Meet Sonia Mendoza

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Mendoza. 

Hi Sonia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an East LA born Chicana Makeup Artist & Photographer from the High Desert. I have always had an affinity for art. Growing up I took as many creative courses as I could in school and I eventually went to college for film. During that process, I began working for different high-end makeup brands and it sparked something inside of me. It felt so gratifying helping women feel beautiful. As time passed my skills developed and so did my confidence. Eventually I quit my job and started freelancing. My business started off rather slow, but thankfully social media and some pretty cool clients helped along the way. I’ve made a lot of connections through social media and have been fortunate enough to come up on awesome opportunities. I have also been lucky enough to get recognized by some kick-ass makeup brands that send me care packages to this day. Now I run my business MilkyTears where I get to do Makeup and Photography full-time!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road was definitely a little bumpy. Being a creative can be challenging. There is no real plan on being successful, you just have to figure out what works best for you and your business. Although I have a good thing going now, back in the day I would offer free makeup and photoshoots to get my portfolio going. I was uncertain people would want to pay me for my work. I also struggled with marketing myself and understanding my value but in time I created new rules and regulations, learned to be firm about my worth and what I allow. I want to be an inspiration to anyone pursuing their dreams. I am a Chicana Artist that decided to follow her dreams regardless of the circumstances and I’m proud to represent for my community.

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 am a Makeup Artist / Photographer, I specialize in Glamour Photography, turning women into supermodels for the day. The process starts off with a makeup application, followed by a photoshoot, and completed with image retouching based on my client’s preference. I take pride in doing three different professions in one process by myself, makes me feel like a badass lol. But the biggest reward is seeing my clients glow and regain confidence after our sessions, I love celebrating women and their individual beauty.

What were you like growing up?
I have always been a dog-loving goofball, but it was more intense as a kid. People often referred to me as “shy and quiet” growing up, but I could definitely get loud and crazy with my close ones. Creativity has always driven me; my mother was a little strict growing up, so I had a lot of alone time. Fortunately for me, I also had a huge imagination, I loved expressing myself in various ways. My favorite things were playing make believe, drawing, and creating short films with my dogs. I often made secret forts and created crazy scenarios with my dolls. In my teen years that eventually turned into playing video games and creating short films with my friends.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.milkytears.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/freebadadvice?igshid=ZDg1NjBiNjg=
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCHmWJm-TedaPocblp5U472Q
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/X8gU2zA7Hsb
• Other: https://g.co/kgs/jZpgwJ