Name: Grace Kijjaroenvisal
Class Year: Class of 2017
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand but raised in Brussels, Belgium
Major: Fashion Marketing
Internship: Fashion Intern at FashionLab Agency
Extracurricular Activities: Writer for LIM College’s chapter in HerCampus.com, Writer for the Lexington Line, amateur chef and makeup artist, and most of all, I love to sing, dance, and act!
When I was younger, I was reading three chapter books a day (bookworm alert!), and with that, my love for the film industry came very naturally. I’m a hardcore follower of the award season (I’m still upset Lion didn’t win any significant award, by the way) and I love to see who attends, who performs and whatnot. Most importantly, I love to walk about town, people watch, and window shop! Back home, I would spend as much time as I can with my dogs and family because they are the number one priority in my life. Cooking has always been a massive part of my life growing up solely because I just love food so much! Growing up in Thailand, one of the world’s best gastronomic capitals in the world, I was very privileged to have been exposed to large varieties and ranges of international cuisines. But everything comes full circle when I enjoy Thai cuisine as well because we are the street food capital of the world after all. Therefore, I love to cook, to bake, and to concoct any meals for my loved ones because it’s an amazing sharing experience.
Why did you choose LIM to complete your graduate degree?
It seemed the most natural choice out of all the other schools in New York – even though everyone back home recommended colleges like Parsons or FIT, LIM College is the only place that offered the business degrees within the fashion industry that I wanted to be educated in. I came here with no prerequisites or any expectations so everything so far is very new to me.
As an international student, what was it like to move across the world from Thailand to attend school in New York City?
Because I’m an extensive traveler thanks to my parents, moving to a new country was not news to me. However, this was my first time moving by myself which really encouraged myself to mature immensely. With big differences in culture and way of life here, it’s not a walk in the park for me half the time. But I think I still surprise people when they ask about my expectations because everything and everyone in this city is exactly how I expected them to be – the good and the bad.
Where did your passion for the beauty industry start, and where did you learn to do makeup (on yourself and others)?
Ever since I was two years old, I fell in love with the performing arts industry and all the glamorous aspects that comes with it. So anything that had to do with making yourself appear more beautiful and intriguing came very natural to me because I remember all those hours I would spend backstage doing my hair and makeup and behind the scenes. I actually held on for a very long time before I started watching YouTube videos and creating makeup looks that aren’t natural looks that I used to do. I never wore heavy makeup until a few years ago and I’ve always been proud of my genetically clear skin – I take care of it drastically! But I started to watch beauty bloggers and instantly became addicted (like I was afraid I would be) so I began to do makeup on myself to practice first. After a spell, I began to practice on friends back home and that’s when I knew I also wanted to be a makeup artist. I truly believe in the craft that I practice because I feel good when I look great.
What inspired you to start your own beauty channel?
I love beauty so much that I thought why not! Regardless of the countless amounts of beauty channels out there, I only wanted to create one just for fun. It was something I began just for myself because I truly enjoy the process of creating a look, putting on the makeup, and editing the videos to post.
Do you have any advice for prospective students?
Prioritize your time and manage it. It may be easier said than done, which I experienced firsthand this second semester because I’m juggling school work as well as three days at my internship which results to no time to do homework. Everyone struggles on a certain level because everyone requires a work/life balance and at this point in our lives, it can be difficult. So keep records of your tasks, have alarms and reminders, and just keep yourself on your toes.
What’s next for you?
I’m looking to find an internship in the beauty industry, preferably a beauty editor internship. I love to write and I think I can be really good at it since I do have some experience already. After we finish in August, I would really like to a job in the beauty industry so I might be moving to the West Coast in no time!