Before she became a YouTube superstar, Dulce Candy Ruiz served as a soldier in the U.S. Army.

The Mexican-born video blogger arrived in the U.S. as a child and was able to enlist with a green card right out of high school. She struggled with depression and with issues of self-esteem growing up.

During a deployment in Iraq, Dulce Candy dealt with a 15-month depression. After that, she posted her first makeup video tutorial on YouTube, and that’s how it all started.

Now, at over 2 million subscribers, the veteran-turned-beauty guru is the author of her own book, The Sweet Life: Find Passion, Embrace Fear, and Create Success on Your Own Terms. She’s also CEO of her own lifestyle brand, Dulce Candy Inc.

Featured Image: Courtesy of Dulce Candy Ruiz