Daily Inspiration: Meet Caroline Mujica

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Mujica

Hi Caroline, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I fell in love with makeup while I was in high school. I was chosen to be the head of the makeup department for the school play, two semesters in a row simply because I wore red lipstick every day. Turns out I was great at working under pressure, and I could do a killer winged liner on almost anyone. I did a little bit of freelance makeup here and there for friends and family from ages 18-22, but then focused on my marketing degree which launched me into a career in Brand Marketing for a few years. Once the pandemic came around I decided I never wanted to go work my life away for a low salary again and decide to fall back onto my true passion in beauty. In 2021, I launched my website and established Sweet Caroline Beauty, a full service Hair and Makeup studio. My focus became mostly bridal, and special event hair and makeup. My signature makeup style is natural to soft glam makeup and my favorite hair style to do is hollywood waves. Currently, wedding season is my busiest time of the year and I also take clients for prom, graduation, maternity photos, boudoir shoots, quinceaneras and the list goes on. I truly love being a part of all my clients’ special days and successes and I am lucky to be able to uplift women in all phases of their lives.

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 not been a smooth road to say the least. Starting a business with no job to fall back on, fresh out a pandemic was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There were many times I doubted myself and my skills and thought, “no one is ever going to book with me.” I took about 6 months after launching my website, to actually get some momentum and begin receiving organic leads of customers inquiring about my availability. Just imagine, investing money you didn’t really have into a makeup and hair kit, a Customer Relationship Management System that cost an arm and a leg for booking and establishing a workflow, so I can provide a smooth booking experience for my clients and then waiting around for opportunity to come knocking. Luckily, my partner was so encouraging and really supported us throughout my journey. Eventually, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, bookings came in and now I can confidently say that by business has tripled every year since its establishment.

Another hardship I experience every single year is during the slow season, which is from end of November to end of March. Its tough to get by with revenue earned during the busy season, but every year, I’m getting better and better at planning ahead. Owning a small business means learning new things as you go, and learning what works and doesn’t work for you. It has been so rewarding amongst all of the hardships, and I would do it all over again, and again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a makeup artist who just so happens to know how to do hair. Soft glam makeup are natural glam are my specialty – I focus on accentuating beauty that already exists. I love to bring out my clients favorite features through the use of makeup and together we create a look that they feel their most beautiful in. Through my services, I provide my clients a safe space to feel relaxed, heard and seen all at the same time. I allow them to be quiet, if they want to be. If they need someone to vent to or cry with, I’m the ear or shoulder to cry on. If they want to change any detail of their makeup look, I allow them to feel comfortable to tell me, because it is so important for me that they feel confident after leaving my chair. Hollywood waves are my most requested hairstyle. Now a days, they come in so many different variations and I have learned to master most of them -soft waves, glam waves, fluffy waves, you name it. I try my best to ask the questions necessary to execute every vision.

I am most proud of the relationships I have built with my clients, most of them feel like family or friends I’ve had for years and years. They will book me for their weddings and then their maternity shoots and then their family photos, and I find it such and honor to be able to see them in different stages of life. Some of them, I see multiple times a year and I get to help them feel beautiful for all of their special occasions. That is my biggest reward, feeling like my clients trust me 100% with their most important of days.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
For me, Instagram has been the greatest gift for me. I use it as a tool to not only get inspired by other artists, but also to find tools that will help me build my business. Through Instagram, I learned about square space, which was the website I used to build my own website. Through Instagram, I learned about Canva, where I created the first few branded images to post on instagram to market my business. It was also through Instagram where I learned about the CRM system I use today to communicate with clients and deliver a smooth booking experience for them.

I also, love to listen to podcasts created by actual makeup artists themselves. One of them, I have actually been featured on is called, “Inside the Makeup Bag,” by Alix Mimran and Jess Canz which is about all thing makeup, makeup trends and current events in the makeup industry whether it be makeup in retail, film, bridal, etc. they cover it all! My other favorite is, “The Makeup Artist Podcast,” by Shelby Henry, who is an incredibly talented bridal makeup artist based in San Diego. She interviews other artists in the bridal industry and they take a deep dive into how each artist run their businesses and share their on-the-job experiences – it would be a dream to be on her podcast and meet her in person. They are all so relatable and I love how much I am able to not only relate to them, but also learn from their experiences. I almost forgot to mention how funny both of these podcasts are which makes them so easyto watch or listen to.

Pricing:

• Bridal Services start at $225 (Hair or makeup)
• Special Event Services start at $150 (Hair or Makeup)
• Travel Services start at $225 (Hair or Makeup)
• Bridesmaid or Mother of the Bride/Groom Services start at $150 (Hair or Makeup)
• Hollywood Waves $175 (non-bridal)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sweetcaroline.beauty
• Instagram: @sweetcarolinebeauty
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetcarolinebeauty/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sweet-caroline-beauty-san-fernando-valley
• Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=sweet+caroline+beauty&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS796US796&oq=sweet+caroline+beaut&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDAgAECMYJxiABBiKBTIMCAAQIxgnGIAEGIoFMgYIARBFGDkyBwgCEC4YgAQyDQgDEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgEEAAYFhgeMg0IBRAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMg0IBhAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMgYIBxBFGD2oAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x62e387e093f51daf:0xf7801904b4893beb,1,,,,

Image Credits
Miles Abrenica
Andrew Cavazos
Angel Sheree
Julius Espiritu
Alyssa Ruby
Brandon Calderon