MUA Kierra King believes that the only thing  that is consistent is change.  As the creator of beauty brand Tainted Confessions, Kierra once used make-up to hide her insecurities. As she embarked on her self-journey, her insecurities transformed into self-love embarking her to start a creative business reminding other women that beauty comes in all all forms.  Kierra and I chatted about her start-up in beauty and make-up,  the pros and cons of running a creative business, dealing with moments of adversity, and the importance of self-love and empowerment.

How did you get started in beauty and makeup? 

Kiera: “Well let me first say that I grew up in a strict traditional home. My parents were very stern on their “no makeup” rule. But that didn’t stop my rebellious little soul. I always had a fascination with makeup and the versatility of what beauty could be defined as, and how makeup enhanced your beauty. Although at a younger age, I think that I more so wanted to apply makeup to make myself feel “pretty” … “ to fit in” with my peers. I didn’t look at makeup as an enhancement…it was my mask to hide all of my insecurities. As I got older and insecurities grew, I embarked on a self-mastery journey and I learned and understood the meaning that beauty is skin deep. It’s like baking a cake…beauty is all the ingredients…sugar and spice and everything nice, broken, unhealed, and damaged…regardless of the ingredients. it still makes a cake. If you add love (self-love in this sense), your cake becomes this beautiful creation that most likely cannot be recreated or duplicated in taste and feel. It fulfills you in a way of evolution that is indescribable. I learned that beauty is love in all forms including brush strokes, lipsticks, foundations palettes, lashes, and facials. I wanted to learn and challenge my creativity in this field.”

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 What are your make-up must haves?

Kiera: “My makeup must haves are strawberry flavored Carmex, my Fit Me matte liquid foundation in shade 355; my Nyx chocolate brown brow liner, luminous Maybelline mascara, and my tainted cosmetic lip shade in Louis V .”

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What are your favorite things about running a beauty business? Least favorite?

Kiera: “My most favorite thing about running a beauty business is the fulfillment I get by being able to connect with so many beautiful souls. Beauty sessions become therapy sessions and you just get to let it all out. My clients get a moment from their busy day to just unwind, be themselves, and get pampered. My least favorite about running a beauty business is that I get nervous all the time. Before an event, before a client, before a consultation, I just get super nervous and have to take a few deep breathes and tell myself “you got this!”

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What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far while running a business?

The most important lesson that I’ve learned so far as cliché as it may sound is the only thing that is consistent is change. No matter how much you can try to plan something out down to the very last bullet point on your list of manifestations, things can always change. The people you may think will really support you can change. The route you have to take throughout your journey can change. You can change. Change is inevitable.”

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 What do you like to do in your spare time?

Kiera: “I tend to surround myself near trees or water. I am a nature baby. I love trail walks and going to the lake watching the direction of the water be guided by the wind. So peaceful! I love to walk barefoot and ground with the earth.  I use my nature time to do self-check and self-reflection.   I love to just kick it with my kids for a few hours and be in their world. Children really teach you how to enjoy the simplicity of life and the things we should be grateful for that cost nothing. I also love to find new ways to create. I’ve started painting and writing poetry as outlets to express myself as well. I try to find things that are very therapeutic that allow my mind to be free in thought.”

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In moments of adversity and setbacks, how do you build yourself back up?

Kiera: ” I went through a really dark time right before really pursuing this beauty world and the question just kept coming up within me “how do I find peace?” I launched my cosmetic line in 2017 and went through a major setback with my ex-business partner that caused me to lose motivation and belief in myself. I was also going through a really hard breakup and just finding myself again…my identity…on top of trying to be a single mother who had to give love to her children when I couldn’t and didn’t know how to love myself. I thought that working hard and reaching this desired level of success in my mind would create my peace and my happiness, and so I just started building what I wanted. I started to invest in myself, but still on such a top surface level. Then it kind of just hit me that my bills were taken care of, I had money saved, and I did the first step of launching my business and I still couldn’t congratulate myself. I still wasn’t happy. Women should understand how important self-love and self-empowerment is. You’re not always going to have people rooting for you, and in those moments you have to be your own biggest cheerleader. Every day is not going to be easy to pour into yourself, but when you look back on your journey the gratitude for not allowing the negative self-talk will be so worth it. I feed and pour into myself positive mantras, self-help knowledge and meditation. Self-love is my armor when I need to build myself back up.”

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Name 3 things every woman should do to their skin daily.

Kiera: “Cleanse properly, hydrate, and use proper SPF products to protect your skin.”

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Which of your traits are you most proud of?  

Kiera: “The traits that I am most proud of is my persistence and resilience. I cannot control many things around me and that’s okay but I can always control myself and my story that I create and tell for my life’s journey.”

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What does it take to be a great MUA?

 Kiera: “I consider myself a forever student. I can’t tell you what it takes to be a great MUA because I am constantly learning and I feel that there are things I still want and need to master in the artistry of makeup. So I’m not there with the greats yet, but I will be.”

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 What is your biggest goal this year?

Kiera : ” I am committed to finishing school to obtain my Aesthetics license, expanding my clientele, connecting with beautiful souls, and re-launching my cosmetic line.”

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About Kiera King

“Change is the only constant in life” -Heraclitus

 

Kiera is a self-taught MUA & mom-treprenuer of three that strives to continue mastering her craft while engaging with her community. Her line Tainted Cosmetics, established in 2017, is currently being expanded into a new brand called Tainted Confessions. This brand provides Kiera a platform that lends her community a voice on a variety of topics ranging from mental health & holistic healing to self-development & sexuality. Kiera began as a certified lash technician in 2018, but is currently attending The Ogle Beauty School to obtain her esthetician’s license in order to broaden her skill set for future endeavors in the beauty industry. When Kiera’s not helping her eight-year-old play with her makeup or chasing her other two young children, she is expressing herself through her newfound love of poetry and painting. Kiera has worked with many local artists, entertainers, photographers, and studios as the “go-to” MUA and is striving to add to the list of collaborations with other MUA’s and artists on future projects. Currently, she is scheduled to be in the showcase lineup for an upcoming poetry event, “A Love Jones Tribute” in downtown Dallas. She is described as a modern day free-spirited bohemian who is open to the many perceptions and concepts that life can have.

 

Kiera’s Contact Info

Instagram: @_gypsy_beauty