Where Are They Now: Kathy Xiong, CosmoProf Scholarship Winner

“I want to change lives and help people transform.”

We caught up with Kathy Xiong, Cosmoprof Spring 2017 Scholarship Winner, to see what she’s up to and how her career in the Beauty Industry is going.

Would you please describe your career today?

Since graduating Paul Mitchell the School-Fresno, I’ve become a hairstylist and makeup artist at Salon Posh in Fresno. Soon, I will be offering lash extensions to my clientele. I strive to raise awareness of beauty careers in the Asian American community and I’m a huge advocate of supporting local beauty and local artists.

What do you mean by local beauty?

I believe I have a responsibility to put my skills and my education out there and help those in my community .The Asian American culture hasn’t always viewed beauty as a career. I’d like to turn that perception around and get this culture to see beauty as a career that can lead to a “Crazy Rich Asians” kind of lifestyle. In the meantime, I love helping local artists, musicians and up and coming talent in the community get their start.

How did the Beauty Changes Lives scholarship help you?

I’d done hair for many years and thought I knew what I was doing. My husband said if I wanted to take my passion for hairstyling seriously, I needed to go to beauty school. The Beauty Changes Lives scholarship made that goal possible. I finished strong and was one of a few students to graduate with honors. I even took home third place in the Paul Mitchell Advanced Education Student Long Hairstyling competition.

How do you plan to pay your success forward?

I want to change lives and help people transform. I have so many dreams! Eventually, I’d like to go to Thailand or China on a “beauty mission” and provide services to help those who can’t afford some beauty services. And one day, I’d love to do more celebrity and red carpet work in the future.

Maybe you’ll provide hairstyling and makeup for a sequel to Crazy Rich Asians?

Absolutely! Always dream big and speak it into existence!