Nicole Chen (@thenictionary) and Sabrina (@sabrinalexandr) bonded over their love for makeup during the pandemic. Before even getting to meet each other offline, they launched a collaboration with other beauty content creators for a makeup series on TikTok that quickly drew attention to their talent.
On the beginnings…
Nicole: I used to feel insecure about my body and I didn’t like the way I look. When studying abroad in the UK, I started to learn makeup and it helps me feel great about myself — not to cover who I am, but as a practice of showing up for myself and exploring different sides of myself. It eventually evolved into a passion and endeavour.
Sabrina: I started just creating content. After some time, people came to me and asked if I can also do makeup for them — I was like, why not? When the pandemic hit, I noticed the audiences were more engaged with short-from videos that are less than 60 seconds. From there, I started to experiment with more bizarre makeup content on TikTok. Now, Instagram is more of a portfolio for me as a makeup artist, whilst TikTok is where I express and explore my creativity.
On finding one’s voice..
Nicole: On TikTok, being talented and having your own style are not enough, you need to have a personality that people can latch on to. You have to carve a niche out for yourself. For me, being authentic to myself and my audiences without giving away too much of my personal life hasn’t been the easiest, but I found humour a good way to give me sustainability over a long period. With that, I get to interject my personality, and at the same time, protect my own energy.
Sabrina: I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ve found my voice yet. As an introvert, I still struggle with the fear of putting myself out there. But what I hope to get across with my works is that Malaysian creators shouldn’t be afraid of expressing individuality and trying new things just because they aren’t common in our country. Comments like “Oh, I’ve never seen this before!” and “This is something new!” are what keep me going.
On being a beauty content creator in Malaysia…
Nicole: Worthwhile. Receiving the products saves me a lot of money. [laughs] The Malaysian beauty community is very loving and supportive. Sabrina, other creators on TikTok and I have a group chat where we invite each other as plus ones to events and exchange beauty products.
Sabrina: Challenging as a Muslim. There’s a stereotyped standard of beauty, and you receive judgements and doubts. And sometimes, we are too quiet about the range of shades. There could be a local brand who came up with just three shades and no one talks about it.
On turning passion into a career…
Nicole: Not as fun in the long term. There’s so much room to grow with the thing you love to do compared to a nine-to-five job. But it’s also turning what’s supposed to help you escape from reality into a job. You need to accept that your hobby might not be as fun anymore because it has become a moneydriven career. My takeaway is to be realistic — if you go into it thinking it’s the most ideal job, you’ll be disappointed by the reality.
Sabrina: A journey that requires time and effort. It’s also a fulfilling and sustainable profession if you do it right. And as Nicole said, you have to protect your safe space.
This story is originally published in our L'Officiel Malaysia August 2023 print edition.
