We recently connected with Miriam Khaled and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Miriam thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I can say that choosing a name for my business has been a lengthy process; I know there are people out there that get it right on their first try, but that definitely was not my situation.

I had been thinking of the perfect name for some time now, and I really wanted it to represent me accurately as an artist and that’s when I came up with MK Mikyaj!

MK is short for Miriam Khaled, (Hi, that’s me!) and Mikyaj is the Arabic word for makeup.

I think everyone can agree that when picking a business name, a big part of the process is trying to choose a name that is easy, memorable and ties you to your craft as an artist. And that is when I decided on incorporating my culture and language into my business name!

I am a Syrian-American fluent in Arabic and English who grew up in Saudi Arabia. Talk about big cultures colliding! But I really wanted to represent that in my name, as well as making sure that I am representing my inclusiveness in the beauty world.

It can be very hard for anyone navigating the beauty industry to try and find an artist for their special occasion, whether that be their wedding day, graduation day, boudoir photoshoot or even their newborn photoshoot; but it can be especially difficult for a person of color. I wanted to make sure that everyone looking at my business and portfolio is aware that I am an inclusive artist who welcomes everyone!

Miriam , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

**can you please tell our readers about yourself:

Hi! I’m Miriam and I am the proud owner of MK Mikyaj, providing on-location makeup and hair services in Austin, TX and surrounding areas for weddings, special events, and photoshoots.

I am still in awe that I am being interviewed; it almost feels like a dream!

I am a Syrian-American, born in Austin, TX and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I moved back to the United States towards the end of 2016 and that’s when my love for all things beauty began to blossom. I started my journey by working with Estée Lauder as a beauty consultant and sales associate. I’ve always loved makeup, but that became a passion when I started to understand the complexity of makeup as an art form. I began practicing my makeup skills on friends, family and customers; really anyone who would let me practice and learn. It is crazy to think that’s where it all began! I took classes and seminars with Estée Lauder to better understand the chemistry behind both skincare and makeup and I vividly remember that my final class with them was when I decided I wanted to pursue my dream and become a full-time makeup artist.

**how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc

Working for Estée Lauder definitely made me realize I wanted to become an independent makeup artist. Like any struggling artist, I was only able to pursue my dream part-time while maintaining a full-time office job. It was not an easy beginning. It was not until 2020, when I met my husband, who fully supported my vision and aspirations and pushed me to do what I love, that I decided to pursue being a full-time, independent makeup artist. It was also at this time that I chose to begin my hairstyling journey so that I could pursue the ultimate dream of being both a makeup and hair artist and offer my clients a complete, stylistically cohesive experience. It was a LOT of work and effort on my end. For all intents and purposes, it was as though I was building my career from square one! I began to expand and grow both my makeup and hair kit, follow and learn from some of the best artists through both social media and online courses, as well as learning hands-on from some amazing artists.  And, of course, practice, practice, practice. I would not be where I am in my journey without all of the wonderful people who helped and guided me. For me, makeup and hairstyling are not just my full-time career, they are my calling and I feel most fortunate to be able to say that!

**what type of products/services/creative works you provide,

I provide makeup and hairstyling services for all events! I LOVE working in the bridal industry and find so much joy in helping brides feel their best on their wedding day, but it’s also really wonderful working with clients for special occasions and photoshoots.

I would say my makeup style leans towards both neutral and natural soft glam. I enjoy creating a soft, glow-from-within look that is elevated but still allows my clients to feel and look like themselves. That is definitely not to say that I am not completely in love with full-glam looks when it’s what a client is looking for!

For hairstyles, I find the soft, tousled look super flattering. However, I have a soft spot for braided styles. Braids are so versatile and they really look good on any hair type! (Maybe I’m more obsessed with them than I thought.)

In my makeup kit, I carry a wide variety of brands ranging from high-end to drugstore makeup. I am a firm believer that certain drugstore products perform better than their high-end counterparts and it’s all in the techniques used. My makeup kit includes brands such as Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Peter Thomas Roth, MAC Cosmetics, KVD Beauty, Tarte Cosmetics, ELF, L’Oréal, MORPHE, and much more!

For my hairstyling kit, I am always testing out new products but have a hard time giving up the brands and products I adore! I tend to rotate between the same products from these amazing brands: Kristin Ess Hair, Kenra Professional, Moroccanoil and SexyHair.

**what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others.

Perfect skin only exists with photoshop! Many clients come to me anxious about how makeup will look on their skin because they have textured, mature or hyper-pigmented skin. A large gap exists between what real skin looks like and what is shown on the internet because texture cannot be erased with makeup. However, the promise I make to my clients is that I will use the knowledge and skills that I have worked hard to perfect to create their ideal makeup look while accommodating their skin types. There are specific techniques used for various skin types, whether your skin is oily and textured, or dry and mature and those techniques are what enable me to create makeup looks that allow my clients to feel their best self and love what they see!

Everyone’s artistic styles and the looks they create differ vastly and I think that is what sets each individual artist apart from one another, including myself. The joy I feel when a client turns around and sees the look I created based on their inspiration, regardless of skin color, skin texture or age is my favorite part. Their reactions are something I cherish deeply and it makes the early mornings and long drives so worth it.

**What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

I would say that I am most proud of everything I have achieved and how dedicated I am to continually honing my craft. If someone had told me three years ago that I would be pursuing my dreams of having a career as a makeup and hair artist, continuously growing and meeting such great people, I probably wouldn’t have believed it! I am so grateful that I am able to do what I love full-time and live out my dreams in the real-world.

I want people to know that we might have to spend a few minutes trying to get the perfect picture, because I am still learning the ropes on how to be a good photographer but I am sure I will get there eventually! But all jokes aside, I really want clients and anyone reading this or following me to know that I love what I do, I do what I love and I am constantly educating myself about my craft (the multitude of facets that is makeup and hair artistry) to ensure that I can accommodate anyone and everyone, and that as an artist I am a safe space for all!

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I mentioned before that I was a struggling artist in the industry when I started out; and that includes financially. I have always lived humbly and I knew starting a business and building my makeup and hair kits would be an expensive process. Much of the capital that went towards my business was money saved through my full time jobs, and any odd end side jobs that I worked. My husband and family have also played a big role in the ability to afford all the necessary items needed to start my journey because they believed in both me and my capabilities. For some reason, it feels like talking about finances and the large cost of starting a business in the beauty industry is a taboo subject that not many people like to approach or discuss, so I promised myself that I would always be very open about it. Because I remember feeling lost when I first started out, and I am sure there are other artists that are in the position that I was once in, and it’s a very lonely feeling. It takes so much time and capital, but I want to say that it does not have to be perfect on the first try. You don’t have to have the perfect kit from the get-go, and it’s okay to use what you can afford and upgrade as you grow and gain more clientele. Starting my career was definitely a very large financial investment and it still is, but the work, effort and stress were 100% worth it and I would do it all over again!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I first started out as a makeup and hair artist, I was also working a full-time office job where I frequently worked 50 hour weeks. I worked as a makeup artist, mainly for weddings, on the weekends and by the time the weekend was over, I was back at my desk and exhausted. I did this for a few years, but it was taking a toll on me emotionally, mentally and physically and I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue doing both. I was scared of course. Scared to jump right into the beauty industry, scared to let myself down but mostly scared to fail. Not because I did not believe in myself, but like anyone, I have other responsibilities, such as financial ones. But nothing great comes from fear, and that is when I decided to take a giant leap of faith and quit my full-time job in summer of 2022, because life is too short to be scared to pursue your dreams and passions. It was terrifying at first, but with more free time during the week I was able to reach out to more people and book more clients and finally get into the groove of being a full-time makeup and hair artist. That’s not to say it wasn’t a bumpy road at first! I was teaching myself the ropes of being a business owner and working with other artists and companies and trying to balance it all. I am definitely still working on learning all the in’s and out’s, like taking great pictures of my work and posting more on social media (which are both much more difficult than I thought they would be, but I feel old saying that). But with all the wonderful support in my life, I know that these things will get easier day by day and that is so exciting. The future is definitely bright!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkmikyaj/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MKMikyaj/
• Other: Email Address: [email protected]

Image Credits
Sawsan Williams Photos Kevin Garner Photography Baughtography Chandler J Photography Franceskarae Photography