Before the dawn of social media, professional makeup artists were rarely a household name. Only a handful of legends were known outside the insular celebrity and fashion world: Pat McGrath, Gucci Westman, and Bobbi Brown among the few. These days, social media and the explosion of the beauty industry have brought makeup artists front and center. Celebrity artists are more visible as their famous clients sing their praises on Instagram; some of them made more renown by founding their own beauty lines seen on the shelves of Sephora and Ulta.
A traditional path is no longer required to build a career in beauty; influencers and vloggers, online personalities who give cosmetics tutorials on social platforms like YouTube and TikTok, are some of the most successful of the beauty industry today. Read on for some of the biggest names– those who most inspire us to glow up and put our best face forward:
1. Duh, Pat McGrath
We’ll start with the queen. Since the 1990’s, Pat McGrath has painted the world’s most famous faces in vibrant, shimmering hues. She and her team create the looks for major international fashion week shows every year, setting each season’s trends. Her Instagram is a mesmerizing, moody showcase for her work; in Ms. McGrath’s world, more is definitely more.
2. Mario Dedivanovic
Mario is arguably the most influential makeup artist of late. He made famous the ubiquitous “soft glam” look of the Kardashians: contoured, airbrushed, long faux lashes and pouty lips, all “baked” – an industry term for powder application and removal, creating a flawless look.
3. Sheika Daley
Self-taught Sheika Daley creates bold looks for massive stars such as Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Serena Williams, and [America’s Sweetheart] Zendaya. She began her trade at the MAC counter, and has since become a staple on red carpets everywhere.
4. Patrick Ta
Patrick Ta has been tapped to create pristine looks for Hollywood’s elite and the world’s biggest supermodels: think Gigi and Bella Hadid, Rhianna, Alessandra Ambrosio, Ariana Grande, and more.
5. Huda Kattan
While she did have professional training and experience, Huda Kattan launched her career by starting a beauty blog. Huda was named one of the “ten most powerful influencers in the world of beauty” by Forbes magazine, and one of “The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet” by Time magazine in 2017. She has since created her own line of makeup, Huda Beauty, which brings in over $250M in annual sales.
6. James Charles
A true product of the Internet, James Charles made his name on his YouTube channel, posting makeup tutorials for an audience that has grown to a staggering 25 million viewers. His electric looks match his vibrant personality, and he became CoverGirl’s first “Cover Boy” back in 2016 when he was still in high school — a first to be proud of.
