By Giulliana Micheletto
Imagine moving to a foreign country all by yourself at only 18 years old while the entire world is pausing because of a highly contagious virus. That was Manvi Verma’s reality when she decided to move from India to Vancouver to pursue her artistic dreams. According to her, nothing about her journey to Canada was typical, but then, neither were her goals.
Having grown up in an Indian household full of women who were constantly wearing and playing with makeup and clothes, Manvi started to learn about the power of feeling confident very young. From testing out makeup on herself to taking on any opportunity to make someone else feel more at ease in their own skin, Manvi knew she was destined to work in the entertainment industry.
After graduating from high school, she took a leap of faith by moving out of her home country to study business at Seneca College and at HELIX, the college's innovation incubator. But, as soon as she stepped on Canadian ground, her plans were changed by COVID-19. As her in person lessons turned into online classes, the time she would spend commuting to university became what she calls “makeup playtime”. And, what started as a mere hobby turned into a full blown career as she started learning different techniques from beauty insiders in both Canada and India.
At first, Manvi was focused on staying out of the screens and behind the scenes, but as she grew more confident in herself and in her craft, she decided to start posting content online. To grow her clientele on her professional page, she began sharing makeup hacks and “behind the scenes” footage from shootings she worked at. That, plus attending every social event in Vancouver she could get herself in, eventually led her to have some of her makeup looks published in Vogue Mexico.
As Manvi Verma Beauty started to grow, she realized that she wanted to be the face of her own brand. In the past 5 years she has been focusing on building an online platform, as well as doing her own workshops, where she teaches students everything she’s learned from being on sets of music videos, fashion shows and private events.
In the last year Manvi decided to move back to India to connect more with her roots, something she plans on displaying in her work more often. Moving back to her hometown and getting the opportunity to learn about marketing and owning a business from her own father feels "meant to be".
As somebody who has been working in the industry for a while now, Manvi claims that what makes all of the work she has put into building a name for herself is people’s reaction to her work. “I usually spend about an hour or two ,in total, talking to my clients and trying to find the best way to enhance their natural beauty. But, my favorite part is watching their reaction as they take in the final product. I have seen people tear up".
Now at 23, Manvi Verma only knows one thing: that she will continue to do whatever brings a smile to her face, as well as to others.
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