2025: The Year I Evolved
INTRODUCTION
If I had to describe 2025 in just one word, it would be — evolved.
This year, I wanted to lean more into strategy, set intentions, and actively pursue growth instead of waiting for it. Everything shifted when I asked myself the questions I used to avoid: How do I elevate my craft? How do I stand out without trying to be like anyone else? Which clients do I really want to work with? What I realized from this deep reflection is that waiting doesn’t create magic. Showing up intentionally does. You can’t wait for opportunities; you create them, and the only way to evolve is to set goals, get clear on your path, and commit.
I didn’t want to be just “good enough” anymore; I wanted to excel. To refine my specialty until it became a signature part of my artistry. I realized I wanted to go deep in one area and fill in the gap that Winnipeg was missing in the beauty industry - Eastern Beauty Techniques. I wanted to feel proud of the mastery I was building, and in that focus, I found inspiration and purpose.
SHOWING UP FOR CLIENTS
One of my biggest realizations this year was the power of presence — not just being physically there, but emotionally present, grounded, and open-hearted. When you give a client that version of you, the experience becomes more than a makeup appointment. It becomes a safe space. A place where someone can breathe, be understood, and walk away feeling transformed from the inside out. But presence doesn’t only matter when things are going smoothly. It matters even more when they’re not.
I’ve had clients in the past who weren’t happy with the makeup I did for them — and as much as my ego wanted to crumble on the spot, I had to learn that it’s normal. It’s part of the job. You’re working with real faces, real expectations, real emotions. Not everyone will love the first draft, and that doesn’t mean you’re a bad artist. Still, in those moments? Whew. It feels like every skill you’ve ever learned suddenly evaporates. You feel your confidence slip... your hands shake a little.
Over time, you learn to approach them with openness instead of fear. Because here’s the truth: it takes courage for a client to speak up about something they don’t love. Not everyone feels comfortable saying, “Hey… this doesn’t feel like me.” And when they do, it’s our responsibility — as professionals — to make sure they feel seen and heard, not dismissed or embarrassed. That’s the difference between someone who just “does makeup” and someone who provides a luxury experience.
SHOWING UP FOR YOURSELF & YOUR BUSINESS
Here’s something every creative entrepreneur eventually faces — is that when you run your own business, you are your own protector. There’s no HR department. No manager. No buffer. It’s just you, your craft, and your boundaries holding everything together. And let’s be real for a second…It’s not the makeup that’s hard. It’s the people part.
Communicating with someone who’s being difficult? - Hard.
Saying “no” even when your people-pleasing heart wants to say “yes”? - Hard.
Standing firm on your contract, your policies, your time, and the value of your work? - Sometimes… ridiculously hard.
But every time you show up for yourself — even when your voice shakes, even when your stomach flips — you strengthen your foundation. You start to realize that professionalism and assertiveness aren’t opposites. You can be warm, compassionate, and accommodating and still say, “This is my boundary.”
That was a turning point for me this year. I stopped viewing boundaries as walls and started seeing them as filters — clarity makers, energy protectors. A boundary isn’t about keeping people out. It’s about making sure the right people get in. Once I got clear about my standards, everything shifted. And you know what happened? The clients who aligned with my energy started showing up — fast.
Clients who respected my time.
Clients who wanted my expertise, not just a service.
Clients who trusted me wholeheartedly to care for them on some of the most important days of their lives.
There’s a kind of peace that comes with that alignment — the peace of knowing you don’t have to chase, convince, or over-explain yourself. You simply honor your boundaries… and the right people rise to meet you there.
But when you choose to protect your energy — your time, your creativity, your voice — you don’t just strengthen your business. You strengthen you. And that’s the kind of growth that echoes far beyond makeup. It shows up in friendships, relationships, collaborations, opportunities — everywhere you place your heart.
RIELBEAUTYY MILESTONES
Sitting down to write this recap honestly hit me harder than I expected. When you’re in the middle of building something, you don’t realize how far you’ve come — you’re just moving, fixing, creating, showing up. But looking back? Seeing the growth, the risks, the wins, and even the moments that humbled me?
It made me feel proud in a way I haven’t felt in years.
If younger me saw all this, she’d probably be half-shocked, half-sobbing, wondering how the girl who doubted everything suddenly became the woman who trusted her vision enough to act on it. This year reminded me why I fell in love with makeup in the first place — the creativity, the artistry, the connection, and the transformation. But it also showed me that passion isn’t a fixed point. It can shift. Expand. Deepen. You’re allowed to evolve. You’re allowed to want more. You’re allowed to outgrow old versions of yourself without apology.
If you’re chasing a dream — or even trying to rediscover it — reconnect with the spark that started everything. Think about the excitement you felt when you first tried your craft… that little “oh my god, I love this” moment? It’s still there. It never left.
Sometimes you just have to quiet the noise to feel it again.
2026 - THE VISION AHEAD
Going into 2026, I feel clearer — and honestly, more excited — than ever. This year isn’t just about levelling up my artistry. It’s about refining it. Honouring where I come from. Leaning into what inspires me. I’m diving deeper into bridging soft glam with Asian/Eastern Beauty techniques — Thai, Douyin, Korean, all the styles that feel like home to me. The goal is to not only master them, but to bring them to Winnipeg in a way that feels intentional and elevated.
I want to continue mentoring, teaching, connecting, and being part of the creative ecosystem here. Not just as a makeup artist, but as someone who lifts others up, shares resources, and encourages people to bet on themselves. Because when one of us grows, the whole community shifts.
And if you’re reading this thinking about your own goals — whether you’re a creative, an entrepreneur, or just someone trying to become the version of yourself you daydream about — the lesson is universal: Dreams work when you do.
Growth is intentional. The world doesn’t need a perfect version of you — it needs the real version. The brave version. The one who takes action even when it’s messy.
If you’re scared to take that leap? Do it anyway.
2026 is about showing up fully — with courage, curiosity, softness, and fire. Whatever your passion is, whatever your idea or skill or purpose is… step into it. Honour it. Make space for it. Let it become bigger than you expected.
Because the world is waiting for your version of magic — and only you can create it.
