Today we’d like to introduce you to Karol Young Moses
Hi Karol , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in Los Angeles and have always had an interest in makeup, even before I could wear it! When I was young I would apply makeup on my older cousins for school dances and parties. My first year of college I got a part time job working behind the makeup counter at a department store. I was a communications major looking to go into broadcast journalism, but I absolutely loved my job doing makeup. But as part of the boomer generation I was expected to get a traditional college degree and never thought of pursuing a makeup career in film and tv. I wasn’t even aware that makeup schools existed, much less that makeup artistry was a profession. This was well before social media was around.
Once I got my BA degree I was offered a job as a retail account manager with a makeup brand. I was responsible for hiring, training, and special events for 10 department store accounts that carried the brand. This was the start of a lengthy career in the retail beauty space. When I got married and started having children we moved to San Diego county so family could help with childcare. I worked for many years in retail beauty freelancing, eventually becoming a beauty department manager, even owning a salon for a short time. During this time I also booked gigs as a makeup artist for photo shoots, fashion shows and weddings.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, everything came to a screeching halt. I was unable to work during my chemo and radiation treatments which lasted almost a year. I lost track of all of my contacts and basically had to start all over again. Once I was healthy enough to go back to work, I took a job again in retail working behind the makeup counter for minimum wage. But my cancer journey helped me gain a new perspective on life and how precious our time is here. That’s when I decided to go full steam ahead with my desire to work in film and tv .
Another obstacle has been limited opportunities for people of color in the beauty space, both in production and retail. Unfortunately, stereotypes persist. Today, thanks in part to social media and even the COVID pandemic (which forced us to be still and take notice of injustices in our society, our world, and our industry) things are definitely changing for the next generation of artists.
I am a makeup artist and beauty expert for film and television who specializes in makeup for all ages and skin tones. I am currently the head of the makeup department on the ABC Daytime drama General Hospital. It’s been somewhat surreal getting to apply makeup on people I’ve watched on tv for years! I supervise a team of 9 makeup artists and oversee the creation of the makeup looks and special effects that you see on the show every day. During our down time I continue to work on commercials and photo shoots. I also appear on camera doing product descriptions for Nordstrom online, and UGC for makeup and beauty brands.
Don’t let anyone dictate what your life or career should look like, and don’t be discouraged by obstacles along the way. Sometimes the path is in a straight line, but most often there are major peaks and valleys. We raised 4 children and now have 3 grandchildren and I am blessed to be enjoying my life. It’s never too late, and you’re never too old to go after what you really want. Thank you for allowing me to share my story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karolyoungmoses.com
- Instagram: beautyby_karol
