Meet Trailblazer Biridiana Rodriguez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Biridiana Rodriguez.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Biridiana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Ever since I can remember, I was very fascinated with makeup. I remember early in my teenage years, I would steal my mother’s makeup (mainly lipstick and mascara) and put them in my pocket right before leaving the house and applied it on my way to school. By the time I arrived to first period, my face was dolled up and I was ready to take on the day. I thought I looked so cool with my makeup on. Unfortunately I, myself is a 90’s victim-so you can only imagine what I looked like. That’s right! I had the dark brown liner on the lips with super thin brows (shame on me) but hey, that was the style back then and you could tell me nothing. It was 1998. At the time, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, and Tamia were my biggest inspirations when it came to fashion and makeup. I was just a fierce teenage girl from Hayward CA trying to study and imitate everything these hip hop female artist were doing at the time. With my bold lips and thin brows, I felt so cute with my soda shoes on lol. In all honesty, I never would have imagined it would’ve have turned out into passion/ career.

Fast forward to so many years later- in 2011, I was going to culinary school (Le Cordon Bleu). By the time I graduated in 2012 as I had just completed my externship at a 5-star resort and of course, thousands of dollars later, I realized it was more of a hobby than a passion. I don’t regret it at all. I have my degree that I am very proud of. Even though I’m not in the culinary industry I don’t feel like I failed. I always say “never a failure, always a lesson learned.” I learned so much and the beauty of it all is that I found my true passion somewhere else. In the fall of 2014, I decided to get into makeup all over again. After so many years later, I just couldn’t fight the feeling anymore. I love the way it made me feel and decided to fully pursue it. With zero confidence and handful of photo prints from Walgreens (of my work) I walked in and applied at Mac Cosmetics as a freelance makeup artist. After seven attempts, that’s right seven! I was hired as a permanent artist. I never gave up. Once I got into the company I felt like I was part of the club. It felt so good to be a Mac girl. Learned so much and made long-lasting friendships. After being with the company for a few years, I decided to take a leap of faith and focus on my business in becoming a full-time freelance makeup artist. I must say nothing feels so rewarding like having clients feel so good about themselves. I feel so blessed to be able to wake up every day and do what I love. I truly believe if you find your passion and do what you love it will never feel like work.

Has it been a smooth road?
No smooth road at all. There’s been a lot of trials and error. Keeping up with trends can be a challenge. It’s so easy to stay in the same trends and not change. I always try to challenge myself. Trying to keep up with the latest looks. Making sure I know what’s viral as far as looks. Overall I’m happy I have been able to overcome some of my obstacles and struggles that have come my way. My journey of learning is never-ending. I don’t ever want to feel or think I know or have learned everything. My advice to young women is to never give up on their dreams. Always be open to constructive feedback. You’d be surprised how much you can learn from someone.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As a full-time freelance makeup artist, I specialize in special occasions from bridal, quinceañeras, prom and or any other special occasions. My dedication and passion for my business truly feel like is no other. I eat, sleep and breathe my artistry. It’s a priority of mine to make sure my clients are completely comfortable and at ease on their special day. Overall, fully satisfied with my service.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I strongly feel Instagram is a great platform to showcase your work. It’s free and if you use it wisely, you can benefit from turning a viewer into a potential/ future makeup client. Feel free to ask your followers too, what type of content would they’d like to see more of? You’d be surprised by the great feedback you can receive from your followers.

Contact Info:

• Email: makeupbybiridiana@yahoo.com
• Instagram: @beautybybiridiana

Image Credit:
Sharomrosas.com, Garcia.photography/, Daniellepaynterphotography

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