Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Cardenas.
Monica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am also known as LadyParadoxx on Instagram and YouTube. I am a 26 year old hairstylist and makeup artist in the Chicago suburbs. I have been doing cosmetology professionally for the past eight years, though I only discovered my passion for sfx and character makeup about two years ago. That’s where I created the LadyParadoxx moniker on Instagram. I wanted a creative outlet that allowed me to combine two of my favorite things – the beauty and the creepy. From there, I started experimenting with different forms of makeup, pushing my boundaries and finding my style. This year, I decided to enter the NYX Face Awards, an annual nationwide makeup competition where out of thousands of entries, only 30 people are chosen to participate. I was fortunate to be one of the 30 chosen. The Face Awards, along with my own experience over the last two years, has allowed me opportunities I otherwise would not have had. Apart from working in a salon full time, I am also able to do freelance work for numerous creative endeavors, be featured in articles and magazines internationally, and partner up with brands who sponsor and support me. And the greatest part is that this is only the beginning! I’m so excited to see where the future will go from here.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I believe that if the path you take towards your goals and dreams ISN’T bumpy, then something is wrong. Failure is a huge part of growth. You can’t appreciate the good without experiencing some bad. I’ve definitely had my fair share of ups and downs, sleepless nights, and people trying to tear me down. I think for me the hardest part is staying motivated through it all. But I keep reminding myself that all the hard work will pay off in the end.
LadyParadoxx – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I work at Sojourn Salon in North Aurora full time. There, I specialize in hair color and makeup. When I’m not working at the salon, I run my own independent operation from home. My studio is where all the magic happens. My Instagram and YouTube pages have allowed me to take my creativity to a level that’s difficult to achieve at my day job. I would say my specialty in that is creating hauntingly beautiful makeup looks. Combining that paradoxical duality of traditional beauty with something more out-of-the-box. A lot of my looks ride along the dark and fantasy genre, but not always. I think it’s good to be well-rounded, so I try to have a mixture of wearable and not-so-wearable looks in my repertoire. Though I find my audience tends to gravitate more towards the out-of-the-box route.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I would say my proudest moment so far has been being a part of the 2018 NYX Face Awards. It’s a huge honor to be chosen among thousands of individuals to participate in it. It’s a huge thing among the makeup community and the whole world is watching you. I’ve met some amazing and talented individuals from my time in the Face Awards, some being from the Chicago area as well!
Contact Info:
- Email: ladyparadoxxofficial@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ladyparadoxx
- Other: www.youtube.com/ladyparadoxx1
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