Life & Work with Cindy G. Castillo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy G. Castillo.

Hi Cindy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

I am Cindy G. Castillo, a full-time beauty content creator (and a mom-to-be!). I will begin with my professional experience and end with some of my journey. I graduated from the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. After graduating in 2014, I spent the next ten years gaining as much experience as possible in the media industry in and around Phoenix. I became a creative storyteller with extensive experience in both written and visual content. My work was published in several publications around Phoenix, including The Arizona Republic/AZCentral.com, KTAR.com, and ArizonaLatinos.com. At ArizonaLatinos.com, I was Chief Editor and had the pleasure to interview celebrities like George Lopez, Diego Luna, Oscar Jaenada, Kevin Hart, Natalia LaFourcade, Josh Gad, Omar Chaparro, and more.

I’ve also worked for iHeartMedia’s 24/7 radio newscasts, and for five and a half years (2018 – 2023), I worked with the E.W. Scripps Company’s nationally syndicated lifestyle TV show, ‘The List.’ I entered as a Digital Associate Producer writing articles for their website and worked myself up to become a full-time producer. I produced compelling segments, including top-of-the-show features and entertainment, fashion, travel, and feel-good stories. In June 2023, the TV show, ‘The List” ended after 11 seasons. After being laid off, I’ve decided to pivot my career and solo venture to become a beauty content creator. I am taking what I’ve learned in written and visual journalism over the past decade to create my favorite kind of content – beauty and fashion- unleashing my creativity one video at a time. In my content, I share makeup tutorials, reviews, and clothing try-ons to inspire my followers to get out of their comfort zone with every look. I’d love to create a beauty and fashion-loving community that loves to talk about this topic while helping them make informed decisions when shopping for new products. Working from home and creating my content at home will also help me take the reins of my schedule, with the end goal being to spend as much time as possible with my baby once they’re born in September. I will be a full-time mom, and having control over how I split my time between my role as a mom and my professional role is my dream.

To share more about my personal life, I was born in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. I lived in San Luis, Arizona – a small border town about three hours away from Phoenix – from third grade through high school. As a San Luis High School senior, I discovered the Media Arts and knew I wanted to pursue a career in journalism. I’ve loved creating my entire life, and I was drawn to writing, photography, and graphic design – so this major was the perfect fit for me. I was the only person in my class to pursue that major. Finances were a significant challenge in the pursuit of my college education. My mom (a single parent then) wanted me to take a year-long break between high school and college, but I knew if I did, my career would be at a standstill. I also understood her motives, though. So, I promised her she wouldn’t have to worry about paying a single penny for my education.

After I graduated high school, I enrolled at Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona, where I completed my Associate’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications in May 2012.

In the Fall of 2012, I made my transition from Yuma to Phoenix and in December 2014, I received my Bachelor’s Degree from the ASU Walter Cronkite School. I became the first woman in my family to graduate from a university. To this day, I feel most proud of the work I put in those four years. The women in my family have taught me hard work and perseverance. That’s what’s most important to me. Family has always been and will continue to be my fuel — I want to make them proud.

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?
Not a smooth road! Growing up as a first-generation Latina (as I mentioned before, the first woman in my family to achieve higher education) while also growing up with financial insecurity (again, raised by a single mother since I was 18) has come with its challenges. I learned everything from seeking financial aid for school, looking for a job, navigating a vast new city I’d never been to, choosing a career path, making career connections, and so on, on my own. You have to learn to ask for help when you need it, learn to know who to ask for help to, and learn to trust yourself that the moves you’re making are the ones that will be best for you. In the end, you learn to navigate on your own, but you can’t make it on your own; the people you meet along the way will be a huge help and blessing to get you there. All while keeping family in mind, of course, because everything you do is to help your family (a considerable mindset that first-generation Latinas will relate to; we grow up with the mindset that we have to pay back our parents for the sacrifices they made as immigrants who brought us into this country). I also had to navigate the world of chasing a career path that was “unconventional,” something new in my family. A creative field isn’t the norm. The world of journalism is also constantly changing, and you’re continually adapting to “what’s new.” Now, as I venture off into something even newer, like social media content creation or entrepreneurship, it’s another new challenge I’m working through daily. But if I’ve done it before, what’s stopping me now?

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a beauty content creator, and I plan to become a beauty expert through and through. On my platforms, I share makeup tutorials, reviews, try-ons, and “get ready with me” style videos, clothing, and beauty hauls. I never want to stop learning, so I’m also taking courses in makeup to stay in the know on the current trends in beauty and help me grow as an expert. My goal with my platforms is to build a community that loves to talk about beauty and fashion, and what I call “all the pretty things.” I want to help people bring out and enhance their beauty, help them stay in the know of all the new and exciting releases and trends in beauty and fashion, and, of course, help them make informed decisions about how they spend their money. Make recommendations that are only the best of the best. Since I was young, I’ve always been drawn to being creative. Painting and crafting are some of my biggest hobbies and things I love to do, but beauty and style have a place in my heart. I see it as a still painting, just on a different canvas. And like all art, it’s meant to be shared, so I’m sharing my work with the world.

What are your plans for the future?
My goal is to continue to grow my platforms and learn and gain more skills in makeup artistry. As I mentioned, this is an entirely new venture into entrepreneurship for me. I am taking this leap of faith, and – though terrified – I am going at it full-throttle while remaining a sponge and learning as much as possible.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyg.castillo/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo8j6uervYATAyngDElX6Tg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cindyg.castillo

Image Credits
Photos in the white shirt: Jasberry Media https://www.instagram.com/jasberrymedia/, Makeup images are my own