13 minute read
MAKE ME OVER ARTISTRY
By Louise May
Sarah Smith is currently living and working as a full-time Freelance Hair and Makeup Artist in Meanjin, Qld.
Her work is extremely multifaceted, ranging from Fashion and Beauty Editorial, Music Videos and Promotional Shoots for bands and solo artists, keying large-scale productions for local Theatre Companies, as well as Bridal, Formal and Special Occasion Hair and Makeup.
Her long list of clients includes everyone from reality TV stars, ARIA Award-winning Musicians, the who’s who in the Brisbane Fashion Scene and everyone in between!
Beauty Biz Editor Louise May recently caught up with Sarah to chat about her industry journey and immense love of makeup, music, and fashion.
What initially ignited your passion for the industry? Where did it all begin?
I came from humble beginnings, growing up in Roma, located in rural South-West Queensland. My beauty obsession started from a young age, regularly giving my Barbie’s makeovers and haircuts, and raiding my Mum’s stash of Avon Makeup.
Access to cosmetics and beauty products was quite limited, oftentimes only having a choice of Revlon or Australis from the local Pharmacy – bearing in mind, this was the start of the 90’s, we lived 8 hours from a major City, there was no Internet (I think we got our first PC in 1994), and Sephora wouldn’t open it’s first store in Australia for another 20 years.
If I think about it really hard, I’d have to say the obsession started whilst watching iconic Movies on VHS and getting up early on Saturdays to watch music videos on Rage, religiously, with my big sister. I remember seeing all of these bright, bold hair and makeup looks – and not just on the women, but EVERYONE!
I was in love with David Bowie and Alice Cooper, and I so badly wanted to be bad Sandy, at the end of Grease! As I approached my Teens, I took to doing hair, makeup, and nails for my friends, two big sisters, Mum, and even Dad, for the odd Ace Frehley (KISS) dress-up party at the local pub.
Bright colours and cool textures still weren’t really a thing readily available, so I would create bold eyeliners using watercolour pencils and put craft glitter on everyone, using Vaseline as an adhesive!
How did you decide to pursue it as a profession? Tell us about your journey.
I discovered Fashion Magazines as a teenager, and each month would wait at our local Newsagency for my next fix. There was something euphoric and magical about the beautiful images between those glossy pages that inspired me, and I began to imagine a world of possibility and opportunity, outside of life in a small town.
I began collecting hard-cover Makeup Books, as a point of reference (I now own over 50 books), and on a trip to the City to visit a friend in the early 2000s, I stumbled across a copy of ‘Making Faces’ by Kevyn Aucoin, purchased it immediately, and made it my bible.
Ironically, on the same trip, I discovered Napoleon Perdis and saw an advertisement in bold - ‘MAKE UP YOUR CAREER’ – offering Nationally accredited Makeup Courses. That was it for me. I knew then and there that it would be the beginning of my career as a professional Makeup Artist.
Although I was never particularly studious, I fulfilled my promise to my parents to finish High School, enrolled and moved to Brisbane the next year. As I never do things in halves, wanted to be a jack of all trades and master of my craft, I also completed a Cert II in Nail Technology in the same year and started a Hairdressing Apprenticeship the day after completing my Diploma of Makeup.
It wasn’t my first time in a salon, as I had completed Work Experience in Roma at the local Hairdressers, and had been colouring and cutting my friends’ hair for years. It came to me quite naturally and I expressed a keen interest in creative colour, already having a strong understanding and passion for colour theory.
By the end of my second year, I knew that if I wanted to be the best, I had to work with the best, so I applied to join the incredible team at Togninis, and was successful! I went on to complete my apprenticeship and worked as head Colour Technician at their sister salon, AKA Togninis for another 2 years.
After a brief stint living in the UK, I returned to home soil, aching to get back to my roots and first passion, working with Makeup. I got a job working for Bobbi Brown as Counter Manager, at Queens Plaza in David Jones.
I loved working in Cosmetics, but I found myself spending my days admiring the gorgeous, trendy girls, working across the floor at MAC. I was envious of the freedom of personal style - bold makeup, brightly coloured hair and tattoos, not to mention the rocking playlists on counter - and knew that was where I belonged.
After a brief meeting with the state manager, she exclaimed “You are totally a MAC girl”, and the next week I had an interview for an Assistant Manager role at Myer Brisbane City. The rest, as they say, is history!
I had always felt like a bit of an outsider, a misfit, if you will, but felt instantly at home with MAC. The next seven years with the brand would shape me as an artist, and help me develop my unique style and colourful signature aesthetic. Having the opportunity to complete the highest-level Certifications, including Body Painting, Fashion, Events and Advanced Artistry, facilitating Makeup Workshops, Theme Days and taking out Team of the Year in 2014, are just a few highlights from my time with the brand.
During this time, I had started to dip my toe into the world of Freelance, trading under my business name ‘Make Me Over Artistry’, doing the occasional wedding, and collaborating with local designers and photographers on shoots.
I still had strong connections in the Hair Industry, regularly doing Makeup for Awards season Collections, Hair Shows and education for Wella, Cloud 9 and ghd.
I took the terrifying leap into full-time Freelance in 2017 and honestly, have never looked back.
What inspired you to get into editorial work, and what do you love about it?
As someone with a lifelong obsession with magazines, it’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you open those glossy pages, and see your work for the first time in Vogue or Rolling Stone. It’s pretty surreal.
As for inspiration, I don’t care what anyone says, the creative scene in Meanjin is one of the best in the world! I am constantly surrounded by the most incredible, innovative artists, designers, stylists, and photographers, and am honoured to call most my friends.
When you spend the good part of 20 years in a city, you get to know everyone, and if you are lucky, as you grow and develop your passion and skills (and they grow theirs), you go on an incredible journey together and get the opportunity to create pure art.
There is something so special about creating an Editorial. Working with models, stylists/ designers and photographers, to create a beautiful image, and bring a vision to life.
Some of my best friends are fellow Makeup Artists, Hairstylists, Fashion Designers, Stylists and Photographers, and we constantly collaborate on passion projects! Often the highly-paid jobs aren’t always the most inspiring, so the way I see it, collaboration is the key to having the best of both worlds!
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, how have you witnessed the evolution of the makeup field, and which trends or changes have you found most exciting or impactful?
Wow! I’ve seen quite a few trends come and go over the years. It’s funny that the most iconic looks through history have remained timeless, and are constantly being reinvented. Just look at any Red Carpet or Runway from the last 50 years, and you’re guaranteed to see a classic red lip, a smoke bomb eye, or a forever flawless complexion.
The surgence of Social Media in the mid 2010’s was a total game changer. The rise of celebrities like the Kardashians bought back full glam in force.
I found myself, a Makeup Artist of 10 years by that time, learning new skills (the infamous cutcrease), with a myriad of new products readily available (hello online shopping and international shipping). Everything became so accessible, at the click of a button. It was wild!
Things have really done a 180 in the last 3 to 5 years, with natural, soft glam having its moment in the spotlight, once again. With increased education around skincare, I think people are super conscious now, more than ever, about what they put on their face.
Just when I thought it was nearly impossible to see anything new or innovative in Makeup, the legendary Pat McGrath went ahead and created THAT runway makeup look for Maison Margiela Artisanal, and broke the damn Internet! Haha..
You seem to have quite a distinct style in your work and branding for ‘Make Me Over Artistry’. Can you tell us about that?
The name ‘Make Me Over Artistry’ actually came from the first line of the song Celebrity Skin, by Hole! *guitar riff “OH MAKE ME OVER” Haha.. I’ve always been a rock ‘n’ roller at heart!
When creating my logo, I told my graphic designer that I wanted it to be a mash-up, inspired by Rocky Horror Picture Show (my favourite film of all time) and New York Dolls. You can find my sticker in most Dive Bar bathrooms in Brisbane. Haha..
As for my work, it’s no secret that I love colour, a bold lip/ liner and a false lash (sometimes all at once)! I live my life bold, and in full colour and I like my work to be a representation of that. I think of myself as an artist - the face is my canvas and makeup is my medium!
Alongside high-end fashion looks and editorial work, you've found a niche working with Musicians and creating iconic looks that have featured in countless music videos, and even Album Covers. How did you break into that industry?
I’ve always been a huge music fan! Music is one of my biggest passions, probably only second to Makeup, and I try to get to local gigs to show my support as frequently as I can.
Back in 2019, I had the incredible opportunity to work on a shoot for a friend’s clothing label. The model was none other than the iconic Amy Taylor, frontwoman of global punk band sensation, Amyl and the Sniffers. After that, things just kind of snowballed.
I started reaching out to artists I admired, offering my services and it took off! There’s something really special about getting to create alter egos, and bring artist’s rock ‘n’ roll personas to life, with makeup and hairspray.
It all came full circle in 2022 when I had the immense pleasure of glamming Amy up for the ARIAS, where they received 6 nominations and took home 2 wins! Honestly, my career highlight! That night, I felt like a rock star!
As a makeup artist working across various mediums, including fashion shoots, music videos, and runways, how do you adapt your skills to suit different contexts and artistic requirements?
Years of experience has armed me with the knowledge and ability to be able to adapt in any given situation.
It always pays to be as prepared as you can going into any job, but often circumstances can sometimes mean that you may only receive mood boards and call-sheets the day before a shoot or video. Communication is always key, but remaining flexible and maintaining a positive attitude and high level of professionalism are crucial.
Having a well-stocked kit, with all of the products and tools to create any look, is a must – it’s always better to have 25 different glitters on hand and not need them. Kit condensing has saved my life, and my back. Haha..
Makeup trends are constantly evolving. How do you stay up to date with the latest beauty trends and techniques, and how do you incorporate them into your own work?
I try to attend at least one workshop every six months, online or in person. Upskilling is absolutely crucial to staying current and relevant in the industry.
Instagram serves as a constant source of inspiration and following innovative artists like Isamaya Ffrench, and pioneers like Val Garland, Alex Box and Pat McGrath keeps me forever inspired.
I’m obsessed with Fashion Week! It has remained a constant inspiration for the last 20+ years, and I am excited to be working backstage this year in Sydney!
Social Media has played a significant role in your success and growing following. How do you utilise platforms like Instagram to showcase your stunning transformations and engage with your audience?
Honestly, I have a love/ hate relationship with Social Media. On one hand, it has given me countless opportunities, that prior to the platform existing, I would have only dreamed of. On the other hand, I find I’m constantly comparing my work and myself to others, and being overly critical and overthinking before posting.
My work is so important and incredibly personal – I put my heart and soul into everything I create – so sharing it often makes me feel quite vulnerable. I’ve made a promise to myself this year to continue to share my art, and not let imposter syndrome get the better of me.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for the future? Are there any dream projects, collaborations, or destinations that you would love to explore in your career?
Look, if I could have the opportunity to get my hands on Debbie Harry’s face when Blondie Tour Australia in April, I would honestly die happy! Haha..
Working a feature film production has always been on my bucket list, and I’m currently looking into doing a SPFX and Prosthetics refresher course later this year.
I’ve got a few projects in the works, but can’t say too much just yet. There will definitely be some international travel on the cards.
In the words of David Bowie “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring’.
@makemeoverartistry
