Interviewer: Hi Laura, thanks for joining me today for an interview in the series “Unusual Professions”

Laura:  My pleasure! I never realised my job was unusual. I meet makeup artists almost every day.

Interviewer: Naturally. I think that there are definitely fewer makeup artists in the world than there are doctors or teachers.

Laura:  Really? I’ve never thought about it this way!

Interviewer: You’ve worked with the biggest stars, created many makeup products and introduced your own makeup brand. You are a digital creator. You run a blog. That’s an impressive career. How did it all start?

Laura:  I have always had a gift for drawing, especially drawing faces. When I was 8 or 9 I found my mum’s makeup bag. I spent the whole evening applying makeup to my sister’s dolls.

Interviewer: I don’t think your sister was pleased with that..?

Laura: Oh! My sister was soooo angry at me! But my mum liked it! She thought it was very artistic. My mum has an artistic sense and she invested in my future. I was lucky to get all the support and encouragement from her. I started doing my own makeup. Of course, I didn’t wear it when I went out.

Interviewer: So you started to develop your skills as a child.

Laura:  Yes! After my mum discovered my talent, she bought me a huge kit of makeup products. I remember that I changed my friends’ faces into monsters, unicorns, and superheroes. They really enjoyed that. Birthdays and other family meetings made a great opportunity for me to practise my makeup techniques. Later on, I even created a catalogue of different variations of character makeup to choose from. You can see some pictures of my cousins here. That was a garden party at my parents’ house.

Interviewer: They look amazing!

Laura: As you can see, not everybody was happy with their makeup. My little cousin who looks angry wanted a bigger butterfly.

Interviewer: It looks very professional!

Laura:  I was always well‑organised. My cousins informed me before the party what kind of makeup they wanted. This way I could prepare eye shadows, powders or blushers in advance.

Interviewer: When did you start thinking about makeup as a career path?

Laura: It was quite early, actually. At school, I was part of a theatre group, but I wasn’t interested in acting.

Interviewer: Let me guess… Was it makeup that you were into?

Laura:  Of course! I was responsible for the costumes and makeup of my schoolmates. Our school organised a theatre festival every year. During one of the editions of the festival, a professional makeup artist, Susan, really liked my work! She offered me to become her assistant.

Interviewer: Wow! How did you feel about it?

Laura:  I was extremely happy but also a bit nervous. I knew it would be a challenge, but I knew I wanted to try.

Interviewer: That’s how you ended up in a professional film studio.

Laura:  Yes!

Interviewer: What were your duties there?

Laura:  At the beginning, I observed a lot. I was excited to see well known people and the process of them getting into their characters! I soon became my mentor’s right hand.

Interviewer: What did you have to do then?

Laura:  I made sure her kit was in perfect order. That’s how I learned all about different products and their functions. I was always there next to her when she was working. I prepared brushes and other tools she needed. Susan knew I had a well‑developed appreciation for colour, shading, and blending. And soon she started giving me small makeup jobs to do.

Interviewer: When did you get your first independent job as a makeup artist?

Laura:  Susan taught me for about two years. And when I was ready, she found me a job in a fashion house. I became part of a team of makeup artists working with models during fashion shows.

Interviewer:  It was pretty different from a school show, wasn’t it?

Laura:  That was a huge change in my career! It was a pretty stressful environment, working under pressure, in a hurry, but I learnt a lot. From then on, my career really took off and I started getting more and more offers.

Interviewer: Do you have some professional photos?

Laura: I’ve got only a few.

Interviewer: I guess, many young people are good at applying makeup and think about it in terms of a professional career. What kind of skills do they need to start doing it?

Laura:  Obviously they must have a steady hand and an eye for detail. They need to be perfectionists.

Interviewer: What’s essential in your job?

Laura: I’d say precision; especially during live shows. Becoming a professional makeup artist is much more than just making up your friends' faces before the party.  It’s a serious business. People’s jobs depend on how professional you are.

Interviewer: Yes, it’s important that you mentioned that. People often think that a makeup artist is about being stylish and mixing with famous people.

Laura:  And it’s not like that. It’s a serious and responsible job.

Interviewer: Can you tell us a bit more about the aspects of your job that people usually don’t know about? What should young people expect if they are planning to work as a makeup artist?

Laura: Sure. First of all, you need to realise that your knowledge as a makeup artist will have to go well beyond the cosmetic products. You will have to learn about skin types, allergies, and health issues.

Interviewer: Who do you work with?

Laura: I cooperate with many other professionals such as photographers and cameramen. So the knowledge of lighting and the process of filming and photo shooting will definitely make you a well‑qualified professional.  Makeup artists are in great demand nowadays. You will most likely be self‑employed, so you will need to know how to manage your time and income.

Interviewer: Last question. What are your favourite types of makeup jobs?

Laura:  I love all of them, but my favourite ones are those in horror and sci‑fi films. Those makeups get so challenging. Obviously, a lot of computer‑generated imagery, or CGI, is used nowadays, but makeup artists still play the essential role in turning actors into monsters and aliens.

Interviewer: Laura, thanks for the interview and all the knowledge you’ve shared with us today. I hope we’ve thrown some more light on what it's like to be a makeup artist.

Laura:  Thanks for having me! And good luck with your careers!