LASH ARTIST OF THE MONTH: KATHY RAMOS
MEET KATHY RAMOS
IG: @naziyalash
SAN DIEGO, CA
"We need to come together as a community. Lashing takes a lot of time and patience on top of everything else so don’t forget to pay yourself for that. Know your worth, because we are worth it."
WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
Hi! My name is Kathy Ramos and I and from sunny San Diego, California. Before lashing I used to work at a corporation for 5+ years in customer service. It was very easy for me, but I always had a creative side that I wanted to explore. So, I started a side business making floral crowns and floral ears (@comolaflorhalos).
I ended up getting so busy that I had to leave my corporate job which was a risk I was willing to take. I worked with a couple artists like Jhené Aiko, Aubrey O’day, and Mahogany LOX which was so surreal.
Fast forward to 2016 I had my baby girl Naziya. I decided I needed a career change. Something that was more consistent. I still had a boss mentality so going back to a job was not an option for me. I knew it would take a lot of work, time, and dedication. Luckily I had my best friend, who was in the esthetics world, to help guide me. She knew I would be great as a Lash Artist since I am a perfectionist and very patient. I went to school 3 months after I had Naziya in the evening while her dad worked in the mornings. This way I could take our oldest to school and have the baby during the day until daddy came home. It was very hard leaving my newborn every night and not seeing my significant other much for 6 months but it was something I needed to do.
Now we have Naziya Lash! I could not have done this without the support of my other half who held it down every night with 2 girls while I had to go to school. My friends like Nancy Ngouy, who just like my best friend, also believed in me and offered me a space at her busy salon (Studio NN) as soon as I was licensed and certified to work. My family who is my biggest motivation. Even the ones I have lost along the way. They are always with me. I really had a great team behind me supporting me and I am forever grateful!
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT LASH AFFAIR?
I heard about Lash Affair while I was in school. I had a lot of down time my last 2 months there so I used it to do my research on products. The packaging and logo stood out to me the most and their products definitely backed that up.
Kathy's Winning Look Close-Up
Kathy's Winning Look Full Face
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF YOUR JOB?
When I started my lash journey I always knew I wanted to be my own boss. So I did end up getting my own business license for Naziya Lash. I love it! I create my own schedule which is convenient being a mom but it’s not always easy. Starting out I was always available so I could build up my clientele, but now I have managed to have a set schedule that works for me, which is great!
WHAT IS YOUR MISSION IN THIS INDUSTRY?
My mission in this industry is to continue to raise the standards in our lash community. To use the following that I have to inspire new lash artists to become a licensed professional and continue to educate themselves. It’s important to make our clients feel safe. We’ve all heard lash horror stories which happen when clients don’t go to licensed professionals. It gives lash extensions a bad rep. Everyone knows you can’t pay the minimum for a high quality service using high quality products.
We need to come together as a community. Lashing takes a lot of time and patience on top of everything else so don’t forget to pay yourself for that. Know your worth, because we are worth it. I’m here to help anyone who needs guidance on this topic. I am very passionate about it and if you are too, put in the work the right way and don’t sell yourself too short. We got this!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A LASH ARTIST?
My favorite thing about being a lash artist is seeing my clients reactions after I do their first full set. They always can’t seem to believe that the lashes are so lightweight that they can’t even feel them on top of how amazing they make their eyes look! They can walk out of my room make-up free feeling like they don’t need to wear anything.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ARTIST?
DO YOU EDIT YOUR PHOTOS? WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE APPS?
I do edit my photos! My Favorite apps are Perfect 365, Snapseed, and Phonto.
I use all three on most photos. I use Perfect 365 which detects the face once I upload the photo so with a click of a button I am able to smooth or brighten the skin if I need to. Snapseed I use to crop and rotate my photos. Last but not least I use Phonto to watermark every photo I post. It is very important to watermark! I use to see other profiles repost my work as their own so now I make sure to do this step every time I post.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LASH AFFAIR PRODUCT AND WHY?
My favorite Lash Affair product would be Love Potion Adhesive because it has a wide range of humidity so it’s always easy to work with! I must say I also love the Love Shack Airtight Adhesive Container where I store my adhesives every day.
Want to see more beautiful work from Kathy? Connect with her on Instagram: @naziyalash
Become our next Lash Artist of the Month! To enter, make sure to follow us on Instagram at @lashaffairbyjp. Look for the LAM photo and follow the instructions in the description. Good luck and happy lashing!