Today, we’d like to introduce you to Guycilia Louis-Charles.
Hi Guycilia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I first started “noticing” makeup in 2017. I was in community college, living at home in West Orange, New Jersey, and obviously obsessed with YouTube and watching tutorials like almost every other girl. I spent hours watching and spent hundreds of dollars at Sephora trying every product Jackie Ainna and Aaliyah Jay suggested.
Fast forward to 2019, I’m in community college, getting way better at doing my own makeup, and people start to notice how good I am. I started doing friends and family face for events, but I still wasn’t super confident, and I certainly didn’t think I would ever call myself an MUA. I kept being the family and friend “makeup girl” until I moved to Baltimore in 2021 to attend Morgan State University. With my focus being on school and campus life, I no longer did other people’s makeup.
It wasn’t until the Fall of 2022 that I heard of the org “Love Yours,” a beauty and business-based organization, which sparked my interest after joining, and I realized a lot of the members had businesses. I decided to take my hand at starting mine.
One of my friends suggested makeup since I was still obsessed, and I did it pretty well. The only issue was I wasn’t confident in myself. I knew I knew how to make my face look good in any occasion but what if someone didn’t like my style of makeup or what if I didn’t have a ton of clients so I allowed my lack of confidence to take over5 and not let me pursue something I knew I loved.
In Spring 2023 I decided I wasn’t going to watch everyone else flourish while I just sat back and wished it was me. I took my first MUA course in February with a well known MUA Kiki Adams in New Jersey and started practicing on friends, I still wasn’t fully convinced this was for me so I didn’t create a logo or a booking site I just had an instagram page with videos and photos of my work. Thankfully, that semester, I entered as a vendor for Love Yours’ business showcase, where I met Armani, better known as Beatsbymx. She was raffling off a makeup course, and I so happened to win.
I took the course with her, where she taught me about confidence and new techniques and products, and I actually stayed in contact with her. I finally opened up a booking website and told people about my business. Now, here we are in 2024, working as a bottle server and journalist, and I’m still improving with every face. Although I’m not as fully booked every day as I hoped to be, I’m growing in my confidence and slowly but surely going towards the level I want to be.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. I struggled a lot with confidence and putting myself out there. Attending an HBCU where half of the girls have businesses, and the other half already have their set MUA, it was without a doubt a struggle to get clientele, especially since I have such a shy demeanor.
I also struggled with sticking to my policies. I always try to be the nice or different service provider due to 1- hearing so many horror stories of Baltimore service providers and 2- experiencing them myself.
However I still am pretty flexible when it comes to my clients with certain things just because I know that initial experience decides if you’ll get recommended to their friends and family and If they’ll book with you again.
We’ve been impressed with The Diamond Vault, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
I’m a Baltimore/NJ-based makeup artist specializing in natural and soft glams.
I believe what sets me apart from others is that I’m always willing to fix an issue, I’m always willing to make anything a teachable moment, whether it be for me or for my clients, and I genuinely love and care about my craft, some people do it strictly for the money, but I do it because it’s my passion.
Brand-wise, I’m proud of how far it’s come from not having a single client to my work getting reposted. I want readers to know that I’m the MUA who won’t charge ridiculous fees, I’m affordable, and I actually care. I’m located in Baltimore, but I also travel to meet your needs.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
They can collaborate if they’re doing a brand photoshoot and need a mum or if they are another service provider that wants to do a collab for a season or holiday or just to bring exposure to both of our businesses.
The biggest support is just spreading the word and checking out my page. Follow and like are free ways to support.
Pricing:
- Natural glam $65
- Soft glam $75
- Cut crease $85
- Bring a friend soft glams for $130
Contact Info:
- Website: thediamondvault.as.me
- Instagram: @The.DiamondVault
