Today we’d like to introduce you to Asia Gillaspie.
Hi Asia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hi, I’m Asia Nicole Gillaspie, lead artist and owner of H&M by Asia Nicole. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing and am a licensed cosmetologist. When I headed off to college at 18, my goal was always to use social media to grow my hair and makeup business, and now I have officially been a full-time makeup artist for 10 years.
My love for beauty began at a very young age, but it truly became my passion when I realized this career allowed me to intentionally love on women and help them see the beauty God already placed within them. What started as a one-woman show has grown into a beauty team of 11+ stylists, servicing brides all over the world.
My team and I offer a wide range of services, including professional makeup, hairstyling, spray tanning, and event planning. Most recently, I had the honor of working an extravagant wedding for NFL majorette and social media influencer, Chloe Holladay while 39 weeks pregnant. After an incredible wedding weekend, and having my work featured in People Magazine, I delivered my first daughter just four days later.
Talk about hustling until the very last minute.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I was in high school, I remember thinking that I would have to do more than “just makeup” to build the kind of career I dreamed of. Growing up in a small town, that dream sometimes felt unrealistic, especially because there weren’t many people in my area offering on-location styling services within the beauty industry. But from a young age, my family fully supported me and always told me I could make it happen.
I knew I wanted to create a successful career that wasn’t limited to working behind the chair in a salon. One of my biggest goals was to travel the world in my early 20s, and through the power of social media, I made that happen. I have worked in almost every state, as well as internationally several times, and I truly spent my early 20s living the life I had always envisioned.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in bridal hair and makeup artistry, but over the years, my work has expanded into a wide range of services, including celebrity styling, red carpet hair and makeup, pageants, spray tans, and special events.
My diverse skill set has allowed me to work with some incredible clients and opportunities, including TikTok star Mikayla Nogueira, NFL red carpets, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and many more.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been the ultimate girly girl. I grew up in a house with three younger brothers and no sisters, so beauty became a creative outlet for me from a very young age. For as long as I can remember, I was practicing my makeup skills on my mom and my best friends.
All throughout high school, I was known as the “makeup friend.” Starting as early as middle school, friends from school would get dropped off at my house so I could get them ready for school dances, recitals, prom, and other special events. Looking back, it’s clear that what started as something fun was already becoming the foundation for the career I have today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hmbyasianciole.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmbyasianicole/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hmbyasianicole
