Meet Nia Davis | Makeup Artist & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nia Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up I was a classically trained dancer specializing in various styles of dance. I have always had a very creative spirit and enjoyed other hobbies including the following: singing, sewing, and cheer team. One of my childhood dreams was to be a dancer for the Disney World Corporation; while also dancing at Magic Kingdom. As I grew as a dancer, I simultaneously found my love for makeup! I would prepare for my shows by applying stage makeup for myself and for some of the other dancers; it was this time, when I became interested and focused on becoming better at applying makeup. I evolved to doing stage makeup for events like the following: local fashion shows, other dancers, and friends. Once I saw that doing makeup was something that I liked to do more than dancing, I started looking into it as a career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I am very skilled at working with diverse skin tones. I am a master foundation color corrector to accommodate my diverse models. I am most proud that my clientele consists of members from various gender, age, and cultural backgrounds. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia and began my makeup career at Studio Crush. From there, I began booking multiple photoshoots, photographed by talents from New York, with sought after names in the industry. In November 2o21, I was published in internationally published magazines, Malvie Magazine and Shuba Magazine, which is my proudest accomplishment. My work was featured on the cover and in various photo spreads. It was a challenge. I had to work in the industry for approximately a year before I landed my first magazine cover. I also had to learn my craft during the height of COVID-19, the year 2020, which comes with a new set of challenges. I overcame it by staying diligent and resilient. I had to continuously rely on networking and hard work to accomplish in the past year. The lessons I have learned are, to be consistent, to have follow-through, a humble attitude, and standing on my word. My company is called The Nani Glow and my slogan is called “Catch my Glow”, which means attaining the beautiful essence that my makeup highlights in every client. I also have a role in party planning, promotion, and hosting for

nightclubs in Atlanta. My most current role is head makeup artist for the upcoming television show, “Lakeland”. My passion for makeup has also ushered in new business ventures that I am excited to share with everyone. I am teaming up with Beyond Clean for their new XOme products. I want the world to know that I worked very hard to be here. I sacrificed a lot of time and money to be in the place I am today. I am more than a makeup artist; I am a business woman. Practice and patience is what it took to really develop my own signature style and it is what I recommend to upcoming makeup artists. 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

When a loved family member came to Atlanta to visit, I suggested that we both go to the Trap Museum, which is extremely popular! I personally had never been to the Trap Museum so I was very curious as to why everyone loves going. One of my favorite night clubs in Atlanta is Traffik. I really love the vibes and the energy in the club. There are themed nights for every day of the week and I have so much fun experiencing them each time. I also really like Believe Music Hall because the location is really huge and they also have themed nights for patrons to get lit. These two clubs also bring out the hottest celebrities that just make the night even more exclusive. Some places I love to eat would be Maggiano’s, a little Italian place, and LipsAtlanta, a drag queen dinner theatre! My cousin and I went one night and had an amazing time; the food was also a real highlight of the night. I can’t decide between Cumberland Mall and Stonecrest Mall as my favorite shopping centers to grab a quick nightlife dress or just some loungewear. If you are open to a nice drive, Sugarloaf mall is another shopping center that I love so much. If you and your loved one are feeling active, head over to Cascade for a night of roller skating. Urban Air is a trampoline and adventure park that I have had an amazing time at lately. There are so many activities inside of Urban Air for any type of fun you may be looking for and I highly recommend it. If you are looking for a nice dinner when you are finished, I personally love Volcano Steak and Sushi! In my opinion, they serve the best Hibachi in Cobb County. 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

The individuals I want to take the opportunity to highlight at this moment are, my Mom, my Dad, Sister, Grandparents, Family, friends, high school counselor( Catilyn Castle), dance teacher(Kelly Berrick), Mentors(Caty Lewis), Morgan Starks, Studio Crush School of Makeup, and the many photographers I have collaborated and worked with in Atlanta. I want to thank all of those that I have listed previously; the people that have helped me succeed, through various stages of my life. They helped me figure out what I wanted to do in my career. They have supported my choices and pushed me forward to get to the next level.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenaniglow/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/thenaniglow

Image Credits
Kevin Lee (@raw.arwmedia)