Mikayla Nogueira is a woman in charge. Since quitting her job at Ulta Beauty in October 2020 and deciding to make social media her new one, she has gained more than 13 million followers on TikTok and continues to grow as a creator — collaborating with different brands and even creating her own sunglasses collection with Dime Optics.
The TikTok sensation recently sat down with J-14 exclusively to tell us all about her new collaboration, her rise to fame and meeting her idols. Keep reading to uncover all things Mikayla!
Mikayla Nogueira On ‘Making It’
Mikayla has surpassed all expectations as a TikTok creator — expanding on different social media platforms and scoring impressive collaborations that garner views and likes well over the million marker. However, if you were to ask the social media star about the moment where she knew she “made it,” she’ll tell you it was that fateful October day when her mindset changed.
“The goal is just to be able to share my passion with the world, right? To educate people, to teach, to have fun and be creative,” she explained to J-14. “So, I’d say for me, my, ‘I made it’ moment was the day that I quit my job at Ulta Beauty and dropped out of graduate school. I did both of them on the same day.”
The makeup artist, or MUA, explained that that moment was essentially her way of telling herself, for the first time, that she believes in herself. “I think that, for me, was when I made it — because it’s not about the number, whether I have one million followers or 20 million, it’s just about the passion and making sure that passion never leaves.”
Mikayla Nogueira on Meeting Selena Gomez, Rihanna, More
Since her rise to fame, Mikayla has met countless celebrities and influencers that inspire her, including Selena Gomez! “The first time I met her, she actually heard I was in L.A. for something else and she was doing a photo shoot for Rare Beauty. And she said, ‘Why don’t you stop by?’ So I was like, ‘Really?’ So it was very, just casual.”
Another huge celebrity she was surprised to meet was the Fenty Beauty queen herself, Rihanna! “I was just blown away when I met her. She was very pregnant, and she had, like, six-inch high heels on and I’m like, ‘This is amazing,'” Mikayla gushed. “But she was super cool too, really funny, really humble and down to earth. Whenever she was talking to anybody, she was just so friendly.”
Mikayla lives in Massachusetts, meaning that she doesn’t get to see or meet many celebrities as often as fans would expect. However, after attending a lipstick launch event for Selena’s Rare Beauty in July, the former Ulta Beauty employee was able to meet some of her favorite makeup idols growing up. “There were hundreds of beauty influencers, and I was just surrounded by people that I grew up watching and that was insane to me. People would come up to me and fan girl, and I’m like, ‘I’m a fan of you. What do you mean?’”
And which beauty influencers is Mikayla still dying to meet? “I’d love to meet Nikki Tutorials. I’m a big fan of Nikki Tutorials, she’s so cool. I’d love to meet Jaclyn Hill. I also love Jaclyn Hill!”
Mikayla Nogueira and Dime Optics
Recently, Mikayla has been dipping her toes into an unsuspecting space outside of makeup: sunglasses. Launched on August 23, the new Mikayla Jane x Dime Optics Collection features three unique sunglass designs, all available in three different colors.
“I had full 100 percent input, which is extremely important to me,” Mikayla explained of the collab. “I would never take a collaboration that doesn’t allow that because it’s just like, I’m a creative person and I have so many ideas I want to execute.”
The Massachusetts native explained to J-14 that even though sunglasses aren’t necessary what she’s known for, this collection was especially touching for her. “Two and a half years ago, I posted on Instagram and it was a picture of me with sunglasses on, and I’d put in the text overlay: ‘I just bought my first ever pair of sunglasses cause I could finally afford it.’ And I thought right back to that,” she explained. “That’s just crazy that I went from remembering that moment where I bought my first pair to having a brand want to work with me [in order] to create my own.”
You can buy from the Mikayla Jane x Dime Optics Collection online now on Dime Optics’ official website.
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