Today we’d like to introduce you to Arion Hewitt.
Hi Arion, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Yes, of course! I am 25 and from Kansas City, MO. I’ve always been interested in beauty, but my interest really blossomed during my time in college in Atlanta. I started my YouTube channel back in September 2019. I came up with the idea in 2016 though. I wanted to start a channel to help girls and women of color learn how to do their makeup and hair. Being that I was a broke college student at the time and embarking on a journey in a new city, I didn’t know anyone who could do those things for me or teach me how. However, I ended up teaching myself through trial and error and wanted to share what I’d learned with my peers. At the time, there weren’t many known YouTubers of color in the beauty space, so I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to become one and help my girls out! I’m still in the beginning stages of establishing my channel due to the major transitions I’ve been experiencing since graduation, but I look forward to having a more consistent and prosperous channel!
Alright, 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’d say, at first, it was tough finding the confidence to put myself out there. I had to dig really deep and give myself several pep talks to pull out that confidence that I knew I had! I went through quite a bit of self-doubt too. What helped me was reminding myself who I was, what I was capable of, and all of the accomplishments I had so far.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So, I have a YouTube channel called Dark Girls Can Too and I’m also a makeup artist. My channel content is based on beauty, lifestyle, and motivation. As far as my makeup artistry, I do all kinds of looks! I do a lot of soft/natural glam but I also do well with more bold looks. I’m most proud of myself for being brave and for the amount of effort I’ve put into both businesses. They both started doing well immediately. I’d say the experience that you get when you watch my videos and get a service done is what sets me apart. I put a lot of love into what I do.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Yes! I would definitely use social media to your advantage. Find people who are leaders in your industry and shoot them a message. Introduce yourself, tell them what you do, and ask if they’d be interested in mentorship. Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are great places to start.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://makeupbyarielaine.as.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam_aelaine/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYkaijD5TJBaB77JXeCj5Bg
