We recently connected with Katya Rich and have shared our conversation below.

Katya , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Imagine this scene: Once upon a time, there was a little girl who worked as an office worker for 40 hours a week in the cold Siberian region. However, every day she dreamed of doing something creative. And it wasn’t just dreaming; she actively pursued her dreams. So, she attended various art clubs, a dance studio, cooking workshops, and other activities to fill the void in her heart, which desperately longed to be part of something inspiring. Then, one beautiful day, she met a girl who had just finished training at a makeup school and enthusiastically shared her results, about the beautiful and talented people around her, about various jars and brushes used to paint directly on the face. All of this intrigued our heroine so much that she decided to learn more and started attending these makeup classes as a model at that very school. Later, she also took small beginner classes.

In these classes, she discovered a new profession, so vibrant and interesting, learning how the power of makeup can change people and their lives, their self-perception, and perception of others around them. From that moment on, our heroine decided to save money because her pragmatic mind suggested that to achieve success, one must devote all efforts to the desired result. You can’t build a successful freelance career while sitting in an office because running your own business is much more difficult and deeper than working in an office with a boss. And in two years, our heroine saved up enough money to pay for her education, buy a tiny starter kit to work as a makeup artist, and leave the office for freelance work.

Was it risky? Absolutely! But our heroine did not fear difficulties and actively started inviting models: initially from among relatives and close friends, then former colleagues, then completely unfamiliar people. And just when everything started to work out, something unexpected happened: the Covid pandemic struck. People became afraid to leave their homes. It was the toughest time for all makeup artists. There was no work, and she had to find ways to pay her bills. But our heroine didn’t give up, she returned to the office and started studying online in the evenings and on weekends, so as not to waste time. She adorned herself daily in the brightest looks, studied new makeup techniques, hairstyles, and hairdressing, read books and blogs of successful people who built their own businesses.

And little by little, she not only didn’t lose her skills but also gained new experience and knowledge that subsequently helped her more than once. But two more years later, a new challenge from fate came: she got married, and she and her husband decided to move to live in America. It was even more difficult because starting your own business is never easy, let alone starting it in a foreign country with minimal knowledge of the language and mentality.

That’s how my journey began about three years ago in America when I arrived as an immigrant, without money, connections, or a portfolio.

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 chose makeup out of great love. I didn’t come to this profession right away; I tried various beauty directions: eyelash extensions, manicures, hair removal, and much more. But I was always drawn to the work that enhances people. It was important for me to help people. And it’s in makeup that I found everything I love in my life: inspiration, absence of routine, and the opportunity to help people.

Now I offer people my services in creating looks: makeup and hairstyles. It’s important because everyone needs to look impeccable periodically. This applies not only to models on the runway or actors in a movie. We all go to parties and weddings, to corporate events, theaters, and movie premieres, take photos for documents and social media. And sometimes we just want to look at ourselves from the outside. Or show our ex what they lost :)

My job is not just to do makeup and hair – my task is to feel each client, understand their temperament and requests, give them a sense of uniqueness and stunning appearance. Sometimes we discuss outfits with clients, even hairstyles that will suit them in the future. There were times when a client came with a photo of the desired makeup, in conversation, we analyzed the strong points of my client’s appearance and did something completely different, but the client always left delighted.
A makeup artist is someone who sets the mood for their client. If a makeup artist is incompetent and rude – they can upset the client. Imagine, on the morning of your wedding, your makeup artist was late, scolded you, and said unpleasant things about your appearance? Would you enjoy looking in the mirror and at the photos from that day in the album afterward, or would you develop complexes for life?

The task of every beauty master is to highlight the client’s strongest and most beautiful features. And I am very proud that I have a lot of regular clients, and a huge number of new clients come on the recommendations of their dear friends. Reputation is the most important thing in any business, it takes years to build, but can be lost in a minute. That’s why my task is to give the most positive emotions to absolutely every client!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my opinion, the best support for any artist is their environment. Unfortunately, this support isn’t always present among friends or family. However, it can always be found within a community of like-minded individuals, fellow creative people who may have already traversed the path from struggling artist to success, or who may be just starting out on that journey.

Therefore, it’s important to create conditions (preferably charitable ones) for sharing experiences and inspiration. These could be workshops, networking events, simply motivational gatherings, or even YouTube channels. It’s important for everyone to hear someone else’s story when they feel discouraged, and to understand that we are not alone with our problems.

If we’re considering more financially independent sources, I would suggest that successful figures in the industry host more competitions for newcomers and offer scholarships for their education. This would be beneficial for everyone involved, as it would attract more attention both to the students and to the mentors.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a makeup artist for me is seeing the grateful and happy faces of my clients. Because my work isn’t just about applying makeup; it’s also about giving them a great mood, a sense of flawlessness, and charging them with success and positivity. We’re drawn not only to beautiful people but also to positive and happy ones. The feeling that I can do something special for my client, that they anticipate me, and that after my appointment, my dear clients can spend hours admiring themselves in the mirror and not believe how beautiful they can be – that’s my reward.

Once, I did makeup for the grandmother of the bride. She had never worn makeup before and was very anxious about looking unnatural. I reassured her that everything would be fine. When I handed her the mirror, she started crying with joy and happiness because she had never looked so good! She hugged me and thanked me, and I could barely hold back tears, trying not to cry with her. Because in those moments, I feel like I’m doing something special for people and leaving them with joy, beauty, and positivity after my visit. And as long as there are people who trust and thank me for my work, I’ll be ready to continue. These emotions are priceless.

Contact Info:

• Website: katyarich.com
• Instagram: Katya.rich.makeup
• Facebook: Katya Rich
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-rychkova-3753b9270

Image Credits
Photo by :Lyon Deena , Michael Mel, Vessa Ventz