Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Wilkinson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katherine. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since I was a little girl, I have always been a visual child who looks for the beauty in all things. From press on nails, to makeup, hair, and fashion, I was known as the girly girl of the family. As I grew up, I started to recognize the feeling of joy and happiness that came along with beauty services. As high school and college approached, I decided that no matter what career I chose I wanted it to be rewarding. A career that would constantly throw me new obstacles and keep me engaged each and every day. That’s when I found the beauty industry and all of the wonders it has to offer. When I began to work towards my career in cosmetology, I was immediately blown away by what the industry offered. I watched as confidence built on my clients face as the service progressed in my chair.
In early 2010, I jumpstarted my career by obtaining my cosmetology license from a local family owned beauty school. For the first few years, I worked out of a lash and brow studio in River North, Chicago as well as Hinsdale Il. My first few years provided me with many opportunities to learn and grow in the lash and brow business. Working in a big City like Chicago opened up many doors and experiences I couldn’t have imagined at such a young age, including the opportunity to do pop star, Ke$ha’s eyelashes. After getting just a taste of the excitement that the industry offered, I decided that I wanted to put my own personal touch on the beauty industry. That is when I started my own business, “The Beautiful Life XO”. Shortly after this journey began, I was approached by a luxury lash and brow studio out of Oak Brook Terrace IL and offered a job as a lash/brow artist and educator. As the years passed, I continued to further my education in the lash and brow industry as well as work on my college degree.
By mid-2014, I obtained my degree in AAS Business Management, as well as Certificates in Entrepreneurship, Supervision, and Organizational Leadership. Over the years, the lash and brow industry has allowed me to express my creativity and passion for beauty through my students as well as my clients. Each day moving forward has given me a different outlook on the industry and path in which my career with continue to take me.
Has it been a smooth road?
Without encountering bumps along the road I feel that I would not be the artist I am today. Continuing education and learning everything I can about my industry has been the main focus of my career. One of the biggest struggles I have encountered like many others in the industry is the lack of quality work being done as the lash industry rapidly expands. Many clients are experiencing services by artists who have not received quality training, and are using bad products. Once a client receives a set of lashes that were either applied incorrectly or caused damage or irritation to the eye, they are generally hesitant to give extensions another chance because they think this is normal and will happen again. Lash extensions should not damage a client’s lashes if done correctly, and should not feel heavy on the eyes. By raising the standards of quality in the industry I believe that certified lash artists will gain credibility within the industry, and their quality of work will not go unnoticed.
As many young girls enter the beauty industry my best advice I could give is to never stop learning. Continue to chase the industry as it is one that will always continue to grow and to change. Knowledge is power and you can never have enough. The beauty industry is by far one of the most rewarding and exciting industries to work in.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Beautiful Life XO story. Tell us more about the business.
Although having a cosmetology degree has given me the opportunity to learn multiple services, I have honed my skill to focus solely on lashes and brows. As the famous quote reads… “eyes are the window to the soul”, you can only imagine what enhancing them will actually do. I’m definitely building myself as a brand that is known for loving full eyebrows, and customizing lashes to fit each eye shape. As I continue to build my career, I have become humble and proud of what I have created. I pride myself on making others feel good about themselves by enhancing their own natural beauty, drawing their confidence out. I believe that my experience and education over the last 8.5 years has set me apart from other lash artists in the industry. I have learned how to listen to what my clients want while giving them a service that is safe and beneficial to their lifestyle. Only using the highest quality of products, including medical grade adhesive, has made a huge impact on the longevity of the lash extensions, as well as the client experience.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I feel that one of the biggest barriers to female leadership in the beauty industry is empowerment. The specialization in lash and brow services has grown over the years, and as artists, we try to set ourselves apart from one another. I believe that women should focus on connecting with each other to gain knowledge and insight to help grow each other. Competition should not scare you as an artist, but in fact, push you so that you want to learn more about perfecting your skill. By raising others up, we allow ourselves to grow and we create a standard in the industry. More often than not, lash and brow artists do not get the credit they deserve for good work. So, let’s come together and raise the standards in the industry by empowering each other!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebeautifullifexo.com
- Phone: 630-290-2233
- Email: thebeautifullifexo@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautifullifexo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeautifullifexo/
- Other: https://www.vagaro.com/katiewilkinson
Image Credit:
Adrian Orozco Photography Adrian_Orozco_
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