Daily Inspiration: Meet Claire Felipe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Felipe

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the US with my parents when I was 8 years old. It was obviously a huge adjustment but it was a change that I was so excited for! After all, dreams come true in the US right?

The adjustment to moving to California was definitely not easy—from being homesick to dealing with a language barrier, and having to start a new and unfamiliar life at such a young age, it was definitely a challenge that I had to learn how to navigate as I got older. However, I always knew growing up that this was the right decision and that my parents chose to move here to give me a better future. As I grow older, I understand more and more why they made the choices they did and that it was all to ensure I now get to live the life they always dreamed of for me.

Now as a 21 year old, I recently transferred to Arizona State University to get my Bachelors degree, I work full time, on-site, for an amazing baking supply company in Dana Point, and I also do content creation on the side, and it has been the most fulfilling hobby I could ever ask for. The life I am currently living is something little me could have only ever dreamed of and I wake up every day with the goal of making younger me proud.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth would definitely not be the word I would use to describe my content creator journey so far. Growing up, I would spend hours filming random videos on my computer’s webcam and would immediately upload it to Youtube with no editing and no cuts. I did not care what I posted, I just wanted to always post content, even if it was just my parents and my grandma watching on a loop ;). That love and passion for content creating is still with me to this day and I think always will be.

However, during the peak of my teenage years, I noticed myself straying away from social media a little bit. I realized that it was because I did not feel like I truly belonged in these spaces because I did not grow up seeing much Filipino representation on the internet. I grew up with the mindset that Filipinos always go into the medical field and yet here I was, absolutely not interested in that whatsoever, and wanting to do social media and marketing. It took me 2 years in community college and 2 years off of school to realize that I can break away from cultural norms and still be successful.

When it comes to content creating, I also always felt like I had to look a certain way to be successful, when in reality, that is not the case at all. People stay for the sense of community. I learned that as long as you have a kind heart, and are truly passionate about what you do, you will always be successful which is why it will always be community over numbers for me. Since then, I have made it a goal to be the representation we need on social media and I always remind myself that I deserve to take up as much space as everyone else in this industry. Social media has changed my life and has given me the most incredible friendships and opportunities and I will forever be grateful for it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I absolutely love posting about my life on Tiktok and Instagram. I LOVE music and concerts, testing out new makeup, trying new fun workout classes, trying new food spots, and I always make sure to document it all for my social media accounts. I think of my social media as like a digital scrapbook. I post things for myself and if people decide that they enjoy it as well, then that is just an added bonus. However, if you were to ask my followers what they know me for, they would probably mention Selena Gomez and her makeup brand Rare Beauty.

I grew up as the biggest fangirl (I still am) and had a Selena Gomez fan page from ages 8-12. It was always something I kept a secret at the time but if you told 10 year old Claire that that account would lead to her meeting her biggest inspiration, Selena Gomez, 10 years later, she would have absolutely lost it. I could confidently say that Rare Beauty has changed my life. They were the first brand to ever believe in me and I will forever feel indebted to them. Attending my first Rare Beauty event in 2022 sparked my content creator journey and sealed it in my mind that this is truly what I want to do. They have given me the best friends and opportunities and I am so proud of myself for now being so persistent with achieving my dreams, on and off the internet.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory was visiting the US for the first time. Going to places like Disneyland and Universal Studios felt so unattainable living in the Philippines and I never thought I would actually be able to go one day. It was such an amazing experience and something I will never ever forget.

Another core memory for me was my first year of school after moving to California. It is not always easy being the “new kid” at school but the friends I did make made me feel so loved and welcomed immediately. My best friend Jaime, who I met in 5th grade, and who I am still so extremely close with to this day, and I basically grew up together. We experienced all the awkward stages together and I will always cherish all the fun memories we made as kids and now as adults.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claireefelipe/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@claireevenice

Image Credits
Lex Gallegos for the main picture