We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cristina Walker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cristina below.

Cristina, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I can say I am proud of where I am now, and where I see myself going, but if given the chance to start over I would have started sooner. If I’m being completely honest, the only reason I didn’t start sooner was due to fear. Fear of being judged, criticized, made fun of, etc. I considered and still do consider myself a self-taught makeup artist, and due to that I always felt I wasn’t good enough. I would question, why would anyone want to work with me? I’m not certified, I didn’t go to school for this. I didn’t realize that if I had the passion and love for this, then others would appreciate that just as much. If I had known that being judged regardless of my title would happen, then I wouldn’t have stopped myself from starting much, much sooner. If I had started sooner I can only imagine how much further I’d be right now, and how much more I would have learned by now. I would have definitely changed my mindset about myself and stopped doubting myself and just taken the leap. I would But now I can at least say I’m somewhere and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I present myself as a self-taught makeup artist. I didn’t go to school for this, but I have the passion and love for it. I began growing my love for this career around 2014. That is when I actually began to think to myself, one day I want to build something great out of this. I slowly started doing makeup on close friends, just for fun. It was something I truly enjoyed and always looked forward to being asked if I could do their makeup. It went like that for about 4-5 years, because I couldn’t think I could reach out to anyone else for business. Fast forward to January 2020 I took my biggest leap of faith and I said that’s it, I’m doing this. I started my YouTube channel, I began to post more makeup looks on Instagram, and I actually started to see the potential in myself to make this career path happen. In August of 2020 I had my first bridal party event booked, and I was so nervous yet excited that someone really saw in me what I would tend to doubt, talent. That was the start of my constant bookings and now I am proud to say I get to do at least one or two makeup looks a month. It’s still not where I want to be, and I have a long way to go, but it’s much further than where I was just a few years back. I’ve grown my Instagram and TikTok accounts, and I have been approached by small local businesses which is such an honor. I am thankful for the clients that reach out to me and share my work with their friends and loved ones and I can’t wait to see where this takes me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect I obtain from doing makeup, is the smile and the appreciation I get from my clients. I am able to help them feel their most beautiful and just watching them admire themselves is so rewarding. Every client of mine is already beautiful, with or without makeup. I see the beauty within, and with a little help from my makeup brushes, I try to bring out that beauty into their physical aspect. It’s rewarding to me when they thank me and send me pictures of their hair done and their outfit all completed, and they tell me they love their look. Nothing beats that feeling.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to eventually make this a career and become my own full time boss. I would like to create something much bigger than what I even imagine. I want to create bonds and relationships with as many women as I can to help them feel their most beautiful and powerful. I want to leave a little sprinkle of myself in every look I do and have them share it with as many people as they can. My ultimate goal is to prove to myself that I did something, that I stayed true to myself, and that I put all of my heart and self into what I do and love.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/cristinawalker_
• Youtube: Cristina Walker
• Other: TikTok: @cristinawalkerr