Some people enter your life for a service, and stay because of who they are.
I first met Karty during my engagement in 2024, when I was looking for a makeup artist who could keep me looking like myself. By my wedding in 2025, she had become more than that. Karty became a friend who showed up with calm, patience, and care when I needed it most.
But Karty’s story started long before she became part of mine. From teaching underprivileged girls and single mothers as a beauty lecturer to building her name as a makeup artist, her work has always been about people.
In this Herstory feature, she speaks about passion, stability, self-belief, and what it means to build a life that feels right on your own terms.
Interview
How would you describe the person behind Karty, the MUA?
Bubbly, chubby, an ambivert, passion-driven, independent, and a go-getter.
I’m someone who likes doing things my own way. I do not like being told what to do, but I do appreciate good leadership. There is a difference between being guided and being controlled.
That difference matters to me because independence has always been important in the way I live and work.
You speak a lot about independence. What does that mean to you now?
Independence means being in a peaceful state. It means being able to make your own decisions without making life too complicated. It also means having the freedom to explore things without constantly worrying about being judged.
For me, protectiveness should not mean stopping someone from experiencing life. It should mean being there to support them when they need you. You cannot protect someone by holding them back from every experience. Sometimes, the better kind of support is letting them explore, and being there if they need help after.
Even in a relationship, that definition has not changed. I still believe in making my own choices, and I’m grateful to have people around me who support that.
For young women, especially brown girls who are often taught to be careful, quiet, or practical before anything else, independence does not always have to look rebellious. Sometimes, it simply means knowing yourself well enough to make decisions you can stand by.
Why is having the right support system important when you are building your own path?
You need people who can understand your dreams and support your ideas. Some people will encourage you with the right words. Some will get into the field and do the work with you. Some will support you financially and tell you to go after what you want.
Not everyone will understand your vision, so having the right people around you makes a difference.
A supportive circle does not always have to be big. It just has to be honest. You need people who can see where you are trying to go, even when the path still looks uncertain. For anyone building something new, that kind of support can help you keep going on the days when self-belief feels harder.
Was there a point in your life where you chose a different direction from what was expected of you?
Yes. There was a point where a career was already decided for me, but I chose a different direction.
I went into teaching, but not the usual textbook kind of teaching. I preferred something more nurturing. I wanted to teach in a way that helped people grow, especially young girls who needed more than just technical lessons.
Before makeup became a bigger part of my journey, I was a beauty lecturer at a vocational college. I worked with underprivileged girls, young women, and single mothers through an NGO-led programme that provided free education.
We taught beauty skills, but also life skills and lifestyle education. That experience shaped the way I see people and the way I work today.
It also taught me that sometimes, the work you do becomes bigger than the subject you teach. Beauty education was the skill, but confidence, self-respect, and independence were also part of the lesson.
When did makeup become something more personal to you?
It started with myself.
When I do makeup on my own face, I feel good. I still prefer to look natural, but when I add art to my face, it enhances my features.
So if you ask me whether makeup gives confidence, I would not say it creates confidence from nothing. The makeup I do on myself gives me confidence because it brings out what is already there.
That was when I decided to explore it more seriously.
To me, makeup is like giving girls an extra crown.
That way of seeing makeup shaped the kind of artist I became. I never wanted makeup to make someone feel like they needed to become another person. I wanted it to help them recognise what was already beautiful about themselves.
Was there a moment that made you realise makeup could mean more than just beauty?
Yes. I once worked with someone who had a serious skin condition and was afraid of makeup.
I challenged myself to make her feel beautiful with makeup. I even told her I would take responsibility for the outcome. In the end, I won that challenge.
I did not give her confidence. I gave her the assurance that she could also look good with makeup.
That moment stayed with me because I realised makeup can help break the negative ideas some women carry about how they look.
Sometimes, people do not come to a makeup artist only wanting a nice look. They come with fear. They come with insecurity. They come with years of thinking certain things are not meant for them because of their skin, features, or past experiences.
That experience made me understand that makeup can be emotional. It is not just about the product you apply. It is about how safe someone feels in your chair.
How did your family respond when you decided to pursue makeup seriously?
At first, it was a no.
But I thought, who cares? It is my passion. I wanted to do it, so I did it.
Now, they are happy about it. They are proud because I chose to pursue my passion in the right way.
Sometimes, people around you need time to understand what you are building. That does not mean you stop. It means you keep showing up, keep learning, and keep proving through your effort that the path matters to you.
What keeps you grounded when doubt or pressure comes in?
I believe in myself, and I know what I want to do.
I have always seen makeup as an art that will continue to evolve with fashion and trends. I do not see it as something that will die out.
Even with competitors around, I am confident in the value I bring to this work.
There will always be people doing similar work. That is part of any industry. But competition does not have to scare you when you understand your own value.
For me, staying grounded means remembering why I started, what I bring to the table, and the kind of experience I want to give my clients.
How did you start building your presence in the makeup industry?
I worked smart.
I started as an assistant. I worked with established people, introduced myself to the right circles, and learned how the industry worked from the inside.
Before people know your name, you need to learn, observe, and place yourself in the right environments.
That was how I started building my presence.
This part of the journey is important because people often only see the final stage. They see the bookings, the bridal looks, the photos, and the clients. They do not always see the beginning, where you are assisting, learning, watching, and slowly building confidence.
Starting small is not something to be ashamed of. It is how you understand the business properly.
What has self-employment taught you about business and people?
Business has ups and downs.
You have good days and bad days. There is no full consistency. During the slower days, my 9-to-5 helps me stay grounded.
I also learned that not every customer will be fully satisfied. Out of 10 customers, maybe one will have a different experience. I take that as a learning opportunity because I am working directly on someone’s skin and face.
They have the right to be honest about how they feel.
That is something self-employment teaches you quickly. You need to be confident, but you also need to stay humble enough to learn. Feedback is not always easy to hear, but when your work involves someone’s face, skin, and special day, their feelings matter.
The goal is not to avoid criticism completely, but to keep improving.
What do people often misunderstand about being a makeup artist?
The way people sometimes look down on makeup artists.
Some people think it is “just makeup.” They do not always understand the investment behind it. Good products are expensive. Training costs money. Learning takes time.
There is also this idea that makeup artists do not deserve the same respect as other professions.
But, I am not just painting a face. I am creating art. I am helping someone feel good about themselves on a special day.
Every profession deserves respect.
This is something many creative women understand. When your work looks beautiful from the outside, people sometimes forget how much effort goes into it. They forget the cost, the time, the learning, the pressure, and the emotional work behind the final result.
Respecting the profession also means respecting the person behind it.
What does a good workday look like for you now?
A good workday is when I do not have to run after people.
If I have done good work, word of mouth will do its job. At the end of the day, I do not want to stress about chasing clients.
I believe that the God who gave me this business will also give me the clients I deserve.
For me, that is growth. It is not only about having more clients. It is about reaching a point where your work speaks for itself, where people remember how you made them feel, and where trust brings the right people back to you.
What does makeup mean to you beyond the final look?
Makeup is part of grooming.
Just like how you exercise, eat well, and take care of yourself, grooming is also important. Sometimes, glamming yourself is part of showing confidence.
First impressions matter.
For me, inner beauty and outer beauty work together.
Makeup should not make someone feel like they are not enough without it. It should be something that helps them present themselves in a way that feels good to them.
How would you describe your signature makeup style?
Soft glam. Natural. A no-makeup makeup look.
Every tone I put on your face is meant to suit you. Nothing will be extra unless the client requests it.
The makeup should enhance the person, not overpower them.
That is why understanding the client matters. I need to know what they are comfortable with, what they expect, and what will still make them feel like themselves when they look in the mirror.
How do you support brides emotionally on such an important day?
The comfort of the bride matters to me.
Some brides are nervous, unsure, or overwhelmed. I try to make them feel comfortable and safe with me.
Sometimes, I use hugging therapy. It releases happy hormones.
What I want brides to remember is not only the makeup, but how comfortable they felt with me and the bond we created.
That comfort is part of the service. A bride may forget small details from the day, but she will remember whether she felt rushed, judged, ignored, or cared for.
From my own experience, you went beyond makeup and helped me stay calm on my big days. Is that something you naturally bring into your work?
Yes, because weddings are not just about the look.
A bride goes through a lot on the day itself. Sometimes she needs someone to listen. Sometimes she needs someone to reassure her that everything is under control.
If I can help her feel calmer, I will.
The makeup is important, but the experience matters too. I want my brides to feel supported, not just done up.
That support can make a big difference because the makeup artist is often one of the first people with the bride before everything begins. You are there during the nervous moments, the quiet moments, and sometimes the stressful ones too.
What does being a brown girl in business mean to you personally?
For me, it is not about being famous or trying to inspire people.
It is about being satisfied with yourself.
Instead of doing something to prove a point to others, it is more important to do something that feeds your soul at the end of the day.
That is something I want more young women to understand. You do not always have to build a life for applause. You do not always have to turn your choices into a statement for other people.
Sometimes, the most meaningful thing is choosing work that feels right to you.
How has working with different people shaped the way you carry yourself?
In my personal life and work life, I meet people with different mindsets and emotions. I take every experience as a lesson and use it to improve myself.
It has shaped me a lot. Sometimes people think I am older than I actually am because of how I think and carry myself.
Working with people teaches you patience. It also teaches you how to read emotions, handle different personalities, and stay steady when others are unsure.
What mindset around weddings or brides do you hope to challenge through your work?
People still have a fixed mindset, especially when it comes to wedding traditions.
The bride is only going to be the bride for one day. She should be able to choose what she wants for her own day.
That is something I strongly believe.
In many brown families, weddings can become about everyone’s expectations. But the bride should still feel like herself. She should still have a say in how she wants to look and feel.
What would you tell young brown girls who are curious about choosing an unconventional path?
Explore before you decide.
If you suddenly find something you like, do not dismiss it too quickly. Learn more about it. Try it. See whether there is potential for you to take it further.
The conventional path may feel safe, but do not lose the fire that started in you.
Every passion has a reason. Who knows, that reason could take you far in life.
You do not have to have everything figured out immediately. Exploration is part of the process. Sometimes, you only discover what you are capable of after giving yourself permission to try.
When you look back at your journey so far, what makes you proudest?
Most of my students come back to me and say, “I’m doing good in life because of the lessons you taught me.”
The lessons I taught made them better people in life. That is a proud moment for me, more than being paid back monetarily.
That kind of impact lasts. It reminds me that success is also about what people carry with them after learning from you.
What does success look like to you right now?
Earning people is success for me.
If people trust me, remember me, return to me, and feel good because of the work I do, that means something.
What are you learning in this current season of your life?
Personally, I have changed my career path. I am now working with autistic children to prepare myself to become a mother in the future.
It teaches me patience and responsibility.
Professionally, my work also allows me to educate brides who are eager to become mothers on what they can anticipate when they have their own children.
This new chapter still connects to the same thing I have always cared about: understanding people, supporting them, and learning how to be more patient with every stage of life.
If you could speak to your younger self, what would you tell her?
I would tell her, “You made it.”
Karty’s story is not loud, and maybe that is what makes it feel real. She is not building a life to prove a point, but one that feels honest to her. For young women trying to choose their own path, there is something grounding in that.
You do not have to rush your journey to make it valid. You do not have to abandon stability to prove that you are serious about your passion. You do not have to follow the exact version of success that was handed to you either.
You can build slowly. You can learn first. You can take the practical route while still honouring the creative part of yourself.
And, maybe that is the kind of success we do not talk about enough.
