From working in a BPO for survival to a makeup artist for MAC, this passionate lady has overcome all hurdles to live her dream and support her mum-her only family who had sacrificed all she could to see her daughter live her dreams.
On today’s Style Spot meet Kewelo Krome a makeup artist based in Delhi working for MAC who will inspire you with her positivity.
EASTERN MIRROR: Tells us a bit about yourself as a make-up artist?
KEWELO KROME: Hi! I’m Kewelo Krome (Kaini) and I work for “MAC”. As one of the makeup artist we do focus on areas of bringing out the best in an individual with the use to makeup.
It’s all about using the right makeup per the skin tone and in accurate proportions. We most get visitors with the money to buy whatever makeup items they want – however, they want someone to show them how to use them so they could enhance their looks. We do our best to provide them with the acute understanding of the products and guide them. My overall goal is to provide one with a stress free stunning look throughout the day without getting worried about keeping an eye on to maintain it.
EASTERN MIRROR: What has your work in the past involved, and what has it taught you along the way?
KEWELO KROME: I’ve been raised up in a family who has a small restaurant business and trying to follow the same chain to continue with the business. However, I’ve been keenly interested in makeup and hair designing – in simple the fashion industry. I didn’t receive any guidance on the same or to pursue it. While in school too I started practicing hair cutting on my friends and family members. After completion of my 12th I had a word with my mother about going with my interest of makeup and studying the requisite to fulfill it. She being a single mother and I’m the only child, was a bit hard on her to come to a conclusion about letting me go out for my higher studies, specialization in the year 2006. Though later she permitted me to go with what I’ve been looking for long and took loan required irrespective of our business productivity was low which eventually shut down while I completed my course and pursuing graduation still.
To meet up with my accommodation and miscellaneous expenses, also to support my mother and repay the loans she took for my studies and business; I’ve to start working in a BPO as the earning compared to a fresher in the makeup industry is relative more.
However, working for 4 years in the BPO sector didn’t diminished my conviction. Finally, I moved to a saloon line after clearing some interviews. I joined “Lakme” as a Manager in 2011, also “Geetanjali” as a Manager in 2012. I could still feel there is something missing as that’s not what I was looking for.
I wanted to be a makeup artist + hair stylist after all I did my studies and specialization in that domain.
After around 3 years of my service in Geetanjali, I got an opportunity to apply for an interview in “MAC” as a makeup artist and a retailer. I went through the interviews and they offered me the position of a Store Manager with a better package, also a makeup artist based on my diploma. I decided to go with 2nd option as that’s what I’ve been looking for years. I’m happy with “MAC” and would like to continue as a makeup artist with “MAC” as I’ve been learning a lot of new things every day in my domain and learning never ends.
My mother did everything possible for me irrespective of all odds. I could conclude that a strong desire to achieve what I’ve been looking for and patience brought me here today. I’ve friends and colleagues who lost their actual goal given up due to life challenges.
EASTERN MIRROR: What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
KEWELO KROME: It’s an irony how often we get customers who would like to look like “Kim Kardashian” or “Aishwarya Rai” with the use of one makeup only which they expect to be complete transparent irrespective of the skin tone or face structure they have. This is one of the major instance where it’s difficult to make a customer understand the amount of different makeup is required to enhance one’s look and it can’t be a ditto of what they expect.
EASTERN MIRROR: How would you describe your signature look? Do you have a look that you would never attempt?
KEWELO KROME: I don’t have any signature look in particular. I experiment and create new looks which are random and perfect the way they look.
It’s about experimenting. A lot of times what holds people back is that they don’t want to experiment. That’s the thing about makeup, you can manipulate it, and you can have so much fun with it. You know, like the same eye shadow can go a different way, you can wet it and make it into an eyeliner; a lipstick can be like a stain or full on, so it’s really not about what it looks like.
EASTERN MIRROR: What factors do you think have contributed most to your success?
KEWELO KROME: I’ve started with a BPO and switched to saloons and eventually “MAC” where my real skills are utilized to the fullest. “MAC” is a superb exposure to me where I’m learning new things every day and getting the platform to utilize them as my knowledge without practice is meaningless.
EASTERN MIRROR: As per your experience working in metropolitan city, what work ethics do you think we the Naga is missing out that it’s high time for us to pull our sock?
KEWELO KROME: Nagaland is full of hard working talented individuals; the only thing missing is a platform to bring out the best in one and a rigid exposure. I’ve been working with colleagues from the Seven Sisters and could see our neighboring states are working a lot on bringing in better education system and opening up employment opportunities so the resources stay in the state and could be utilized well for the development. Its transparent information on how many of my friends have moved back to their state as they are getting a stable establishment in their states.
EASTERN MIRROR: Would you ever love to come back to Nagaland and work?
KEWELO KROME: I’d love to come back home and work there if I could get something stable enough which enables me to take care of my family and miscellaneous responsibilities.
EASTERN MIRROR: What is the best beauty advice you have been given that you would love to share the ladies out there?
KEWELO KROME: As a woman, I’d say we should always understand our skin and tones to get the right assimilation of products for a splendid look.
