Star Trek: features of a makeup artist working with celebrities

Svetlana Rymakova , certified makeup artist, makeup artist with extensive experience working with Ukrainian and Russian stars (Jamala, ONUKA, Irina Bilyk and others)

How to become a celebrity makeup artist?

If you are focused only on this goal, sit under the door of a star and wait for it to trip over you... In this profession, you cannot pose a question like that at all. Although today's times are making their own adjustments: perhaps your Instagram account will attract one of the celebrities and you will have a chance to work with her on a creative basis; maybe your friends will recommend you...

Unfortunately, the requirements in our specialty are now very low. Few people evaluate the quality of work; for many clients it is important that the service be provided for less money or completely free of charge. We, makeup artists, also devalue our work by producing hundreds of “specialists” per month with rather poor knowledge. The girls are sure that this month of classes is enough to apply for a job as a makeup artist. Hence the oversaturation of the market, constant resentment that there is not enough work and, as a result, the price of 250 hryvnia for hair styling and makeup. If you want to become a good master, be patient and work, work, work!

If you are already impatient to work with a celebrity, you are 100% confident in yourself, your hands are not shaking and your knowledge base is unbearably pressing on you - start searching. The star can be found shooting for a magazine, on television, on the set of all kinds of shows. But to get there, again, you need to somehow declare yourself: you need to convince the employer that you are a professional. The circle closes.

All kidding aside, you just have to work hard to earn the trust of the director, photographer, magazine editor or PR team. You must be visible to the people you want to work with, you must be a professional who can be trusted. But limiting yourself to working only with stars is a very dubious path...

By the way, there is another way to become a star makeup artist - raise a star and grow with her yourself. Accompanying her at the beginning of her journey, helping, preparing for filming and living her life. But you also need to be prepared for the fact that she will want something new and you will have to let her go.

What are the nuances of working with celebrities?

As a rule, celebrities have a certain view of their image, and often few people manage to radically change it. In most cases, stars want to be recognized, and they are not always ready for change. As a rule, this is an already defined mask that you need to repeat, even if you do not agree with everything. You need to have great patience and delicacy to bring something new to the image.

If you are not psychologically ready to experience pressure, conduct a discussion, do not know how to competently persuade, have no patience, are quick-tempered and irritable, and at the same time do not want to learn and change, it is better to do something else. Celebrities are experienced, sophisticated people who have seen a lot. Only by the condition of your cosmetics, your appearance and even the length of your nails can they form an opinion about you. Be extremely careful, friendly and attentive. Your client is like your child - you must nurse him, look after him, and even be patient with his whims. After all, sometimes you are responsible for him for as long as 20 hours while he is on camera!

What is the difference between makeup for a star’s appearance, makeup for a video clip and makeup for performing on stage?

If you are invited to shoot a video, preparation begins with a discussion of the script, location, costumes and makeup. A whole team of professionals decides how the star will look in the frame. If the team is authoritative, competent and professional, with a good reputation, if the star chose it herself, she will trust you too. During the preparation process, you will discuss all the nuances with the director and stylist, and on set you will no longer need to search for an image. Your task will be to create this image and follow it throughout the entire shoot.

Sometimes the director's improvisation can baffle you. Your task is to cope with this too (you need to be prepared for anything, you must erase the word “impossible” from your vocabulary). Situations vary, but if a star senses weakness on your part, she may begin to manipulate you. If you don't like what they ask you to do, try to very gently explain that it won't look good on camera. But you must be prepared to competently justify your actions, so that later you will not be ashamed of the result.

If you are preparing a star for the stage, first check what the costume will be like, whether there will be costume changes, and how active the dancing or movements will be. Makeup should be done taking into account the lighting of the stage. As a rule, these are very bright light sources that “eat up” your work. In this case, it is advisable to use sufficiently dense and stable products so that nothing drips, because there is practically no opportunity to correct makeup on stage.

If we are talking about makeup for a party, red carpet or presentation, it is also important to take care of the durability of the products used. The customer will guide you in terms of intensity and color scheme. It all depends on his wishes, image, and willingness to shock the public. In any case, keep in mind that the star will be viewed at close range and will be photographed. Everything must be done extremely carefully and cleanly. Find out what time and under what lighting the event will take place. Don't overdo it with highlighters and correction - this is not photography in the studio, where you can fix everything with retouching.

Do not accustom yourself to the fact that everything will be cleaned later. If you do a good job and make an impression, your chances of further cooperation will increase. But you shouldn’t be upset if it doesn’t happen again. Now there are so many of us – there simply aren’t enough stars for everyone!

How should you prepare for work if you have to do makeup for a star with whom you have not previously collaborated?

If you are working with a person for the first time and there is no director or photographer nearby, discuss for what occasion you are doing makeup. The day before, carefully study the information about the star, look at her Instagram, photos and videos. Don't rely on rumors, form your own opinion.

In general, I don’t really like this word – star. So few people deserve to be called that, so few deserve it. My experience shows: the more a person is, the more simply he treats himself, the easier it is to work with him. Remember, if you have chosen the profession of a makeup artist, it doesn’t matter who you make beautiful. Sometimes working with an ordinary girl, the opportunity to make a bride or graduate happy can bring no less happiness and pleasure than working with a star!