Meet Angelica Lopez | Hair & Makeup Artist, Founder of Lavish Glam & Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelica Lopez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelica, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I take a lot into consideration. I have a 5 year old son, bills, a fiancé, a wedding to plan, my cats, etc.. It took me 5 years to come to even consider taking on this start up full time. All I could think was “what if I can’t do it?” or “what if people don’t like my work?” and just constantly comparing myself to other hair and makeup artists in Arizona, which is a much bigger community than you realize. I didn’t think I was good enough to book the White Whales, not to mention the current state of our economy and how crazy expensive life is right now I wasn’t sure people would be willing to pay for luxury services like this. At the start of 2022, I took the risk to leave my office job for another. That new office actually rescinded their job offer the day before I was supposed to start and all I could say was “Well I already quit, I’m not going back”. I didn’t want to start job hunting again either so I took that leap then and there, It was time to invest fully into my passions and just run with it from there. By April, my books were full all the way out to next mid 2023. It started off with an trial in October, to a wedding in September, and just like that I had scheduled clients for March & May of 2023. I even booked a wedding in Colorado. If I never took the risk to invest in all of this and found another job I didn’t even want, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have met all the beautiful souls I’m fortunate enough to call clients. To know that my “Job” is to make people feel and look beautiful, I take it very serious & 100% would take that risk again and again.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am most proud of the fact that people look at my work and choose me for one of the biggest moments of their lives that they celebrate with everybody they love. It took me 5 years to get to this point of my business. As an artist in an always evolving industry there is constant learning to be done at all times. Before I quit my job, I used to only take appointments maybe once a month if my work schedule allowed it, and because of this I wasn’t able to get the hands on experience I needed. I would practice on my friends, little sisters, really anybody who would let me. After many models and clients I’ve learned how to work on different facial structures, complexions and undertones, expanding my ability and versatility. Another challenge I face is funding and budgeting. Makeup and hair is not a “One size fits all” I wanted to make sure I could cater to everybody and not just one demographic before going full time as well, that alone was a hefty investment. A few times in my career I’ve encountered people who are shocked I provide everything necessary to take care of them & that is shocking to me. I pride myself in being an inclusive hair & makeup company.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Honestly I’m still new to Phoenix, I grew up in Glendale but lived in Tucson the past 10 years. I can write an itinerary for a week in Tucson, that’s for sure!! However, since I’m new I think I’d write an itinerary for the both of us to discover the area together! I definitely know the best shopping centers around my area and in general, so I’d make sure we hit those up sporadically through the week. I’d go on the hunt for the best pho in town! Bonus points if they have a spicy broth with chicken. I’m also a sucker for a good Korean BBQ spot too and would make sure we fit that into our schedule. I would also try to find some local farmer’s markets or small business markets, those are my favorite to attend. There are so many amazing small businesses to support and that is my favorite way to discover them.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my fiancé. He is the backbone to my business and helps me operate smoothly. He created a beautiful website for me and captured my vision perfectly. He does so much behind the scenes work for my small business, I truly would not be where I am if it wasn’t for him!

Website: lavishglamandco.com

Instagram: instagram.com/lavishglamjasmine

Facebook: facebook.com/lavishglamandco

Image Credits
Photo rights belong to @desireebustosphotography on IG & @iamnotsoza on IG.