From Billy B., to Sam Fine, and Pat McGrath, the beauty industry is all about its gurus — seasoned experts that share tips, act as brand ambassadors, and have worked on some of the world’s most famous faces.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an explosion of makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts using platforms like Instagram and YouTube to promote themselves. Many of these artists are hoping to become part of the next generation of internationally known and respected beauty specialists.

Twelve-year-old Nya Breslin is an emerging beauty expert, who got her start at the age of 10. She first became interested in doing makeup at 7-years-old.

“I was watching my mom apply her mascara and was amazed at how it transformed her lashes! Then, Christmas came around and I received a $25.00 Amazon gift card,” says Nya. “With that money I bought my first 100-piece eyeshadow palette and I practiced a lot. Every day I practiced, and posted the looks on my Instagram, and Facebook. I also recorded a few YouTube videos. Then, my parents told me if I completed 1000 makeup looks they would rebuild my website, and go full force on my business. I was so excited so I practiced and did one makeup look per day for 3 years!”

Through passion and persistence, Nya eventually booked her first job — doing makeup for passengers on a business cruise while traveling with her mother.

Over the years, Nya has picked up a slew of clients, and has even served as the lead makeup artist for Charleston Children’s Fashion Week.

Nya frequently shares her latest looks on her Instagram page and her personal website. She is also active on YouTube, where she posts product reviews and recommendations, as well as demos.

When it comes to her favorite products, she definitely knows her stuff.

“I like the Anastasia brow pencil and brow gel, it’s AMAZING for any type of brow,” says Nya. “Another product I am loving right now is the Black Opal Beauty foundation. I’m actually the youngest brand ambassador for Black Opal Beauty and I am one because I love their products and use them on a daily basis. Black Opal is also great for covering blemishes. I also love M.A.C. lipstick. I also use the Laura Mercier loose setting powder because it’s great for all over and applying under the eyes. I have a lot of things I love but I’ll end with saying I really love my Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler. You can pick that up on Amazon for around $20.”

Nya also understands the importance of diversity and being able to work with all skin tone and types.

“I’m a perfectionist when it comes to makeup,” she says. “So I’m always challenging myself to create the perfect foundation color for all skin types. I pride myself and my work on being able to work on all types of skin, so I’m always challenging myself to create amazing looks, and sometimes it can take a lot of work to get the looks just the way I want them.”

Nya has received amazing support from her parents every step of the way, and she hopes to inspire all women. She offers advice for other budding young entrepreneurs.

“My advice would be to work hard for what you want and strive to be the best,” she says. “I will be honest with you; I want to be one of top makeup artists in the world. To achieve this, I understand the work and dedication it will take and I make a daily effort to achieve this goal. But the key is to never get comfortable or to stop learning. When I hit my goal, I know that it’s not over, it will simply be an accomplishment, so I make sure to enjoy the journey because that’s what mastering a skill is all about, loving your life and enjoying the process. I think a big mistake people make is they set a goal and focus so hard on their goal that they lose sight of what’s important, and that’s taking pride in the process and being patient while at the same time outworking everyone around you to be the best.”

Nya, who has had the opportunity to work under some of the top makeup artists in the industry, including Sam Fine, Renny Vasquez, and Beatface Honey, also stresses the importance of seeking out good mentors.

As for what’s next for Nya, she’s hinting at some pretty big things.

“I’m under a non-disclosure agreement so I can’t talk too much at all about it, but I was flown out to Hollywood to shoot a pilot for an amazing new show that I think people are going to love. I should hear a final decision soon on this, I can’t wait for everyone to hear about it! Also, I have new mink lash line coming out soon. We’ve worked on this line for the last 8 months and I’m real excited to launch it. I’m constantly using high quality lashes in my line of work so I wanted to create my own line and use my own product.”

Follow Nya Breslin on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Shop Nya’s Product Recommendations.