I Want to Be a Make-Up Artist

Professional make-up artist MeiLi Autumn hails from tropical Hawaii in the US. Since moving to Beijing in 2007, she has kept herself busy, touching up faces and giving make-up lessons. While studying East Asian Studies at Brown University, Autumn developed her stage make-up and hairstyling skills in the school’s theater department. Later, she trained at MAC cosmetics, where she worked for two years. Models, actors, brides, fashion shoots, runway shows and films fill her lengthy resume. But it’s not all glitter and lipstick. Autumn is also trained in special effects make-up. Creating blood, cuts, bruises and all things icky is just another day in office. Autumn demonstrated both her glam and gore make-up talents to the students of Harrow International School Beijing.

Tim Li, 11, China
Do you enjoy your job?
I love my job. I love making people feel beautiful and doing art. It’s very fulfilling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte Leung, 11, Hong Kong
What do you think is the best part of being a make-up artist?
It’s never boring. I always have something totally different on my agenda. I don’t sit in an office from nine to five. Every day is a different person or a different opportunity. I could be doing gashes and blood one day and then the next day, [I’m working with] a supermodel.

 

 

 

Angel Gao, 11, China
Do you think make-up is hard?
You have to be very good with people, because you’re very close to their face when you’re working on them. If they’re uneasy, you have to make them feel comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

Vivian Lo, 11, UK
Do you design the make-up or get the idea from somewhere?
I think I’m always trying to find inspiration from something. So maybe I will see it in a magazine and think "Oh, I really want to do that." Or maybe I’ll just have my own idea. And maybe I’ll create a combination of the two.

 

 

 

 

Larry Fan, 11, China
What made you choose to be a make-up artist?
I always loved to draw and paint. I was very creative. I actually went to school for something completely different, but at the end of the day, I thought "You know what? I still just want to be a make-up artist." It wasn’t an easy decision, but I just wanted to be a make-up artist.

 

 

 

Ashleigh Newbold, 11, UK
What movies have you done make-up for?
I’ve only done one full-feature movie, called Case Sensitive (敏感事件).
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katie Bilbow, 11, UK
Do you have any favorite models?
I really love Shalom Harlow. She has a really beautiful face. And some of the newer models: Do you know Kate Moss?
 

 

 

 

 

 

HeeSun Kim, 12, South Korea
Are you fashionable when you do hair and make-up?
Sometimes I just wear jeans and a T-shirt. But a lot of times, [there is]pressure to look nice, because people expect you to do your make-up well.

 

 

 

 

 

Miya Camargo, 11, UK
Do you feel as if you have fulfilled your dream or do you have other places you want to go?
That’s a good question – one I ask myself every day! I have a bigger vision. I would love to have a team of make-up artists. And then one day, to eventually start my own make-up line.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacklyn Cheng, 11, US
Do you think make-up is good for women?
I think make-up can be a really good way for women to express themselves. If your personality is bright red lipstick, wear it and flaunt it. And if your personality is not to wear any make-up, then just go with that too. Every woman is different. But for me, it’s self-expression.

 

 

 

 

HeeSun Kim, 12, South Korea
Is there a model or celebrity you want to do make-up for?
I would love to do Angelina Jolie. She has really fun lips. And I love Rihanna.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashleigh Newbold, 11, UK
Does your job allow you to travel?
Yes. I started off the year [2010] in Vancouver at the Winter Olympic Games. My client is an alpine skier and she won two Silver awards. So before she stepped up on the podium, I did her make-up. And I got to stay in this beautiful mansion. As a make-up artist, you become part of their entourage.

 

 

 

Samuel Alasdair MacRae, 11, Scotland
What’s the most important make-up you’ve ever done?
That’s a hard question, because sometimes I think [it’s] a bride on her wedding day. For her, it’s her most important day.

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Gray, 11, UK
What’s your favorite type: "blood and guts" or the glitter?
I love "pretty" make-up. I love making girls pretty. But the blood and guts is really fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Miya Camargo, 11, UK
Did you ever play tricks on your friends with make-up?
I did, but I was raised in a strict household where I couldn’t wear make-up, which is probably why I’m obsessed with it now.