We were lucky to catch up with Nikia Yancey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nikia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Yes! I can happily say that my craft allows me to be able to support my family. I’ve always been a creative at heart and was able for years to work a full-time job while hustling makeup artistry on the side. More recently, I worked in property management for about 8 years and was able to mostly work creatively on the weekends/days off etc. I can honestly say I was miserable punching in and out daily, wearing uniforms I hated and feeling financially and creatively frustrated. However I couldn’t see a way out and didn’t yet have the confidence to step out on faith. Then one day… August 23, 2019 (to be exact) God forced my hand! I was fired from my job! Both terrified and relieved at the same time, I signed what felt like “my life” away, turned in my keys, walked out the door and never looked back! I had no idea what I was going to do but I had this strange sense of “knowing” that everything was going to be okay. Fast forward just days later, while getting a routine check up from my OBGYB, I find out the unthinkable…I’m PREGNANT! I literally felt numb. Following my whole first trimester of basically disbelief, agony, despair and denial.. I knew in my soul what I had to do. Coming to the realization that I was going to be a single mother who was unemployed with no family local, I decided to surrender to my journey and just operate in radical faith. Once I did that, I was blown away by the support I received from those I’d never expect who believed in me to succeed. So I just hustled and worked as many gigs as I could to make ends meet while thankfully having a pretty easy pregnancy. With booked events lined up for Spring/Summer 2020, I was very optimistic….until the world shut down in March 2020 with the pandemic! My whole calendar of events CANCELED, with no idea of what to expect for my livelihood considering there’s no way to practice restricted social distancing in the line of work I do.
April 17, 2020 I give birth to an amazing baby boy, and from that moment forward my life was never the same. Something clicked and somehow my ability to think outside the box while the world was basically confined to their homes was amplified on a whole other level. While in isolation, trying to wrap my mind around being a new mom, I really started to amp up my social media presence. Since I was no longer able to service clients in person, I decided to become my own muse. I created eye-catching makeup looks on myself, paired with the use of my ring light and iPhone to create images to post on my Instagram. Between weeks of posting varied looks and the offering of virtual services etc., I caught the attention of my following to the point that once I slowly was able to start getting booked again with new opportunities, it catapulted my new found company, Kia Fab Image.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My journey and love affair for all things fabulous started back in my hometown, Louisville, Kentucky. I always aspired for more and wanted to pursue my dreams starting with fashion. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 2002 to attend Bauder College, where I majored in Fashion Merchandising. I was always very expressive with my “looks” and experimented with my makeup that apparently caught the attention of some of the Design students. I was approached to do makeup for their fashion shows and was terrified as I had no clue how to do makeup on any face other than my own. Needless to say, I agreed, faked it and killed it! I not only loved the satisfying rush it gave me, but I said to myself, “I can do this”!

My first jobs were always centered around fashion and makeup. I worked in countless specialty department stores like, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Ave and Neiman Marcus to name a few. Both behind the cosmetic counters and also being vendors for various beauty brands, allowed me the opportunity to gain a great understanding of product knowledge and the business of retail. In doing so I realized quickly that retail was all a numbers game and less of an appreciation for artistry which had quickly become my driving force. Stepping outside of that realm, being able to do makeup for special events and on set for countless projects helped me to really discover my purpose.

While I have been a working freelance makeup artist for about 15 years, my brand and company Kia Fab Image wasn’t officially created until September 2020. After doing so, Kia Fab Image became known for creating a mobile glam oasis providing beauty and image consultations. Today we are an evolving, elevated brand with an extreme enthusiasm for glam, fashion and all things fabulous! As well as years of experience in makeup artistry, specializing in bridal and event makeup with an extensive range anywhere from clean corporate to full on glam bombshell! As the artist behind the brand, my goal is to bring forth the authentic beauty, which is the spirit of every woman through the art of makeup and image consulting.

​With every makeup application, Kia Fab Image provides impeccable customer service paired with an exclusive, intimate vibe that must be explored and experienced. I strive to promote radical self care, giving the world the best version of you. What I think that would set me apart from other artists is that I connect with who’s in my makeup chair by simply highlighting their inner beauty, which enhances their outer beauty. My goal is to not alter your appearance, but instead make to feel beautiful. Glam by Kia Fab Image isn’t just a “look” but it’s a “feeling”.

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Glamour is a state of mind….tap in, make yourself a priority and embody the elevated experience of Kia Fab Image.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

What I find to be most rewarding being an artist is my ability to positively impact women through my craft. One of the biggest days of a woman’s life is her wedding day and being able to be influential in making her look and feel beautiful is all the payment that I ever need. It’s literally a bonus every time I get to see a woman’s reaction after she takes that first look in the mirror after doing her makeup. To know that my God-given ability helped a woman to feel as beautiful as she looks on her special day in front of her family and loved ones is truly what keeps me going. Society has put so much pressure on women to fit this narrow scope of what beauty should look like which in turn can be very damaging to a woman’s self esteem. Aside from doing a client’s makeup, my goal is to ensure that she knows how beautiful she is being her authentic self. This builds trust and loyalty with my clients that I do not take for granted. To know that I am always associated with being apart of some of the best days of a woman’s life is truly all the reward I need.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

With so many people today struggling with mental health, my main mission is to ensure that within the duration of my client’s service, they are made to feel their best. You just never know what silent battles people fight inside, so no matter how well someone looks put together, I always look for opportunities to serve and be complimentary. I am also looking for ways to expand my service offerings and eventually my own line of products that will add value to the lives of anyone who supports my business. More personally my life goal is to be a very present, active mother to my son and provide him with abundant life experiences he deserves. Being able to support our lives through what I love to do brings me to tears some days. I’m so grateful to be in a position to become the woman I always dreamed of and growing a brand that allows me the flexibility to be a hands on mom.

Contact Info:

• • Website: www.kiafabimage.com
• Instagram: kiafabimage

Image Credits
Photographer Sara Hanna for Simply Buckhead Cover