call home and we want everyone to feel at home in it. We accept everyone and want everyone to feel that accepted.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I really think about this all the time. Permanent makeup has been around forever. But just recently we’re starting to really investigate what looks good now, with trends, etc. and what is going to look good over time. So I think we’re really just starting to perfect the craft, I’m very hopeful it will only get better.
Pricing:
- Microblading $800
- Lip Blush $600
- Lash Enhancement $400
- Faux Freckles $300
- Beauty Marks $150
Contact Info:
- Address: 1306 Glendale Blvd
- Website: KAHLIBROWS.COM
- Phone: 3235137512
- Email: appointments@kahlibrows.com
- Instagram: @kahlibrows @fiction.la
Image Credit:
Kirstin Anne @itskirstinanne
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