Behind the Scenes with Golden Makeup Artists: How Do I Get Started?
Makeup artists are integral to our work at Golden Magazine. Their creative eyes influence looks from photoshoots to fashion shows and everything in-between. This week, we had the opportunity to chat with a few local makeup artists on their experiences and advice they would give to beginners looking to enter the industry. Check them out below!
Liza she/her
Liza grew up watching her aunt doing makeup and was always fascinated by it. After COVID derailed her original plans of becoming a nurse, Liza decided to enroll in makeup school after graduating college. She’s been working as a makeup artist for a couple of years now and has worked on looks for many different projects—from movies to events to editorial looks. Not to mention her work for the most recent Golden photoshoot—watch out for it in our next issue!
When brainstorming for a look, Liza makes sure to have a conversation beforehand with stylists involved in the look to ensure that everyone remains on the same page. She looks at previous looks she’s done as well as movies and shows for inspiration. Liza stressed that one of the most important aspects to take into consideration when doing someone’s makeup is the person’s skin texture. She particularly enjoys creating looks where she can use a lot of colors. Favorite product: liquid eyeshadow, because it is very versatile.
The makeup community in Minneapolis is very extensive but also a very supportive one, according to Liza. She describes it as a “word of mouth community” where upholding and being an active part of the community is integral to getting recommended for jobs. Her number one advice for people interested in makeup but unsure of how to start is to just go for it and that the opportunities and connections will start coming as you develop your skills. Check out her work on Instagram @makeupbylizanoel!
Audrey they/she
Audrey is a makeup artist currently based in Minneapolis. Before they started in the makeup industry, Audrey primarily just did makeup on her own face, a “fun hobby and creative venture”. On a whim they applied to work on Golden’s second issue, beginning their journey into the makeup industry. Today, Audrey has worked in the makeup industry for two years and describes her experience so far as being immersed in “a lovely community, everyone that I've met is so nice and works great together. Just very collaborative.” Throughout the past few years, Audrey has gained valuable experience and explored different niches within the makeup industry.
Using Pinterest as a major inspiration, they have created looks ranging from the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ to more bold looks with gemstones and fine-lines. Their favorite products to create these looks include water based liners because they are price-efficient “and easy to work with”, blush, and glitters. When creating a look the main aspects she takes into consideration include skin type and texture, face structure, and outfit vibes. Audrey describes the whole process as a highly collaborative experience between the creative team and makeup artists.
At this point in their career, Audrey’s highlights include their looks being featured on the covers both times she has worked with Golden in addition to a recent fashion show she worked with at Canterbury Park. For people wanting to get a start in the makeup industry, Audrey says that you need to expect to work for free at first unless you have an agent or have gone to school, and to “be open to all types of jobs and working with all types of people.” Be sure to check out Audrey and their looks on instagram @audrey.cardinal, and keep an eye out for her work in the upcoming issue!
Sumi she/her
Although Sumi does not consider herself to me a makeup artist, it is safe to say that she has dabbled in makeup. Sumi’s interest in makeup started at a young age, watching makeup gurus like Patrick Starr, Jacqueline Hill, and Bretman Rock on YouTube. “I wasn’t even wearing foundation but I knew how to do it because I was watching people and their routines.” She started to get more into makeup by doing her own looks in addition to her friends’ prom makeup.
In college, Sumi's interest in makeup flourished. She started to play with it more and more, allowing herself to become more experimental with her looks. Sumi applied to work with Golden twice and got in her second time after a lot of hard work refining her skills. Today, Sumi is the Creative Director at Golden. Her advice to new artists is to “just start…and if you don’t get it, keep going and crafting your skills.”
When it comes to planning a look, Sumi prefers to go with the flow of things rather than stick to a regimented plan. She typically will look at a couple inspiration pictures and further refine them custom for her model. A belief of hers is that not all makeup looks the same on everyone; “You need to tailor it to a person’s eye shape, and their face shape, and their skin type.” Sumi’s favorite product to cater to her diverse looks is eyeshadow: with it, she is able to use the eyes as a canvas to create bold and unique looks.
Working with other artists and collaborating on different looks is one of Sumi’s highlights during her time working with makeup artists. Sumi believes collaboration and openness is an essential feature when it comes to creating makeup looks. In fact, her favorite makeup memory is when she worked with three different artists on one look, describing the experience as “a perfect example of honest collaboration”.
In the future, Sumi hopes to open her books up to commissions so she can do more freelance makeup work. You can check out more of Sumi’s work at her website here as well as in our issue this spring.
Thank you to the makeup artists for not only the beautiful looks they produced but their wonderful insight as well!