We recently connected with Makayla Paganini and have shared our conversation below.

Makayla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Working with Prada Beauty has been one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on. I love what they stand for in the beauty community and how they inspire people to be themselves in the creative field. I think we should all accept each other for our differences and unique artistry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into makeup and hair care when I was very young. It was a great distraction from my childhood trauma and upbringing. It made me feel like I had control over my body and it was my safe space. I started working into the beauty industry when I was in high school. I went to trade school for the last 2 years of high school and became a licensed cosmetologist by the end of 12th grade. I’m now working at Sephora and have been an online social media influencer for 4 years now. I think my most influential aspect about myself is my honesty and kindness. I sense a lot of people in my community online using these tactics to get viewers which is fine. But I feel for myself that if I’m the most authentic version of myself then that will attract the same types of people. People like me who crave authenticity and honesty. Which a lot of people can’t provide due to the fact they don’t know themselves on a deep level. I really love being who I am meant to be everyday and building a community that allows people the safe space to also be authentically themselves. Allowing each other to be vulnerable and still accept each other for our flaws and mistakes.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I remember when I had the realization that I needed to change who I was for the better. I’ve always tried to be authentic to who I am but having a platform on social media and getting too caught up in comparing myself to everyone else and why they had all these likes, followers and engagement was really detrimental to myself and what I stand for. I was comparing myself and then trying to be like them. Which in hindsight I just really wanted to be part of a community. Everyone does but you always gotta remember to be true to yourself no matter what other people think.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Helping people would be #1. I love to help people and connect with people about artistry. Because it’s not just about makeup it’s about connecting with others and their vulnerabilities and possible insecurities. It takes a lot of courage to do so and I really enjoy helping people feel their best. And to enhance their beauty that they already have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/makittymariexo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makitty_makeupxo?igsh=MTNnZW95azBpZmJyNw==
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@makitty_makeupxo?_t=8rLhBkPoWTa&_r=1

Image Credits

Ashley Ruiz