Meet Paul Dao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Dao.  

Paul, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello my name is Paul Dao and I was born and raised in Three Rivers, MI, coming from very humble beginnings, when I proofread this to someone, they were insistent that I explain a “humble beginning”, so I would say during my youth we experienced some pretty extreme poverty at times. 

My father was a Vietnamese refugee, who barely escaped Vietnam with his life and my mother is extremely supportive, loving, and accepts me for everything that I am, which I’m beyond blessed for. The relationship between my parents was frequently contentious, so my mother was the main role model for me as a child. Growing up, I know that my mother did the best that she could, with what tools she was equipped with at the time, as most parents do. However, at times the tools that were available were limited, so that presented a complete myriad of life’s obstacles. 

The best way I could describe what my growing-up experience was like is somewhat of the blind leading the blind. None of which I could ever dare hold against either of my parents, who, despite the circumstances, bent over backward to provide my brother and me with the very best childhood, but even more so, focused to ensure that my brother and I had to access to more opportunities than they had. 

Growing up gay in a small town can be difficult. In my youth, I was also overweight. In high school, that was a double whammy, which made me an easy target for both my weight and my sexuality. However, if not for these experiences, I wouldn’t have formed the passion for helping others with their self-worth, self-image, and self-confidence, 

Neither of my parents went to college and was never really a topic of conversation, so when I graduated High School, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I’m not even sure if I had even thought that college was a truly realistic option at that point in my life. My parents helping was out of the question and I definitely wasn’t the kid getting all of the scholarships, let alone even knowing how to apply for one. One area I was always strong in was being a creative individual, maybe somewhat of a performer, I think the term used now is “extra”, which makes me laugh, although, it’s a very correct description. I was always very interested in acting, singing, dancing, and just the glamour of the entertainment industry as a whole. From the perspective I was standing from, I think it made it easy for me to romanticize it all. 

When the time came for me to have to figure out what was next, I had my sights set on the lights, the cameras, and the action! Little did I realize; it wasn’t going to be that easy. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
• Talk about my determination to not repeat the cycle of poverty. * Speak about how I started in your apartment with only a handful of viewers and hustled every day while working at and going to college.

• Worked at ULTA Beauty for 11 years, then Estée Lauder, then influencer.

• Talk about the struggles of breaking into the industry and gaining any type of traction in such a massive and saturated industry.

• Never really imagined that what has happened to me could actually have happened. That will be an inspirational story.

* Amazing friend/coworker Trina is a huge driving force in encouraging me to pursue a career in makeup and as an influencer 

* Tell of how I had to purchase all of my own products and equipment to promote brands relentlessly without PR (product review) until I became sought after as an Influencer to endorse major brands. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
* How the pandemic really has been a positive for me, given me the opportunity to take my hobby and run with it, turning it into a whole career. * Talk about my collaboration collections and palettes with Fatal Beauty (www.shopfatalbeauty.com) Coupon code Paul Dao and how that was a catalyst to really getting the exposure that helped grow into the success I’ve found up to this point. 

* Passion for helping people with make-up and their self-esteem 

* And your quote about “you’re worth it. ” – tying in my youth experience 

* Talk about I how I got mom into becoming a rising food influencer, 

* Not only created something huge for myself but saw the potential in my mom and how it’s changed her life for the better

* Lasy talks about my work with Morphe, my collection with OFRA Cosmetics, working with cosmetic and hair brands like Hank & Henry Beauty, Glamnetic, Foxy bae haircare, Bo Stegall Haircare, Bringing the point to the present with my upcoming Spoiled Lips Cosmetics Influencer Trip in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida May 15-18 

What does success mean to you?
Success is having peace of mind. Success is feeling content. Success is feeling loved and knowing your love is being received. Success is knowing that you’ve done the absolute best that you could today and knowing your loved ones are taken care of and knowing that they know, they are loved. 

Contact Info:

• Email: Pauldaobeauty@gmail.com
• Website: http://www.pauldao.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/pauldaobeauty
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pauldaobeauty
• Twitter: http://www.instagram.com/pauldaobeauty
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/pauldao