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Unless you live in a cave or are social media-free, we are pretty sure you have heard, seen, or learn how to beat your face with Manuel Gutierrez, a.k.a Manny MUA, a.k.a, the first male brand ambassador for Maybelline, a.k.a founder and owner of the cosmetics brand Lunar Beauty, a.k.a Orgullo Latino — okay, fine, we came up with the last one, but he truly is!
Unaware of what the future had in store, Gutierrez’s interest in makeup started in his childhood after watching his mother’s makeup routine. When he was old enough to get a job, he chose the beauty industry and became a staffer at Sephora and MAC. Years later, Manuel Gutierrez knew it was time to step it up and build a career as Manny MUA.
After he began his YouTube channel in 2014, Manny MUA consolidated himself as a makeup artist, YouTuber, and beauty blogger, gaining popularity for his unbelievable good and engaging tutorials, make-up first impressions, and beauty tips. With fame came exposure and opportunities, plus the one in a lifetime chance of becoming “the first” in an industry primarily targeted to females.
For the 29-year-old California native and Mexican descent, receiving a piece of the inclusion cake wasn’t something he was craving for; however, after tasting its sweet side, he realized that there’s still so much more to and more opportunities to give. “I actually feel like this is just the beginning,” said the makeup star in an exclusive interview for HOLA! USA. “I think that for me six years ago, this was not a thing to have a voice in beauty. It wasn’t really a thing online, and now it is something [where you can] share with people with different backgrounds. It is constant, sharing it and showing it.”
But creating content to share it and show is not just for fun anymore; it is a real job that can be too demanding. Gutierrez has a substantial social media presence that, as of this writing, includes over 4.8 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 4.2 million followers on Instagram. The majority of them are just finding ways to perfect their techniques. Still, there are a few others secretly battling identity issues and trapped in the idea of having an inexistent perfect image.
Manny is aware of the unrealistic beauty standards, and as much as he loves his job, he also loves himself and values his offline time. “The important thing about social media is that you need to learn how to be able to get off social media,” he said. “For me, it’s really important to be able to have my time online, but it is my job. It’s what I do for a living. [But] I have a life, I have an amazing family, I have amazing friends. For me, it’s all about taking a break. It’s so much to handle at one time. It feels so much pressure all the time. So it’s really important just to have your moments where you can be serene and refill your emotional bucket.”
The makeup artist is all about beauty and balance; Therefore, he also sticks to a schedule and works with a team that keeps everything in order. “I have an amazing team behind me, an amazing manager, an amazing PR team, and I have all these amazing people and an amazing assistant who helps me stay on track with what I do,” he revealed to HOLA! USA. “It really helps to have these people around me to help me be the best version of myself. I‘m only one person; I can only do so much. I run my brand Lunar Beauty; I am a beauty influencer, [I’m on ]TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and I’m also a human being, and I want to have a normal life as well.” he continued. “So I think it’s vital to set your schedule, and have times and days where I can say: ‘I’m going to film today, I’m going to get all my sh*t done today, but tomorrow I’m not going to do anything. I’m not going to do social media. I’m going to focus on me’.”
Keeping his mental health checked, his work life organized, and his loved ones close are just a few of the essential things in Manny MUA’s life. For the pretty boy — and we don’t mean Maluma but one of the original beauty boys — his makeup brand, Lunar Beauty, is his palpable success.
The makeup connoisseur revealed to HOLA! USA, he has been working on a new collection expected to hit stores right on time for the holidays. “Within the next two months, I have a holiday collection coming up,” he said. “And I’m so excited because I’m actually introducing something I’ve never created before,” he continued.
Gutierrez is exceptionally proud of his Hispanic heritage, and as a Latino, he is continuously finding ways to represent the community within the beauty industry. “For me, it’s all about constant exposure and talking about being Latino,” he said. “That’s really important to show yourself and be proud. I think that the more you put out there in the universe, the more you’re seen them, and the more you’re heard celebrating who you are.”
Something many Latinos and Latinas have in common is growing up in a very strict household where parents or other family members expect them to pursue a traditionally-known career. In Manny MUA’s case, he grew up with the idea of becoming a successful plastic surgeon, and after enrolling in Med school, he found himself in a crossroads. “I was like ‘do I continue to do med school or do I pursue makeup’” he asked himself. “So for me, beauty was like a way of helping people without having to go under the knife.” Gutierrez also said that his parents were very supportive. “My parents love it,” he said, referring to his art. “They think it’s absolutely insane and amazing, and they actually work with me full-time at Lunar Beauty,” he revealed. “My dad is my CFO, and my mom is my COO, and it’s so cool to be able to say my brand is a Latino owned family business. That’s so awesome!”
Due to the current situation the world is going through, Manny MUA said to HOLA! USA that he is taking it very seriously, following all the security measures, and being responsible; Therefore, he doesn’t have any immediate plans. “I’m just focusing on myself focusing on my content and focusing on my brand, and that’s kind of what I have for the foreseeable future until [the coronavirus pandemic is over] we have everything on hold.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.