KDG Beauty: Making Glam Feel Like You

Katie Gonidakis is a makeup artist who works across bridal and fashion settings and serves as a team artist with DermaPlus Bridal. Her business, KDG Beauty, is where she puts that work into practice.

Her priority is straightforward: "My goal is to always keep my clients happy and feeling like themselves." A recent wedding captured what that looks like in practice. The bride came to her trial with an inspiration photo, loved the result, then decided she wanted something more natural. They did a second trial with less product. On the actual wedding day she wanted a little more coverage again, but kept the natural direction. "When I was done and she got to see the final look she was beyond happy and once her mom came in, tears started rolling down her face as the moment felt so real and she felt her best self." She says it brings her joy to have those moments, "to see my girls happy and to know when they get their pictures back, they will recognize themself in those memories."

The decision to commit fully to makeup came after she finished her bachelor's degree. "I knew this was something I wanted to do career wise but was so busy listening to society's norm on how to go to college and work for a corporation. I knew that wasn't for me." She went to makeup school, where she elevated her skills and learned more about the business itself.

For anyone thinking about starting their own makeup business, her advice is direct: practice on friends, post your work on social media, and be selective about what you put out. "If you're not proud of your work, do not share it. You want to only show work that truly represents you."

Her Instagram, @kdgbeauty, is where she posts her work and gives followers a look at what running the business actually involves. As she puts it, owning a makeup business is more than applying product. "There are long travel days, standing on your feet for hours, curating contracts to protect yourself and your business, sanitizing all tools so clients are getting the correct and clean treatment and so much more."