Life & Work with Florence Pham of Costa Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Florence Pham

Florence, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I became a licensed esthetician in 2019 for a career change from being a self-employed graphic designer. It was really hard finding work in both art and skincare and I didn’t have a set way once I finished training and got my esthetician license.

Makeup was another hobby that I self learned and started finding some people to practice on.

I temporarily moved to New York City in the winter of 2019-2020 Pre-Pandemic to explore a different way of life and other possible job opportunities. I was about to open a small business with someone I knew while saving up money doing handpoke tattoos but the Pandemic put a pause in that.

From 2020- Spring 2023, I moved back home while still working on some personal art projects. Somebody I knew opened up Beauty Studios OC and invited me to work with them and encouraged me to learn permanent makeup.

Now I am an Advanced Esthetician, Permanent Makeup Artist, and Tattoo Artist with a lot of love and enthusiasm for my work despite the high competition in the area. You can find me just by googling themakeupmonk.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been extremely difficult and we started at the wrong time when the economy is still struggling. Everyone including me have been fed up and delayed by how slow it was to start business.

Our grand opening was terrible and slow, and marketing was a struggle. I decided to do everything to help the owner because of the rise of scammy marketing companies that targeted us. The only benefits were the opportunities to keep studying and practicing everything during the slow weeks.

Another biggest struggle was trying to find new customers for myself. I left behind clients when I moved back to Orange County and finding new clients remain a struggle since a lot of them are going somewhere else near by for so long.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a person of many interests and specialties. From painting to graphic design and sparking my interests in tattoos, beauty services, and permanent makeup, the strange combination of everything I decided to do have shaped and influenced the skills I developed and the way I performed my services. As quoted, but unfortunately I don’t remember by whom, originally have mentioned: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one”
I have the passion to continue learning and have many specialties such as:
Advanced skincare treatments and skin rejuvenation with dermo-corrective skincare using products from G.M. Collin and using micro channeling, a new skin rejuvenation technique that rivals Micro needling in terms of painlessness and no downtime.

I can treat damaged skin, acne, and provide anti aging treatments.

I provide permanent makeup lips, brows, beauty marks, and eyeliner.

I customize treatments, colors, and procedures to fit each individual because everyone is unique.

When I first started Permanent Makeup, truthfully, I was not very confident. I was afraid to hurt people or perform techniques incorrectly so I worked very slow. As I kept learning from experience and feeling the joy from satisfied clients, I felt motivated to learn more techniques and procedures that I could offer, then it transitioned me into offering body tattoos.

With my background in art, I started to provide tattoo services using a tattoo machine. I would either freehand with a marker and eyeliner pencil or draw a design on my drawing tablet and print out the stencil. The models I recruited for my portfolio, a good handful became friends who helped support me in any way that they can.

My last things is not really a specialty but something I enjoy providing.
I enjoy providing a little waxing, glue-less lash lifts and brow lamination. Some tinting as well.

My work helps people enjoy their natural beauty while benefiting their health brings me much joy, and for sure I will continue doing it for a long time.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
What people may not know about me is despite the industry I chose to be a part of, I’m actually a huge introvert. I love people but I also am very awkward. I am very grateful for the people who chose to remain with me through my journey as friends, clients or both. If I were to go back to my highschool days, I remember my times as the quiet asian kid who drew and painted every chance I got. I never interacted much because of my social anxiety but I am glad now I got through it by having the opportunities to meet amazing people who encouraged me to pursue my soup mixture of hobbies and interests.

Pricing:

• Permanent makeup $250-600
• Regular facials and quick treatments $65-100
• G.M. Collin Clinical treatments $125-155
• Brow or lash lift with tint $85-$105
• Facial or underarm waxing $15-$25

Contact Info:

• Website: https://themakeupmonk.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_makeup_monk
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/florence.pham.37
• Twitter: https://x.com/the_makeup_monk

Image Credits

@happylabwest (algomask and peel)
@fruityruu (brown lashline enhancement tattoo)
Fig and Cat (couple tattoo)
Nik (funny cat tattoo)