Chloe Koyce is slaying the game.
During one of the Covid-19 lockdown, the 23-year-old decided to showcase her creativity online – and it’s certainly paid off for her.
The makeup artist turned content creator boasts an incredible 112k Instagram followers, and over 78,000 more on TikTok.
Goss.ie spoke to Chloe for our latest Up and Coming feature, in which she discussed how her love for makeup stemmed from the days of the Avon catalogue, and how she keeps up with the competitiveness of the industry.
The Limerick native also opened up on her outlook on trolling, and revealed her aspirations for the future.
Find out more about Chloe in our exclusive chat below:
Q. How did you first become interested in makeup?
I think definitely from watching my mam do her makeup. I also remember going through the Avon book with her, and picking out bits at the door – which is mad.
Like when they used to come around to your door, it’s crazy to think back to. Obviously it doesn’t happen anymore.
I think from there it was just social media become bigger and bigger. My love of makeup grew from social media and watching YouTube videos.
Q. When you first started doing makeup, were you posting it on social media?
I started in MAC, I was actually working in MAC when I started putting content up online. It was during lockdown.
When we were in lockdown, we had to do [makeup] looks for ‘homework’ – there was actually a group on Facebook where we would create really crazy looks and there’d be winners at the end.
I knew at that stage that I probably wasn’t going to go back to MAC, because lockdown was being dragged back.
So, I decided I was going to put all those videos on my Instagram and see how it went. I’m such a quiet person and I would never do it if it weren’t for lockdown, ’cause we were locked in our houses and I didn’t have to face people.
I threw up the videos on Instagram, that was in 2020 – literally from there it’s just been insane.
Q. Makeup artistry is such a creative industry. Do you ever fall into a rut?
Yeah, definitely of course. Some days I don’t want to wear makeup at all and just sit in my pyjamas and not even wash my face.
But to be honest, I’m someone that cannot sit still and I’ll very quickly become inspired again.
I personally watch The Kardashians to become inspired, I don’t watch it for their life story, I want to see what way their hair is, their makeup is, what they’re wearing…
If I’m in a rut, I go online and see other creators creating content, I’ll immediately become inspired. I definitely get inspired by other influencers.
If I am in a rut, all I have to do is scroll through TikTok or whatever it is, and I’m inspired again.
Q. The makeup industry is extremely saturated. What do you think sets your content apart from others?
I think first of all the fact that I’m from Limerick draws people in immediately. Some people are really surprised that I’m not from Dublin – and some people even say Cork.
I do try my best to keep up with trends, or be a trend setter. I hope that if someone’s looking for beauty or fashion that they think of me.
The fact that I don’t create just makeup videos, I also do fashion, skincare, workouts, lifestyle haircare… I do kind of reach a lot of different people.
Obviously, it’s work and you have to be a bit savvy. I’m very, very organised. Hopefully that comes through in my work as well.
As I said, I need to be doing something all the time. So, gathering inspo for work – I’m going on holidays next week, and I’ve been gathering inspo and ideas of the content I can create while I’m on holidays.
The girls in Icon [Management] always slag me being like ‘Oh my God, Chloe will probably be filming her Christmas content now’ – that’s how organised I am.
If I got to an event, and I know beforehand that I’m not gonna have time to film my makeup routine, I’ll literally film it two days in advance.
I think being on trend and on top of things definitely comes through in my work.
Q. You mentioned you don’t exclusively do makeup on your page. What’s your favourite content to create?
I love skincare videos. They’re so aesthetically pleasing.
And fashion – as much as I love makeup and started out in makeup, fashion and style videos are my favourite thing ever.
I started doing a series on my page where I will pick out an item of clothing from someone’s wardrobe; I did my mam’s, my dad’s and I just did my nana’s.
I styled a dress that she wore when she was 19 years old, so it’s like over 50 years old.
Fashion is such a big thing in my life, everyone around me is really stylish. I think I’m inspired by that.
@chloekoyce Stylinf my nannys dress 🥹 #vintagefashion #vintagestyle #denimdress #getdressedwithme ♬ original sound – C H L O E
Q. On a more negative note, Irish creators tend to receive a lot of hate online. Have you ever experienced this?
To be honest, very very luckily I have never, and hopefully will never, deal with trolls on a regular basis.
I will definitely get the odd comment, but around that one negative comment are lots of positive comments. I have to remind myself to not dwell on that one negative comment when there are so many other ones around it.
I also just tell myself and anyone else that’s experiencing hate that it’s just a reflection on that person’s life situation. I know that sounds really mean, but imagine how low they have to be to be able to comment on someone like that.
I think definitely don’t take it personally, and I would never ever take it personally. Don’t feed into it, but maybe wish that person the best.
Q. Do you think it ties into that small town mindset?
Being from Limerick – if you’re living in Dublin, there are so many creators up there, but in Limerick there aren’t many creators or many people doing this.
There are a lot of eyes on you. People judge you even just going to the shop.
I forget sometimes that people watch my Stories, and I’m not just talking to myself. Still to this day, I still get kind of like ‘Oh God, I feel like people are looking at me’.
But, I think the advice I’d give people is to just go for it [if you want a career in social media]. People are going to talk about you anyway, so why not give them something to talk about.
If they do talk about you, it’ll benefit you and your engagement – that’s literally what goes through my head, the positive straight away.
I know from experience that the people that will bad mouth you, or judge you are just jealous of your confidence.
When I was younger, that was something I did – I’d look at someone and be like ‘Oh my God, why is she doing that?’ when deep down, that was my dream.
Why not inspire those people? If people are going to speak badly, why not do this and inspire those people to do better?
People are going to judge you no matter whether you do good or bad, so why not just do something for yourself? Do not think about anyone else.
Q. Who do you look up to in the makeup/content creation industries?
First of all, I look up to literally every Irish creator, because we work so hard. I’m constantly getting inspired by everyone that works in this industry.
To narrow it down, the Icon [Management] team – everyone, the girls and Sean [Phipps] are so savvy, and constantly supporting each other.
I definitely wouldn’t be as far as I am without those people. I’m very, very, very grateful.
The three girls that truly inspired me to create content are Keilidh [Cashell], Ellie [Kelly] and Aideen [Murphy].
I remember I would fangirl over them. I tell them all the time. [Keilidh] would say ‘Oh I was at that concert in 2017’ and I’m like ‘If I saw you at a concert in 2017, I would literally be crying on the floor’.
Now I’m part of their work family. When I get down in myself, I remind myself that I’m in the same management team as these girls I looked up to when I was 16/17.
Definitely Keilidh, Ellie and Aideen, but overall every Irish creator because I know we all work so, so hard.
Q. What are your go-to products – either makeup or skincare?
This is so hard, because I change my makeup and skincare products every day. It’s very rare that I use the same products three days straight.
Starting with skincare, the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream – I absolutely love that. I got my dad, my mam, my brother, my sister and my boyfriend’s family on that. The cream is unreal.
Obviously also SPF. I use La Roche-Posay’s SPF. It’s the first thing I do in the morning.
When it comes to makeup products: Flormar Stay Perfect concealer, Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin cream bronzer, KASH Beauty’s Skin Glaze.
I actually have a little [mascara] combo that I do. The Flormar Hero mascara, and then I put the Sculpted by Aimee My Mascara on top. Your lashes will be unbelievable.
I love a lip oil. Dior’s lip oil, Penney’s have a lip oil as well. It makes my lips really, really juicy.
@chloekoyce I have found some essential products for your glam this summer👀 @Sculptedbyaimee ♬ Da Girls
Q. What’s your favourite makeup hack?
There are so many to choose from. But, using a powder puff for setting the under eye. Game-changer.
I get mine on Amazon, it’s a pack of 12 for like €6. They’re so good.
My under eyes are so smooth after. I never go in with just a brush. If I go in with just a brush, I can immediately tell the difference.
Q. Which celebrity’s face would it be your dream to paint?
People always ask me this, and it’s the same answer all the time: Selena Gomez.
I’m just obsessed with her. I watched her on Barney, from then I’ve been like ‘I need to be friends with this girl’.
I think we’d have a good laugh, and make some really cool TikToks. I love her TikTok, she just does not care and I just love her.
@chloekoyce red lip & white outfit combo! 🤍🍒 #redlips #redlipstutorial #morphe #louleriejewellery #summerredlipstick ♬ girls like me don’t cry (sped up)
Q. A lot of beauty creators launch their own brands or collaborate with brands. Is that something you want to do in the future?
Definitely. I feel like collabing or creating a brand is every creator’s dream. It’s definitely what I’m working towards.
Collabing is a teaser into the brand-owning world. You will definitely see a collab and/or brand from me in the future. 100%.
Q. Another route content creators tend to go down is podcasting. Is this something you’d be interested in?
I’d love to go on podcasts as a guest.
If I was to own my own podcast, I’d have to do it with someone else. I ramble too much first of all, people would just get sick of me and turn it off. I’m way too boring for that.
I feel like I need someone to bounce off of. I’d absolutely love it. That would be so fun.
I also love live shows. I’d love to do up a stage and get dressed up. I’ve been to all of the Hold My Drink [with Charleen Murphy and Ellie Kelly]’s live shows.
People that get excited in the crowd to see the girls is so inspiring. It’s not ever something I’ve planned on doing, but you never know to be honest.
@chloekoyce The secret to my hydrated skin!🦋 @CeraVe #ad @Meaghers Pharmacy #cerave #skincare ♬ original sound – C H L O E
Q. Aside from makeup, we absolutely love your style. Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?
Pinterest. My Pinterest – I have like 17 folders.
If I’m going anywhere, it could just be shopping in the morning, I’m on Pinterest.
I think that’s something to do with the fact that I overthink everything. I definitely get inspo from there, Instagram as well.
But as I said, my mam, my sister and my friends all have great style. I feel like I’ve always had an eye, or sense of style. So, Pinterest just helps that!
I’ll plan [an outfit] on Pinterest, but I won’t actually buy it until the week before an event and stress myself out. On paper I’m so organised, but in the real world I’m really not.
Q. Have you any exciting plans for the year ahead?
I’m actually working on something really big, and I cannot wait to announce it.
It has been put on pause for a while, but that’s my own fault because I want it to be absolutely perfect.
You can see how well the KASH Beauty x Charleen launch went. So much work was put into that.
If I was to do anything, it has to be absolutely perfect. It’s hard to keep it in, but I’m really excited.
Other than that, I plan on just growing as a person and a creator. I want to get my name out there and keep doing work nationally and internationally.
