Meet Trailblazer Kym Nicole Oubre

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kym Nicole Oubre.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a family of artist of every genre. With art running through my veins, I became the go-to girl in the neighborhood for trends and beauty tips. I enrolled in cosmetology school during my junior year of high school in 2000 and received my cosmetology license shortly thereafter. Two years into doing hair in the salon, I discovered that I not only had a talent for hair but for makeup as well. Makeup became my life! I begin painting every face I could touch and worked very hard studying and honing in on makeup artistry and anatomy. Word began to spread and the request begin to come in; magazine covers, television shows, video shoots, tours, celebrities…

I opened the Kym Nicole Beauty Studio in South Central Los Angeles in 2012, penned my first book “A Little Makeup Can’t Hurt” in 2015 and in 2017, I made my television debut as a contestant on the Lifetime network show, American Beauty Star.

Has it been a smooth road?
My journey has not been an easy one. Entrepreneurship has its ups and downs. One day, you can be booked and very busy and the next month your phone isn’t ringing at all. You have to find your niche and create your lane. You have to be a hustler at heart and get understanding of how to run a business. I started my journey in makeup before social media took over the world so being young, juggling single parenthood, sacrificing things that I wanted to do and running a business was quite a task.

My advice: 1. Write everything down and follow through by setting small goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself; this isn’t a race to the finish line; 2. Become an expert at your craft! Study hard! Know everything there is to know about your gift and make people pay for that knowledge.

We’d love to hear more about Kym Nicole, Kym Nicole Beauty.
I started out as a cosmetologist (hairstylist) first. I continue to do hair in the salon and occasionally on set but makeup has taken over my life. I can successfully do any type of makeup but my expertise is in clean, natural, effortless glam and red carpet beauty. I feel as if other types of makeup styles can be trendy but classic/timeless makeup never goes out of style. It feels great because I’ve been told that clean beauty isn’t an easy thing to do. I’m constantly working toward perfecting classic, clean beauty.

Looking at Getty Images of makeup I’ve done, seeing my name in the credits of magazines and television shows and hearing how my book, “A Little Makeup Can’t Hurt” has impacted so many African American women and young girls makes me very, very proud. No matter who sits in my chair, whether you’re an average everyday woman or a celebrity, everyone receives the same service and treatment.

Being competent, meticulous to detail, being easy to work with and punctual are things I can proudly say that I am.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
There are so many… I look to everything for inspiration and things that aid in living my best life. I have a bookshelf full of makeup books, books on photography, lighting, skin, cosmetics, entrepreneurship, marketing, parenting, religion, etc… because I’m a makeup artist in the entertainment world, I have to follow all things beauty. So, I’m constantly googling and searching for all things pretty.

It’s important to find things that inspire you and make you happy. Whatever brings a smile to your face, dive in!

Contact Info:

• Address: 2822 West Slauson Ave. Los Angeles, California 90043
• Website: www.kymnicolebeauty.com
• Phone: 310-918-5477
• Email: kymnciolebeauty@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kymmyizabeauty
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kymnicolebeauty
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/kymmyizabeauty
• Other: www.alittlemakeupcanthurt.com

Image Credit:
Garcelle Beauvais
Bobby Quillard
Brandon Bibbins
Kym Nicole Oubre
Ashley Nicole Byrd

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.