Hey guys! I am so ecstatic to share this interview I did with my beautiful friend Nikki DeRoest. Nikki is a makeup artist and hairdresser based in Los Angles. You might know her from her well-known website, Hello To Beauty. She’s been in the beauty industry for over a decade creating timeless and slaying looks on all of her clients.
While loving what she does, Nikki also hopes to share and inspire people to create the best and most beautiful versions of themselves. I can’t thank Nikki enough for taking the time to chat with me and for believing not only in my blog, but also myself. I hope you all enjoy this interview as much as I did doing it!
XO Diva D
David: Hey Nikki! I am so excited to be talking with you for my blog, thank you so much for taking the time to do a Q&A with me for it! For those who don’t know about how you got started, can you give a little background on how developed a passion for makeup and hair?
Nikki: I have always have a love for beauty. It probably stemmed from literally growing up in a salon. My mom opened her own salon in our house when she was still pregnant with me, and then I was by her side as she worked. I started talking when I was 18 months, and would chit chat with all of her clients as they were getting their perms (80’s hair) or haircuts. I was born into the industry, and that love never left me. In high school I was always cutting my friends hair, getting them ready for dances, and beautifying the volleyball/basketball girls with perfect braided hair before their games. I decided to “try” to go to college to make sure beauty was where I wanted to be, and couldn’t wait until that year was over to really do what I wanted to, which was to get licensed in hairdressing and makeup artistry. I did an apprenticeship with one of the top hairdressers in Utah, where I started as apprentice, graduated to stylist, took over managing the salon and growing the company, and then leaving the salon to open up my own. While I was training in hair, I was also working in makeup at Nordstrom, where I was trained by brands such as Stila, Bobbi Brown, and Chanel. I always had a love for both, and had a hard time choosing which one I liked more, so I didn’t! I continued to hone my skills in both areas. After years of perfecting my craft and mastering the industry in Utah, I decided to take on LA, where I knew I could do the work I always dreamed of doing.
David: I know that you worked as a consultant at a beauty counter some time ago, but how did you end up where you are today?
Nikki: From the moment I started to get really comfortable will my talents and abilities in hairdressing and makeup artistry, I knew that I could do what I was seeing in magazines, red carpets, billboards, and beyond. I was a big fish in a little pond in Utah, and I was happy and successful. BUT, I knew I would never be satisfied because I wanted and knew I was capable of more. That could only happen by starting over and moving to a big city. I literally woke up one night in October, sat up in bed, and was like….I need to move to LA or NY. I started making a list that night, and by January 1st I had a moving truck taking me to LA. I always have followed my gut, and when I feel something I act fast without questioning it and everything always seems to come together.
David: I think it’s so cool how you do both hair and makeup, and your work is always amazing on your clients! What has been your most memorable moment so far in the beauty industry?
Nikki: My first big job I did with Elle Magazine, where I got to create the beauty looks on an advertorial that we were shooting. I felt like a rock star being flown to NYC and shooting at Milk Studios, and couldn’t believe that everyone was listening to my suggestions and art direction. I always looked at magazines and knew that I could do what I saw, so to have the opportunity to finally do it was a big moment for me. I remember calling my mom and crying the night before the shoot because I had worked so hard and been through a lot in my 20’s to get to that moment. Now I’m grateful to continue to be able to editorials for big magazines, and just recently shot my first two covers! I also have had many victories along the way with my blog, and am so proud of some of the cool collaborations and brands I get to work with.
David: You have worked with numerous companies and celebrities in the fashion industry, do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?
Nikki: Oooooh that is such a hard question. Some days I cannot even remember what job I did the day before. It’s crazy how fulfilled you feel in the moment of working, but then you are literally on to the next. That’s what I love about this industry, everyday is different, and you never know what cool new opportunity is just around the corner.
I adore working with Rachel Zoe, she is one of my biggest mentors. She gets it, because before she was who she is now, she was just like me, doing the hustle. She always supports and encourages me, and gives me the best advice. I look up to her as a business woman, mother, boss, and friend. She’s the whole package. She’s figured out how to do it all, and also is a huge philanthropist, focusing on women and children. When I grow up, I want to be RACHEL!
David: Is there any person in the entertainment industry that you’d like to work with for a red carpet/event look?
Nikki: SO MANY! Rooney Mara, Lily Collins, Kiernan Shipka, Camilla Belle, Keira Knightly, Alexa Chung, Chloe Moretz. Are you seeing a trend? I somehow have been named the Brow Queen on set, so I want to get my hands on all of these gorgeous faces and brows. And I love grooming guys too, so any guy really!
David: I am an avid follower of your YouTube Channel and could watch the videos for hours! What made you want to start filming/creating a YouTube Channel?
Nikki: I am friends with some of the OG Fashion Bloggers, and realized that there was a real gap missing in beauty. I am such a big sharer, and I get excited for whatever I’m using, so it only made sense to do something to share with as many people as would listen. My point of difference is that I have the professional side to back me up, so I feel like my followers value and appreciate my expert advice. Trust me: it wasn’t easy figuring out all the technical side of filming, editing, lighting, etc, but I managed to make them OK I’d say!
David: Since you have so much experience in the beauty industry, have you ever thought of creating a line of products on your own?
Nikki: Yes for sure that is one of my goals…… I have some ideas and I’d say you’d see something sooner rather than later!
David: Your skin and makeup are always slaying me boo! What is your normal day-to-day morning and night skin care/makeup regime?
Nikki: Oh dear you really want to go there? UGH have you seen my house? It’s a beauty junkies heaven. Ok so I’ll just call out brands I’m using a lot right now. Skincare wise it’s always Sunday Riley for me. It just works for my skin. I also have been using SK II Essence, I just started using a few things from Tata Harper, and I love Origins as well. Trust me….search skincare on my blog and you will have all the nitty gritty details!
Makeup wise, I am the laziest mofo there is. My goal is to have perfect skin so I can do the least amount with makeup. I get a facial every 2-3 weeks to try to keep my skin fresh and acne free. I leave the picking to the professionals, and that has helped me immensely. I’d like to say that I am high maintenance to be low maintenance. You feel me? On a reg day it’s just a tinted sunscreen, under eye concealer, highlighter, contour, and blush, brow gel, one eye shadow, and mascara. OH and lips. I always have to have some sort of color on my lips. Lately I’ve been in to tinted lip balms or chapsticks. Well that doesn’t sound very minimal or low maintenance now does it. But I promise I can do my makeup in 5 minutes, and literally can get ready from shower to out the door in 20. I’ve got it down.
David: One thing I love most about you aside from your taste in beauty/fashion, is that you are always so passionate and strive to inspire others. From someone like myself who has had their fair share of self-esteem issues, it really means a lot that you are always like this. Can you give any advice to people who sometimes might not have the best self-esteem and how to try and always look on the bright side like you do?
Nikki: Self esteem I think is a practice, and something we all have to work on. It takes a lot of work to create confidence. If there is something you don’t like about yourself or are insecure about, and it is in your power to improve or work on, change it! We can do anything we set our minds to, truthfully. I also think that finding things you are passionate about for work and hobbies helps with self esteem, because suddenly you are doing something that you are really good and confident with, and that makes you feel stronger. Of course that takes practice, time, and honing your skills. No matter what it is. If you love cakes, be the best at making cakes and learn everything you need to know about it. If there is a career or job you want to do, find the person that does it best, and try to mentor and mimic what they do. Building yourself is the ultimate way to breed confidence, but it takes work. Also doing practices for self love. There are a lot of ways to achieve this, and a lot of books and things online that will help. OH, and FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT. That’s me, like every day of my life!
You know what is interesting about this question is that I think we all can relate and have all been there at some point. I still have my insecure days, whether it’s questioning myself as an artist, an influencer, or what the hell I’m doing in life. Then there’s all the other insecurities like having perfect skin, hair, body, fashion, etc. WHEW it can be exhausting. But all of those things go through my head too. I try to quiet all of that with self love, gratitude, and surrounding myself with positive and encouraging people that get you and believe in you probably even more than you believe in yourself. As far as looking on the bright side: being happy and positive is a choice. You choose how you are going to react in situations. For me, I don’t want to put energy into being negative, being condescending, gossipy, putting others down, or getting mad. What’s the point? It’s too much energy put in the wrong direction. Trust me, I still feel those emotions, but I try to do what I can to shake them out of my body. Walking helps me, exercising, sweating, or talking to a good friend that you can trust and vent to. Also, usually sleeping and waking up makes you realize that whatever was giving you a lot of anxiety not as bad as it seemed. Sometimes good rest is all you need. I am a bit of a spiritual person, so I make manifest and goal lists all of the time. I also am constantly visualizing and manifesting on a daily basis. I try to meditate when I can, and I try to listen to Ted Talks or read self help books to make me the best version of myself. I am still a student and will forever be, but as long as you can look at life everyday with gratitude for even the simplest thing, you realize you have a lot to be grateful for.
Here’s my last bit of beauty advice: Invest in great skincare, drink a lot of water, exercise, and get a lot of sleep. Also, find your day to day look and perfect it, so that you can get yourself looking fresh in five minutes or less.
XO DIVA D 