Krystle Parker of Anchorage, Alaska – Make-up Artist Interview
Q: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended school or you are a self taught makeup artist?
A: I am a self taught makeup artist. I have been doing makeup since I was a young girl and I absolutely love it..
Q: Do you think going to school for make-up artistry is important to excel in the business later on?
A: I think if its the right school for your personality then yes..if its a school that teaches you the business side of being a makeup artist then its truly worth it..but I don’t feel its absolutely a must to attend school for this trade.
Q: Did you always wanted to be an artist, or did you stumble upon your talent by chance? Who or what inspired you to become a makeup artist?
A: Actually yes, but I have also learned that I love styling hair, doing photography and fashion design. I am just an artist.
Q: What is your favorite or most exciting aspect about your job?
A: The freedom of expression..the flexible schedule and all the different personalities I get to work with.
Q: What surprises you most about working as a makeup artist?
A: That there are so many insecure people. I always try to compliment them on something that really stands out to me about them.
Q: Describe your “Classic Approach to Beauty.” how do you define beauty?
A: I find what I see as beautiful are the eyes.. no one has the same kind of eyes..we may have the same outlining but the eyes themselves are always different..and I love them because you see so much personality coming through the eyes.
Q: What individual products and brands you’re “addicted” to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
A: I always love Rimmel eye shadows,Hard Candy liners, Max factor with any of the products..I love teals, greens and blues for almost all eye colors.
Q: What are some of the most basic but effective skin care tips in general that you have, that are really important?
A: A facial mask once a week goes a long ways!! it helps to reduce blackheads and remove dead flaky skin. It leaves your skin feeling dry afterward so a good lotion like Skinmilk can really bring back your natural glow. Doing this helps to create a nice smooth surface for applying makeup,plus when your skin is healthy and clean you wont need to use as much makeup, especially if you use liquid foundation.
Q: Have you had an extreme, crazy or bad experience with a skin care product or during a makeup session? If so, what happened?
A: Umm not that I can remember. I do a lot of research on products before I use them.
Q: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with makeup? What’s the worst thing a woman can do to her skin?
A: Over tweezed eyebrows and dark black eyeliner.Some eyes look better with a soft, dark brown liner instead of a harsh black.
Q: What do you think are best/worst trends in the makeup / skin care industry right now?
A: Best is always smokey eyes when they are done right..worst for me would be off color lips..lips that are outrageously bright.. these do not always compliment every skin tone. Find the right color for you.
Q: Do teenage girls needs to splurge on high-priced makeup products, or are drugstore items are just as satisfactory?
A: Mm I don’t really think they”need” to splurge but if they want to,there’s nothing wrong with that.A lot of women who use products when they are younger still tend to use those products now. I use the same mascara from when I was 12 to now. I havetried several throughout the years but I have never found one like the one I use most often. I don’t think teenage girls should be wearing makeup that is meant for a woman..as in hardcore makeup looks..a teen girl should always keep it light, fresh and young or else it could send off the wrong message.
Q: What feature(s) do you love to accentuate and why?
A: Eyes and lips!! Eyes always catch your attention but sometimes people don’t always have the eyes that are bright and out there.. sometimes they have the lips that say hello gorgeous!! so it really depends on the person.
Q: What are your steps for the perfect, flawless, natural look?
A: It depends on the person :)
Q: What is a really quick way to change a day look to a special occasion or nighttime face?
A: Well if you are wearing a grey shadow, with pale pink lips for day,you could always line the eyes with black liner, smudge and apply black mascara, followed by a thick sheer lip gloss to add that smokey eye effect.
Q: What are the differences between applying makeup on models and on real women?
A: Well the models I work with are usually on set so they require heavy, more vibrant applications then the everyday woman. A look that works on set doesn’t always work out on the street.
Q: In terms of eyeliner, if you had to choose between a pencil, liquid, or creme/gel based, which one would you choose? Why?
A: I always prefer pencil just because I can really play with it.
Q: Lip gloss or Lipstick. Which product is best? Why?
A: Depends on the woman..some like that dramatic, powerful lip whereas others like the soft flirtatious look of lip gloss. I actually prefer lipstick and gloss together for evening.
Q: What should a client consider before deciding to try permanent makeup? What is the difference between permanent and semi-permanent makeup?
A: Ugh..I am really not a fan of permanent makeup..you really want to make sure the look you are going for is something that you can live with, that compliments you and will not look odd when fading. Black liner not being maintenance will soon look like an unflattering blue.
Q: What brand/type of concealer is your favorite for covering up the after effects of a late night out i.e. under-eye circles, blemishes?
A: I like almost all yellow based concealers for under the eyes.
Q: How about airbrush spray makeup trend? Are these products better or easier to use than standard sponge or finger application? If yes when would you recommend using them?
A: Mm definitely not easier..and it really depends on your skin type..oily skin would not work so great with this technique. Its definitely not something you would want to wear in a hot climate,or around water as it’ll melt away or run.
Q: What do your clients think of you?
A: My clients love my creativity.I tend to do more the wild, dramatic makeup and hair.
Q: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
A: My future goal is to remain working as a freelance artist, whether in makeup, hair, photography or fashion design or maybe all of them! I just hope to help young artists find their way in this industry.Keep going..it can be really rough starting out but keep confidence in yourself even when nobody else backs you up..
Q: What tips and advice do you have for aspiring makeup artists just starting out?
A: A good portfolio is worth the investment..Get a portfolio of at least 20 professional shots of your work.
A lot of photographers will sometimes work TFP/TFCD(trade for print, or trade for cd) for your time and services.Don’t underestimate yourself and your talents..even if you are new,your time is valuable.When you have a decent portfolio built,stop taking in trade or else you’ll starve and your supplies will go quick.
Connect with Krystle via her MySpace profile.
