Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Pimentel.
Hi Monique, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started doing makeup as soon as I got out of High School in 2020. I was already exposed to makeup because I was in a dance team so I taught myself how to do my own makeup by watching videos on YouTube or TikTok. I had started to practice colorful eyeshadow looks which was fun but at the same time I was still learning how to blend so I wouldn’t say I was the best. After I graduated, I started my makeup course about a week after. It was pretty rough to do because we had to wear masks while learning what makeup is and how it is used. We were restricted on what we could do, for example, we were only allowed to practice on ourselves and only the instructor was able to select one of us as a model for different lessons. The course took about 10 weeks, only 1 day for each week, so in reality it was a total of 10 days. Each day we learned something new and I didn’t find it hard because I knew more than the others. I took this course because it was something that I really enjoyed doing and it was also another way to make extra money. After I got my makeup course completion certificate, I started promoting my instagram and would ask for people to model for me so I was able to post some makeup content and even do videos. Since then, there have been times where I get a lot of clients to where I got none. Working a full-time job made it harder for me to book and work with clients because I was only available weekends and only at certain times. I was also going to community college online so a lot of my free time went to school work. Then, I went to a Cal State University and was working part-time because school took up most of my time so I was barely able to work and barely able to book any clients. Now, I really don’t get clients and if I do, it’s one client for every 4-6 months. I understand that times have gotten expensive but I belief that my pricing are still affordable: Simple Glam $65+, Full Glam $75+, Trials $50, and Bridal $90+. A lot of people in LA find this pricing very expensive, therefore I get no clients but I am grateful for the ones I do get and for the ones that have been with me since the beginning.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a very bumpy road throughout these times because of school and work. When I started doing freelance makeup, I was a full-time college student at Pasadena City College and was working part-time at an elementary school. It was a bit difficult to book clients but I was still getting a good amount when I started. Once I graduated, I transferred to Cal State University of LA as a full-time student and was also working full-time at a high school. This made it impossible to book clients because I was always so busy with work and with the amount of homework I had. I was closer to getting my bachelors so I put all my focus on school and was very inactive on social media and wasn’t making any makeup content. But now that I’m done with school and working more hours than I was last year, I have more free time to create content but don’t get any clients. Because I prioritized school, I lost a lot of clients and some loyal ones that have been with my since day one because I was unavailable. I’m forever grateful for all the times I had clients and hope to get back to it soon.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am currently a Special Ed TA substitute, so I work 8 hours a day. I have two associates degree in psychology and social sciences, and one bachelors degree in psychology. I’m currently trying to figure out what to do for my next step to becoming a teacher now that I have my bachelors degree. But I also specialize in makeup. I’ve had a makeup completion course certificate for 5 years now and have been slowly building my page on Instagram and Facebook @makeupby.monique_ . I am most known for doing bold eye looks and face paint. But I am most proud of being recognized by brands such as Kara Beauty. I was part of their PR team and I am forever grateful for that opportunity to work with a brand and create content with their amazing products. What sets me apart from others is that I don’t give up and I always think of new creative ways to get things done. It might take me a while but I get it done.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people know that I am very artistic. I’ve always liked to paint, draw, etc., but makeup brought out another side of creativity that I never knew that I’d fall in love with. But I get my artistic side from my dad. I grew up seeing him make art and he is the one that encouraged me to take a makeup course. If it wasn’t for my dad, I wouldn’t have discovered this side of me. My dad and I would watch the show Face Off on SyFy and I remember always telling my dad, “I want to do special effects makeup when I grow up.” My dad would always say, “Go to school for it when you get older so you can work and do that.” Little did I know future me would have a makeup certificate and would be doing freelance makeup.
Pricing:
- Simple Glam $65+
- Full Glam $75+
- Trials $50
- Bridal $90+
- Travel fee varies on location $10-$50+
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeupby.monique_/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monique.pimentel.782116?mibextid=wwXIfr
