We recently connected with Lizzy Candelaria and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lizzy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

The business that I am in for both of my careers is all about building relationships. When you truly connect with people it is key and makes it feel less like work. .

I met a client a couple years ago who was getting makeup services done by me for her son’s wedding she was a part of. She wasn’t a makeup person, meaning she didn’t wear any on a daily basis nor did she feel comfortable with having much on for this particular day. This is very common in my industry for special events which is why people hire professionals so they don’t have to worry about doing it themselves. This particular person was a bit on edge to have to get makeup done because she didn’t want to feel or look like someone she is not or “look like a clown” by having tons of makeup packed on. Which is also a common misconception for getting makeup done professionally.
As soon as you sit someone down in your chair, it’s important for people to feel comfortable. After all you spend an hour give or take with them so you want them to not stay on edge if they are already uneasy about the service being offered. This client was stressed because of the wedding, stressed about getting makeup done & on a time crunch to keep things on schedule so it immediately felt a little tense as we initially started the service. I like to think I can get people to warm up fairly easy so after small talk and questions about her family and this special day we are celebrating she was at started to ease up & we agreed on a makeup look. Considering it was a special occasion, she was willing to step out of her comfort zone a tad by allowing me to add false lashes and touches like rosy lipstick and blush which she never would use on a regular basis. As the service went on, I walked her though the look and taught her some tips and tricks if she wanted to ever recreate the look so she felt empowered to do at home if she ever felt like.
She ended up loving the final makeup and after looking in the mirror after, it gave her a wave of confidence.. Her eyes grew brighter, her smile bigger & her energy shifted as she was a completely different person than when she first sat down.
After we finished, I gave her my card and told her to reach out if she ever needed my services in the future. I also gave her my Real Estate card and quickly mentioned to keep me in mind for buying or selling a home if ever needed.
Long story short, she is a repeat makeup client for her special events so I see her several times a year. She’s given me referrals to friends and on social media repeatedly. An added bonus her son ended up purchasing a home from me as well a few months after their wedding where I met her!
This is what makes me truly happy and why I love what I do. I’m in the business of helping people. Being able to empower & uplift people by genuinely connecting and finding their needs is what makes all the difference. It’s a win win all around!

Lizzy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Elizabeth Candelaria but I’ve always gone by Lizzy. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a busy gal on the go 24/7. It’s given me the nickname “Lizzy Bee” (like a busy-bee). When choosing the name for my Makeup business, I loved tying that in. Which is how I came up with Lizzy Bee Artistry.
I have always been a very active and hard worker since I was old enough to get a job at 15. I am a first generation Latina, and the first of my family to graduate college. Although I don’t use my degree these days I knew i wanted to have it as a safety net. I’ve always been one to get antsy and distracted if I feel like I could be doing more so I’ve dabbled in All sorts of crafts and hobbies to keep myself busy over the years and to find things I love doing.
So how I got started in the makeup industry, is a question I get asked very often. “Have you always been into makeup?” “Did you go to cosmetology school for this?” and the answer to both is always surprisingly, no.
I worked as a server waiting tables from age 18-21. After wanting a change from the restaurant scene I applied at Dillards. They ended up promoting me to the cosmetics department after working in the customer service area for a few months.
I knew absolutely nothing about makeup, didn’t wear much of it at the time except for a little mascara & chapstick. I was clueless and extremely intimidated in the beginning. I got hired on with a brand called Lancome. Shortly after starting, they flew me out to Dallas and put me in the fanciest hotel where I stayed for 3 days doing an onboarding school called Ecole Lancome. They taught me everything from makeup application to skincare basics and had us practice with a room full of other new hires. It was perfectly fine that I had no idea what I was doing because they had a specific way of teaching that needed to be done for their brand, for clients to be serviced. It was the coolest experience and I knew right away I was going to love my new job. Not to mention they pampered me like royalty the whole time so I never wanted to leave the brand.
Fast forward 10 years later I still do makeup for Lancome to this day. I am a freelance artist for the brand at Dillards & Ulta Beauty part time for special events and promotions when they need me.
About 6 years ago I had a colleague needing an assistant to help her with a wedding she was doing makeup for at the local country club. It was definitely out of my comfort zone and looking back, I didn’t have nearly the skill set or tools needed to pull it off but my friend believed in me and trusted me to help her with this big event. It was a high stress and extremely hectic day. There was a lot of traffic with the staff coming and going in the room, bridesmaids and family everywhere performing tasks and getting things ready for the day. We had a mess of makeup products sprawled out everywhere on the tables we were using. Of course everyone is on a time crunch to stay on schedule. There was hairstylists and hairspray thick in the air, music going, bottles of champagne being popped constantly, everyone’s emotions on high while getting fully glammed up by a team of professionals. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced but I loved every minute. I was so exhausted at the end of that day. But I was thrilled at the thought of ever being able to do an event like that again. It was like backstage on a movie set. Not to mention the money I had made in the few hours I was there made it completely worthwhile and a huge shock that was possible in this industry I knew little about at the time.
After that day, weddings have become my most booked events, my bread & butter as a makeup artist. But photoshoots, events, trainings, these are all common as well and things that keep it so exciting for me. Makeup has never felt like work. Ive been doing this 10, almost 11 years now. It’s the most rewarding job ever and I’m super grateful to get to do what I love.

Now, remember when I said I’ve always been a little antsy? Well back in 2020 I read a book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad’. And it changed my life! I learned a ton from that book but the main takeaway was, how can I do what I love and make substantial living off of it? I want to create generational wealth
For my family. Especially being first generation, i wanted my kids to have a better life growing up than I had. I wanted to figure out how to make money work for me and not have to work until I’m 65 or older in hopes of one day finally retiring.
So I knew I loved helping people.
Always have been a people person and gone out of my way for others. It’s true, when I was in elementary school i used to get in trouble for trying help my classmates with their work before focusing on mine. I would go around the class and check on others and see if anyone needed any help and if they were stuck on anything. My teacher always had to get on to me for it.
Anyway, I decided I wanted to try my hand at Real Estate. I could help people and work for myself so I could still do makeup on the side. My goals are to have investment properties for myself and my family and generating passive income over time.
This is still the plan. It’s similar to makeup where you help people find their concerns and meet their needs for what they are wanting/needing. People always need to buy or sell overtime depending on life’s changes and it’s the same with makeup. It’s a constant service needed so keeping up with the relationships you build is key.

I’d say I’m really proud of all the dedication and hard work I’ve put into my crafts over the past 10 years. My success hasn’t come overnight & it isnt anywhere close to where I want to be. Im most proud of the pride my mother has in me. Shes always made a point to cheer me on and root for me in anything I’ve set my mind to. I’m grateful to have her support and to share my success by being able to help take care of her and my family when any of us is in need.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Word of mouth & referrals from past clients have been key to building my reputation. Giving exceptional service to people to where they remember you & want their friends/family to be treated the same.
And of course, Social Media! It’s is a huge part of maintaining the reputation you have. Most people are going to look you up before booking or reaching out to you. So having a footprint online is important. Asking for reviews on your pages makes a ton of difference as well. even if you feel silly for asking clients to do so. Those are things future clients will be looking for when considering reaching out to you for services.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

FOLLOWING UP WITH PAST CLIENTS. Hands down. staying in touch. Whether it’s after you sell a house, or after you do a makeover. Always stay in touch with them just by checking in. They will remember you and the relationship won’t feel transactional.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @lizzybee.artistry_ @lizzysellstx
• Facebook: @Lizzy Bee Artistry @Lizzy Romero Candelaria, Realtor

Image Credits

Brittani Preece Photography