- Candice Tabone
- Feb 21, 2019
How Patrick Ta Went From Working at M.A.C to Top Celebrity Makeup Artist In Four Years...
Just five years ago, makeup artist Patrick Ta was working as a freelance makeup artist at an Arizona M.A.C. store. Now, nearly 900,000 Instagram followers later, the pro is one of the most trusted glam pros in Hollywood, with clients including Shay Mitchell, Blake Lively, Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Munn, Gigi Hadid and Kourtney Kardashian, to name a few. Most recently, he secured a gig as the brand ambassador for skincare giant La Mer and launched his own app, Flawless. Below, we spoke to Ta about his career, his favorite moments alongside his BFF Mitchell and what it’s really like to work with Jennifer Lopez.
How did you get your start in the makeup industry? I’m self-taught. Growing up I would watch YouTube videos. I wish I did assistant work, but I didn’t get the opportunity to. Instead, I got a job at M.A.C. in Arizona five years ago. Being able to work with so many different types of people and having to do makeup super quick, I felt like I was able to learn a lot more by just trial and error. They don’t teach you anything at M.A.C. when you’re a freelance artist — they just throw you in.
When did you move to L.A.? When Instagram came around I would post photos and selfies with my girlfriends and people started hiring me to do freelance work. In Arizona, I thought I was killing it, not even knowing what the makeup industry could be like in New York or in L.A. But I always wanted to move LA, I just never knew what for. I finally had some sort of reason to, and I made the move after a year working at M.A.C.
How did you land your first celebrity client? It’s all thanks to Shay Mitchell. She loves makeup, so she would just scroll on Instagram and find people, and she said that she really liked the photos of makeup that I did on my girlfriends so she called me. That was my first celebrity ever. Back then I was obsessed with Pretty Little Liars, and I called my mom freaking out.
How did your career grow from there? Shay really helped my career a lot because she’s a girl who loves makeup and she loves our glam sessions — she will sit there for three or four hours if need be. I feel like that is the best client you can have. Someone who likes makeup and really cares about it. They’ll actually let you do what you want to do. A month after that I met Gigi [Hadid] — again through social media — and she was becoming ‘Gigi.’ Most of the clients that I have today are the clients I met that first year. To be able to be a part of their journey and to grow with them, it’s the best part of being a makeup artist.
You and Shay travel a lot together. What’s your favorite memory with her? She is one of the most fun girls to work with because she loves social media and she loves makeup. Every single artist that gets to work with her always says she is always so happy. Besides just our glam sessions working together, we get to travel together. I would say one of the most fun times I’ve had with her is when we went to Jamaica and when we spent New Year’s there on the beach and had the most amazing time.
What would you consider to be your signature look? I love a bold lip for so many reasons. It’s a quick way to pull any look together in a pinch, it adds drama to any outfit (even if you’re just wearing a t shirt and jeans), and it gives women confidence! My signature look though, would have to be a sun-kissed glow. Makeup trends come and go but healthy radiant skin is always in style and I feel it should be the most important element of everyone’s makeup routine.
What’s been the most exciting part of your career so far? I think doing the MET Gala three years ago. I have always been obsessed with seeing people’s dresses, their makeup and hair. That whole night is so magical to me. It’s the one night that celebrities come, and they let their team and their artists be more creative.
Did you have a dream client who you’ve now worked with? Jennifer Lopez. She just exudes glam and just being in her presence is honestly the most amazing thing because when she is in the room, you know she is in the room. Everything about her is Jennifer Lopez. When you work with clients who have been in the industry for so long and have had the most amazing makeup artists working on them, they teach you too. Like, ‘Oh, this looks great, this doesn’t look great, use this product.’ I learn so much from my clients because they pick up techniques from other amazing artists.
What’s your favourite look you’ve created? I’m still obsessed with the look that I did on Gigi for the 2015 MTV Video Awards. She was wearing this mustard yellow dress and she just looked so golden. That day was so much fun. All the girls that were in the Taylor Swift video got ready together, which as a makeup artist you don’t usually get to work with other people because you’re always with the client, hair stylist and the nail person. But this time it was like 12 girls all in one room and all their glam teams in this room and it was a mad house. Each girl had a stylist, makeup artist, a hair stylist — it was like glam wars!
If you could only use one product for the rest of your career, what would it be? I just love setting spray. I think setting spray with makeup is great.
What do all of your clients ask for tips on? How to contour and highlight correctly! I say if you don’t need to do it, don’t do it. Like if you don’t have to contour your nose, don’t contour it! Always start off like with the least amount. Use a product that is forgiving. If you’re looking for a bronzer, don’t use one with too much shimmer or has too much pigment. Just use a nice, soft, cream bronzer that you’re able to blend in and diffuse it.
The Academy For Makeup Artists provides formal training in all areas of makeup and hairstyling. The next Diploma of Applied Makeup commences Tuesday March 5 2019. Start your amazing career in makeup today and email study@tafmua.com.au for a course guide today. Apply now.
- The Academy For Makeup Artists
- Dec 18, 2018
Going full-time freelance as a makeup artist can be intimidating, but creating an online portfolio for your work is a simple step on the path to professional success. Even if you don’t have an extensive portfolio yet, a professional-looking website that features a few standout shoots can help get you noticed online and shows that you’re serious about building a career in makeup.
If you’re beginning to build a solid audience on Instagram or Facebook, having a website you can direct people to is the best way to let your network know more about your work and what kind of jobs you’re interested in. The design and curation of your makeup artistry portfolio can instantly give viewers a feel for your aesthetic.
A refined and polished website can signal that you’re an expert when it comes to classic looks, while a contemporary and colorful portfolio might be the perfect fit for a fashion-focused makeup artist. A simple, minimal website could be a good choice for a makeup artist specializing in natural looks and clean beauty. Every aspect of your website, from the fonts and colors you choose to the layout you create, will help give viewers an understanding of who you are as a makeup artist.
In addition to being a space where you can showcase your professional style, your makeup artist portfolio should also highlight your experience and achievements. Listing previous clients and publications is a great way to demonstrate the calibre of your work. If you haven’t worked with many clients yet, you can make the most of your portfolio by sharing what kind of work you’re looking for. Regardless of your experience, adding a brief biography is always a good way to introduce yourself to potential clients. Make sure your contact details are clearly listed on your makeup portfolio as well, so people can easily get in touch.
Now you’re ready to begin designing your own portfolio, this list of makeup artists will give you some visual inspiration. From established pros who’ve worked with clients like Kim K and Karlie Kloss, to emerging talents who show major promise, all these makeup artists have seriously impressive websites.
Jinny Kim
A bold editorial photo introduces MUA Jinny Kim’s online portfolio. Click through to find her Beauty gallery, organized in a horizontal scroll which gives the viewer a seamless view of Kim’s work. Based in London, Kim also works with hair. Her website shows a variety of bold looks for editorial shoots, commercial work for clients like Vans, Lazy Oaf, and Fila, as well as wedding and event work. Kim uses a neatly organized sidebar menu to keep her wide range of work easy to access.
Rebecca Muir
Now based in London, British-born makeup artist Rebecca Muir kickstarted her career when she landed a job with Pat McGrath. She’s assisted on shows including Dior Couture, Valentino, and John Galliano, and worked with publications like Vogue, Elle, and L'Officiel.Muir’s portfolio begins with a stunning shoot for Vogue Brazil, instantly introducing the viewer to her bold work.
Claire Plekhoff
Makeup artist Claire Plekhoff counts brands like Jil Sander, Ralph Lauren, and Uniqlo among her clients. Her work tends to have a clean and minimal style which is perfectly matched by the classic font and ample white space of her online portfolio. Plekhoff introduces her personal work on the first page of her website, giving instant insight into the kind of makeup she does best.
www.claireplekhoff.com
Delina Medhin
Delina Medhin grew up obsessed with recreating the beauty looks she saw in magazines, and began working for MAC when she was just 19. Since relocating from North Carolina to New York, Medhin has worked with HBO, Comedy Central, Essence Magazine, and Amazon. Medhin keeps her makeup artistry portfolio professional with a personal section that includes a detailed bio, resume, and links to her popular YouTube channel.
The Academy For Makeup Artists provides formal training in all areas of makeup. Email study@tafmua.com.au to fine out more about our makeup artist courses.
- Candice Tabone
- Nov 30, 2018
Let your makeup play the subtle card when it comes to holiday beauty. Here are some of our favorite bold, colorful, and festive nail art looks for short nails that are guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. For more nail art inspo visit these awesome nail artists @thehangedit @nail_unistella and @betina_goldstein
The Academy For Makeup Artists provides formal training in all areas of makeup and hairstyling. Visit www.tafmua.com.au for more information on our makeup courses and fees.
