I first met the talented Kayla Baker through the agency run by her mother , Sandhills Modeling & Talent Agency but it wasn ’ t until I sat down in her chair and had my own look created by her for my first modeling photoshoot that I became a firm believer in her Instagram handle @ yourfavoriteMUA . I was blown away by her talent , and I ’ ve been back ! She nails it every time . She ’ s responsible for the flawless makeup you ’ ll find in this issue ’ s young undercover Super Hero / Villain shoot story , on pages 84- 99 . She ’ s a young woman who ’ s paved her own way forward , carving out a successful career as an independent makeup artist who is highly sought after to review various products within the beauty industry . Here ’ s what she had to say in our one-on-one interview .
CAM : Where are you originally from ? Tell us a little about yourself and your background in the business . KB : You can say Fayetteville , NC . I was born on Fort Bragg ; I ’ m an army brat . We moved around a bit , but my father ended up retiring here . I ’ m a trained and certified makeup artist with over 12 years of experience , and I ’ m dedicated to making sure my clients look and feel like a million bucks on their special day ! Although I ’ m based out of North Carolina , I am willing to travel . I spent over a year working for Walt Disney World Company in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique , where I helped transform young girls ages 3-12 into their favorite Disney Princess , along with helping Cinderella , Belle , Tiana and the other Disney Princesses get ready for their day !
I specialize in weddings , fashion , pageants , and prom and I have experience working in fast-paced environments with time restraints . I ’ ve taught makeup classes both nationally and internationally , and my hope is to be the one clients choose to enhance both their inner and outer beauty .
CAM : When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in the beauty / fashion industry ? KB : Growing up I always loved all things beauty . When I was about 7 , I remember attentively watching my mom getting ready for her day ; admiring her applying her makeup and styling her hair . As soon as she ’ d walk out the door , I ’ d raid her makeup bag and try to mimic everything she had just done .
CAM : How did you decide to start your own career ? KB : I started doing makeup when I was 15 for my friends doing photoshoots , going to prom , and taking senior photos . When I was 19 , I decided that I wasn ’ t your regular 9-5 kind of girl and I told my parents that I wanted to go to cosmetology school to get my certification so more people would take me seriously . And I did just that . I am a licensed cosmetologist in the state of NC . Both in 2013 & 2015 I went to work for Walt Disney World ( Orlando , Fl ) in the cosmetology department . Such an amazing , magical , and life changing experience . However , I decided that if I was going to work 12 , sometimes 15 hours a day I was going to come back home and work on my own dream .
CAM : Were you afraid when you first started out on your own ? KB : Afraid ? No , I ’ ve been so blessed to have my parents by my side every step of the way . I ’ ve watched my mom run a successful modeling and talent agency all by herself . Life ’ s too short not to do something that YOU WANT TO DO . Sometimes you just have to step out on faith . You only have to have faith the size of a mustard seed .
CAM : What do you love most about the industry ? KB : I love that in the fashion industry there are no rules . You don ’ t have to color inside the lines . You are free to be you !
CAM : Tell us a little more about growing up in and around the industry . Any memorable moments ? KB : With my mom owning a modeling and talent agency I always looked at things from a different perspective than everyone else . On “ take your child to
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