We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Yamoah a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Emily , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
The word “No” or the words “You can’t do it” really bothered me. I was told “ No” a lot, and I mean a lot! I feel I get my resilience from being told no over a thousand times. As much as that might’ve made me feel defeated, something in my spirit told me to keep going. Step back and take a break if you need to, but get right back to it. I started having that approach. Every time I applied for a makeup opportunity, I went into it like, okay, I may get told “no” or I can’t do it 100 times, but someone has to say “yes” someone has to say “you can do it” and when I went into anything I wanted to do, I had that mindset . My mindset was to, again just keep going and keep walking in my purpose eventually I’ll do what I want to do and be where I want to be.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Emily Yamoah and I’m a professional makeup artist and hairstylist in the DMV area, but my focus is more on makeup. I was introduced to makeup in 2007 when I went to Dudley’s Hair College in Washington DC. My hair school instructor just so happened to be a makeup artist and he taught us about hair and makeup. He made us start wearing makeup everyday to school and I instantly fell in love with makeup. It’s crazy because I had a true passion for hair at first, but after I was introduced to makeup, I loved it almost more than hair. It was like love at first sight. I started practicing on myself every single day and I just got better each time I practiced. From there I started wearing makeup out in public and I would always get compliments on my makeup and eventually someone asked me to do makeup for her wedding and it’s been on since then lol. As years went on and I began to do more and more makeup, my clients would always ask me what lip color did I use on them and if they can have the lipstick to take with them so they could touch their lips up through out whatever event they were going to. That sparked an idea to try to create a lipstick and lipgloss line so I can give each client a lipstick or lipgloss from them to have after their makeup appointment and it just made it more convenient for my clients so 12 Cosmetics was born September 12,2019. 12 Cosmetics is my cosmetic line where I have custom lip shades I created with love. I have matte liquid lipsticks and lipglosses in a variety of shades designed for all skin tones. I think that was something I definitely needed and wanted to do to elevate my career as well and I did it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back to the very beginning of my career I can honestly say 3 qualities that were most impactful in my journey was working super hard, having great customer service, and being exactly who I am, not changing to be what someone else wants me to be.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
I’ll never forget my mother use to drive me to hair school every single day and pick me up. The school was about 30 minutes from my house one way! My mom made that sacrifice for me for almost 2 years! My father bought me my first makeup chair (my only chair I still use till this day) and he also got me my first makeup case and makeup lights. I’m forever grateful for my parents believing in my dreams and really helping me get all the essentials I needed from the knowledge to the tools, I’m forever grateful for my parents and their help. As a young women that was trying to find her purpose I needed my parents and I think with their love for me and support they sure the ones who ultimately opened the door up for my career. Thank you mom and thank you dad🫶🏾
Contact Info:
- Website: https://huesglowsandlipgloss.as.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huesglowsandlipgloss
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