Elite Daily's series At The Moment features celebrities and TikTok stars discussing their current projects, pop culture updates, and anything taking over group chats. Below, influencer Rocio Soria talks about her rise to fame on TikTok, her weirdest thing, and what she wishes more people knew about high-end makeup.
Like millions of people, Rocio Soria downloaded TikTok out of boredom during the 2020 lockdown, but… I immediately deleted the app from my phone because it wasn't fun. “I thought it was the stupidest app ever,” she told Elite Daily. “I thought, 'This isn't for me.'” About a week later, she had second thoughts and gave the popular social media platform another try.
At the time, Soria had been laid off from her job as a makeup artist at a beauty store, but she still wanted to help women look and feel their best. She took up freelance work and obtained a license in permanent makeup, including microblading, before making the transition. On TikTok.
“I found a niche of girls doing makeup tutorials and thought, 'I'm a makeup artist.' … There are so many tips and tricks to share. Why not me?” she says.
I wrote down a lot of what I'm accomplishing now in 2014.
In early 2021, a video trying out L'Oréal's Infallible Fresh Wear 24-Hour Foundation became her first video to rack up 8.9 million views, but the 29-year-old TikTok star revealed her rise to fame a decade ago. did. “Ever since high school, I would sit in my room and just talk to myself in the mirror as if I were one of those YouTube hairdressers,” she says, referring to Jaclyn Hill's tutorials. The ducks at Dollar Tree were fun to look at, but added that they were trying to find something cheaper.
“I wanted to do something with social media, and when I met my husband in 2014, he introduced me to the power of manifestation and frequency, and how to put your goals, dreams, and desires on paper. It taught me to put pen to paper,” she says. . “A lot of what I'm accomplishing now was written down in 2014.” 1 positive “I'm going to help thousands of people,” Soria says.
Fast forward to 2023, and Soria is now helping millions of people from his home in Washington. Her 2 million followers on TikTok and her Instagram are no strangers to her three-figure and her four-figure Sephora and Ulta items, but she also achieves luxurious looks for less. We also focus on doing. Sure, that kind of content lends itself well to algorithms, but the reason Soria created it is rooted in the struggles she faced as a first-generation Mexican-born Latina.
“Because I didn't have DACA, I couldn't get a real job until I was 19.” [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals]I had to quit university because I couldn't get any financial aid,'' she said over a video call, her eyes growing more serious. “I live in an agricultural state, so I worked in the fields, picking apples, cherries, grapes, and onions. Before that, my parents would give me their spare change and I would use it to pay coins at Coinstar. I was changing it to.”
Now, 10 years later, the beauty influencer is known as TikTok's “frugal friend.” Her page features brands like Elf Cosmetics and Nars, Maybelline and Pat McGrath pitted against each other, and videos of Soria doing a full face using Walmart makeup. “I'm still focused on affordable makeup to help stay-at-home moms, single moms, or people who want to look and feel good but don't have the money,” she says.
Earlier this year, Soria made her debut at Beautycon and hosted a panel discussion about her brand's growth as a beauty influencer, but one of her proudest moments was when she launched the holiday-themed Milani Cosmetics last Christmas. It was a collaboration with “My mother was a really good student, but she had to drop out of high school when she brought me to the United States. She got her GED, but she seemed to have given up on her dreams and worked three jobs. I did,” she says with a retort. tears. “Seeing a daughter of immigrants do this collaboration, I know it was worth all the sacrifices she made.”
What I realized on TikTok is that people love your unique characteristics. People love your honesty.
The beautiful influencer may have been hesitant to join TikTok three years ago, but it was well worth it. “What I realized on TikTok is that people love your unique traits. People love your authenticity,” she says. “I live in Walla Walla, Washington. We're known for our sweet onions, agriculture, and cows. It's raw, and it's like the perfect little candle in the background with the perfect YouTube intro. That's why I focused on TikTok, where I can be 1000% myself.”
Below, Soria shares her biggest vices, favorite ducks, and most controversial beauty takes.
Elite Daily: Celebrity's first love?
Rocio Soria: Probably Zac Efron.
ED: What coffee do you often order?
RS: White chocolate mocha with almond milk. Whether it's a small coffee shop or a big coffee chain, that's all you'll get.
ED: When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?
RS: Probably yesterday. In my free time, I like to watch Turkish soap operas such as: evermoresuper random but very funny and witty and makes me laugh a lot.
ED: Lip gloss or lipstick?
RS: Do you know about lip gloss? I'm more interested in lip oil than lip gloss. The lip oil is smooth and very moisturizing. I think my favorite lip oil at the moment is from Essence.
ED: If you have to leave the house in five minutes, what beauty products do you reach for?
RS: Tarte has these Maracuja lip balms and I have them all. When applied to the cheeks, it creates a gorgeous rosy complexion. Of course, I apply it to my lips and that's it. I pride myself on being very passionate about skincare, so even if I don't have eyelashes or eyebrow gel, I never miss my Tarte Maracuja lip balm.
Often, you're just paying for heavy packaging that looks great on your vanity when you can get the same look, or even the same product, with sister brands.
ED: Is there anything about beauty that is controversial?
RS: There are a lot of big conglomerates out there, and many of their more affordable products are basically copy-and-pasted from their higher-end products, just with different packaging. Often, you're just paying for heavy packaging that looks great on your vanity when you can get the same look, or even the same product, with sister brands.
ED: So what is your favorite duck of all time?
RS: Oh, that's difficult! Hmm… Milani Fetish Matte Lipstick. I have hundreds of lipsticks including Mac, Nars, Smashbox and Charlotte Tilbury. If you're a brand with unique shades, you'll find camo in the Milani Fetish Matte lipstick family. I rarely reach for lipsticks other than Milani.
ED: Do you have a favorite luxury item in your closet?
RS: Oh my gosh, I love this question! It's a mango-colored Prada crystal bag.
ED: What would people be surprised to know about you?
RS: They have been married for six years and have two daughters. I don't share anything about my family on social media. No trace of my baby or my husband will be found there. When I quietly announced that I was pregnant with my second child, people said, “I didn't know you had a first-time baby.” I put it out there because the fat shaming was just getting to me. I kept quiet about my pregnancy until I was 8 months pregnant, but at 8 months it's very hard to hide it.
ED: What is your biggest pet peeve?
RS: People yawn around me. I know it's very strange, but for me it's like I'm running on 3 hours of sleep and here I am, yawning even though I've had a good 8 or 9 hours. It will appear. I asked, “Why are you yawning?” Get some coffee in your system. Take your vitamin B12, raise your Celsius temperature, and let's go. Let's finish some errands. ”
ED: What is your biggest goal for 2024?
RS: Another collaboration with an affordable brand like Elf, maybe Milani again, maybe Revlon or Essence. These are some of my favorite affordable drugstore brands. We also hope to host more panels and give lectures.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.