Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Gonzalez.
Hi Christian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My love for beauty started at a very young age. As a child, I grew up living in a rural Puerto Rican town with cows, chickens, and farmlands as far as the eye can see. And even in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by arguably the least glamorous things in life, I found a beauty fix. I remember watching my mother get ready for work as a child and being fascinated by her routine. I witnessed how transformative her makeup routine was for her, and I was captivated.
This was her time to bring a little glamour to her day. Almost like makeup was the armor she wore into the world. I saw how it changed her demeanor, walk, and confidence. It was truly mesmerizing.
Fast forward years later, I became introduced to social media, specifically YouTube, and found the beauty community. I consumed hundreds of hours of beauty-related content, watching product reviews, tutorials, and countless “get ready with me’s” without even owning a single makeup product of my own. Despite my lack of tools, it only fed my desire to be part of the beauty world.
I remember getting my first makeup hand-me-down from my younger cousin and the joy it brought me. It was a couple of old, beat-up products she didn’t enjoy anymore, and she was kind enough to gift them to me. That was the beginning of my makeup obsession.
I would wait until everyone in my household fell asleep, lock my door, and play for hours. I was trying different looks and techniques, applying and wiping off and trying again.
I officially started in the beauty industry through cosmetic retail at Sephora. There, I learned so much about all the ins and outs of the industry. I worked at one of the highest volumes stores in the United States and quickly honed in on my skills and gained immense experience. While at Sephora, I went to school, became a Licensed Esthetician, and started my own business, “Look By Chris.”
And then 2020 happened. The world shut down, and businesses, clients, and life as we knew it came to a screeching halt. With being stuck at home, I could sit with myself and analyze what I wanted in my life and how drastic things can change in an instant. When the world opened up, I took a chance on myself and believed in my dreams, leaving my stable job to follow my passion of becoming a freelance makeup artist. This decision quickly became one of the scariest yet most exciting and rewarding decisions I’ve ever made.
Cut to today, where I have been freelancing full-time for over a year. I have gotten the opportunity to work on unique projects with high-profile clientele and been a part of so many memorable moments in my clients’ lives while I continue to work and strive towards my own dream.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has not been easy, not only in a business aspect but in self-discovery. Growing up a queer child, I always felt like the black sheep. I knew I loved makeup from a young age, but growing up, I never felt like this career was something I would be able to embrace.
My journey is one of self-discovery, acceptance, and perseverance. It took many years of internal conflict, unlearning societal pressures, and learning to embrace myself.
I can’t continue this interview without mentioning those who built me up in the moments I needed the most—starting with my family, who have always been my number-one supporters throughout this journey. My best friend, Nashaly, has never left my side throughout our decade-long friendship. Chantel, my Sephora manager, scouted me and gave me my first job in the beauty world. And many, many other amazing people who have helped in this journey. I take this moment to thank you all.
Aside from my struggles, it has taken an immense amount of hard work. Being a small business owner, you are the machine that runs your business. You are the receptionist, the marketing team, the customer service representative, and everything in between.
I have given up weekends, holidays, and important moments because I want to continue building the empire I see in my dreams.
Saying all this, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else with my life. Makeup artistry has given me a sense of purpose that I haven’t found within any other career path.
Life has always found a way to embrace my love for makeup and propels me to keep moving forward. I plan to do so until I physically can’t anymore.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work as a licensed traveling makeup artist all over Florida and beyond. I pride myself on providing advanced makeup artistry and giving each client a personalized experience.
I am trained in makeup services for all events. My past work extends to weddings, high fashion photoshoots, fashion runways, film, photography, and more!
I tell all my clients, “I don’t want you to step out of my chair and look like a different person. I want you to look like an elevated version of yourself.” I work on enhancing my client’s natural beauty and bringing that to the forefront of all that I do.
What sets me apart from other artists is my ability to create glamorous, elevated looks while keeping them in a realm of natural beauty. Like any other artist, we all have individual perspectives shaping our work. A Van Gogh will never be a Botticelli or a Picasso; I think it’s the same in makeup artistry. There are many talented artists, but we all have our techniques, outlook, and way of achieving our works of art.
One of my proudest moments in the industry has been participating in Miami Swim Week. I got the honor to participate in the runway shows this past Summer. It was a fantastic opportunity, and I can’t wait to return this year and create some magic again.
Another accomplishment of mine has been working with top-tier photographers in the industry to capture some beautiful high-fashion images. While my artistry skills range vastly, I am inspired by photoshoots and film artistry. This new year, I plan to work more in the photography space and further push my artistry.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
One of my most significant resources, and what I credit a lot of my success to, is the internet. That may sound broad and strange, but when starting my career, YouTube was where I learned the fundamentals. There is so much fantastic content from Professional Makeup Artists that can help anyone beginning their journey in the beauty industry.
Besides YouTube, in my early stages, I did lots of research studying the work of the artist that I admire. Artists like Kevyn Aucoin, Mario Dedivanovic, Danessa Myricks, Pat McGrath, and François Nars, to name a few. We can take so much from these amazing artists’ hundreds of hours of podcasts, interviews, tutorials, and books sharing their secrets.
I have often called myself “a child of the internet.” Nowadays, we have the answer to any question in the world at our fingertips. I urge anyone wanting to research the beauty space to explore and find what catches their eye. Information has never been as widely accessible as it is now; it’s a disservice to yourself not to take advantage of its fullest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lookbychris.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lookbychris/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lookbychris/
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/look-by-chris-winter-haven
Image Credits
Sierra Weatherford
Kelsey Clair
Aimee Ferguson
Lynette Ortiz
Kylie Hale García
Eden Berandoive
Ama Noëlle
Natalie Vazquez
Mya Thompkins
Tommy Chung
Dewayne Weise
Kylie Pasetchnik
