Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Phan.
Kim, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Starting in the beauty industry in 2011, my journey took me through every corner of America and every nook and cranny of Texas. I first started working at nail salons in small-town Texas. I would relocate a couple of times within different small towns, but my big dreams quickly outgrew what they had to offer. I made Houston my permanent home in 2013 and gained knowledge and valuable experience through every turn. My first job in Houston was again at a nail salon as a nail technician. It was by fate that on one slow day at the salon, a friend saw an ad for a microblading course and thought I could excel at it. My curiosity and restlessness drove me to take the class. The rest is pretty much history. Now after performing hundreds of procedures across the country and teaching countless numbers of classes, I am ready to continue on my journey in making America pretty one lady at a time.
Has it been a smooth road?
To get to where I am today did not come without struggles. Since the moment I discovered microblading, I always knew what I wanted but did not know how to get there. I knew I wanted to become a permanent makeup artist, but I thought I had to open a full-service nail salon myself to realize my goal. This actually spread my skills thin as I had too much on my plate to focus on my permanent makeup career. I quickly realized that managing multiple employees, clients and bills at the same time was not for me. I had to sell my nail salon and cut my losses after just a few months. Even though it was so stressful and hurt a lot at the time, I am proud of the journey and lessons I learned as I would not be where I am today without them.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
Today, I work out of my own private suite in a large professional medical building. I focus on all things permanent makeup while also offering lash extensions. I even offer one on one or group permanent makeup courses. I specialize in microblading, as this was the first technique I mastered. I have even fixed a countless number of botched procedures. It really pains me to see a client come in with an uneven or discolored microblading procedure from another artist and though some are beyond repairable, I am able to fix most of them.
Since my first microblading course, I have taken many classes to perfect my craft in different areas of permanent makeup. This is where I set myself apart from other artists. You cannot be a one-trick pony as you have to be well-rounded to adapt to the market. Microblading is the hottest trend now, but lips, eyeliner and shading are all popular permanent makeup procedures that I offer.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Microblading has seen a huge boost in popularity over the last 2-3 years with as many successes as microblading fails posted throughout social media. Everyone is trying to cash in on this boom without the proper training, which has saturated the industry with microblading artists. However, I am confident that only the talented and most professional will survive. As more and more horror stories are shared, the same number of artists will be forced to change professions.
I do see this trend lasting at least a few more years, but as much as I hope it will continue for decades to come, I have to be realistic and enhance my skills in different facets of permanent makeup. Perfecting the eyebrows is just the beginning to permanent makeup.
Pricing:
- Microblading – $550
- 6-8 weeks touch up – $100
- Microshading – $600
Contact Info:
- Address: 6550 Mapleridge St., Suite 102
Houston, TX 77081 - Website: www.permanentmakeupbykim.com
- Phone: 832-469-6868
- Email: info@permanentmakeupbykim.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PermanentMakeupByKimPhan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PermanentMakeupByKimPhan/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/permanent-makeup-by-kim-houston
Image Credit:
Kim Phan
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