1-215: How and when did you get started in makeup?

Tatiana: I got started in makeup in April of 2009. I was waitressing in Atlanta and the third restaurant I had worked at in three years shut down. I was getting older, hadn’t gone to school, and needed to choose a career. The economy was bad, and businesses were shutting down, and I figured that if I’m gonna do something, it might as well be something that’s artistic and something that I love and have always loved! 

2-215: What kind of makeup is your favorite to do?

T: I enjoy fashion makeup. Avant-garde, definitely.

3-215: How do you decide what your look will be on a day-to-day basis?

T: Whatever the makeup gods inspire me to do! Ha! There is no rhyme or reason, I just do whatever I wanna do.

4-215: Do you ever leave the house without makeup and without second thoughts?

T: I leave the house more often without makeup than with makeup, actually. My profession is to do makeup, the last thing I wanna do is put it on myself everyday!  

5-215: What is Beatfacehoney?

T: Beatfacehoney is my Youtube channel! ( http://www.youtube.com/user/BEATFACEHONEY ) When I originally started doing makeup, Myspace was still kind of relevant (but not really) and I noticed that there was an audience for girls who wear makeup, girls who do makeup as a profession or a hobby, and girls who like to be really creative with their application. They all had tags and aliases. I had decided to get into it myself, and I knew I needed a tag, since they all had one. On my first day working for MAC (which only lasted for 4 months, and was the only makeup store I’ve ever worked at), my best friend dropped me off and shouted “You better go beat face, honey!” I was like “hmm, I think that’ll be my name” – and it stuck! To be “beat” is a term that originated in the drag scene (which I fully support and admire for their artistry, boldness, and overall fierceness!). It means your makeup looks amazing. I’ve since moved past Myspace onto Youtube where I’m known as Beatfacehoney. On my channel I give makeup tips and do tutorials, and take requests on looks to try for my audience. I recreate celebrity looks as well as come up with random looks off the top of my head. I tell what products I’m using and why, and you literally watch me do looks from start to finish so that you can follow along.

6-215: How do you feel about the cosmetology opportunities in Philadelphia?

T: I think that there are very few opportunities to be the kind of working makeup artist that I ant to be here. There’re plenty of opportunities for mua’s that want to do beauty makeup – they usually work at salons, makeup counters, and spas. Don’t get me wrong, I do find joy in making women beautiful and helping them see a side of themselves they never thought they could achieve on their own, but I don’t particularly want to work in a spa. So there really aren’t many opportunities outside of that. I’m hopeful, though! Philly is really up and coming! More and more films are being produced here, and we have a lot of really talented artists who are doing really innovative and creative things. I have no doubt that if it keeps growing, my artistry can thrive here too.  

7-215: What inspires you as a makeup artist?

T: Other artists. Just the arts in general, really; music and fashion, and the trends that happen everywhere. And Lady Gaga.

8-215: Do you have a philosophy about makeup that you live by?

T: I do. I don’t believe that there is such thing as day or night makeup. I think there’s only good and bad makeup. You can wear whatever you want, whenever you want – glitter, red lips, whatever – as long as it’s done well. A lot of men tend to say they don’t like women who wear a lot of makeup, but that’s because a lot of women don’t know how to put it on. (Laughs) 

9-215: Any heroes?

T:Pat McGrath is my hero. She is, in my eyes, the best living makeup artist. She specializes moreso in runway and high fashion makeup, which is what I’d really love to be doing. She’s black, she’s British, she never wears a stitch of makeup, and she always wears the same outfit – all black. And she’s absolutely genius!

10-215: What has helped you grow as an artist?

T: What’s helped me grow as an artist is teaching. What I do on Youtube is teach people how to apply makeup, and I get asked a lot of questions. There are things I would’ve never even thought to figure out, but because people want to learn them, I have to learn them. I learn so much through telling people “don’t do this, and do do this” and then going back and saying “well never mind, because I did this, and it worked out okay, and here’s how I altered it to make it work this time.” 

11-215: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

T: I’d like to be either a celebrity makeup artist, or doing Fashion Week makeup in either Paris or New York, or wherever. I’d love to be working with amazing photographers, musicians, and actors also. I’d love to see my makeup in Vogue and W and Elle, someday. A baby Pat McGrath! (Laughs)

12-215: What is an unexplored territory that you would like to dive into?

T: FX makeup; prosthetics, blood and guts, the whole shebang. It’s a totally different technique, and you need a different sensibility. My focus isn’t always making someone beautiful, but it’s also not making people extraordinarily ugly, or gruesome. I’d like to try the full extreme with FX.

13-215: What has been one of the most memorable experiences for you as a makeup artist?

T:Because of my following on Youtube, going to makeup conventions in L.A. and New York, and truly being treated like a celebrity. Having lines of people who watch my videos from around the country trying to take pictures with me was not something I was expecting. Those were both very humbling and proud moments. 

14-215: Who is your dream client?

T: Beyoncé. We have similar coloring, similar eye shapes, and she keeps it blonde – and I’ve been blonde for ten years now. (Laughs) I think it’d be great to work with her, and easy because I know what looks good on someone whose skin is like mine. I have similar tastes as her, and we both love GLITTER!!

15-215: Any advice you have for young girls (or guys) hoping to try their hand in cosmetology?

T: I would say first of all it is not easy, and don’t expect to be paid big money right away. You are going to have to pay your dues, and that very well may mean working for free. A lot of people expect to come right out of school (and I didn’t even go to school for this) and get paid, but you have to constantly work and build your portfolio. You have to work with photographers you believe in (enough to constantly wake up at 8am for early photoshoots, ugh!). It’s a labor of love that will pay off in the end. And also, you can never know it all. There’s always a product or something that you don’t know about. There’s always something to learn – your work is never done.      

16-215: How would you say education affects the career of a makeup artist?

T: It depends on what kind of makeup you want to do, and where you want to do it. Most salons require that you are licensed, and definitely if you’re doing any kind of FX makeup, since there’s plenty to learn. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to go to school for makeup though. Nobody cares that Michael Jackson didn’t go to school to dance, because he can dance. As long as the end result is that I make people look good, then nobody cares. I do plan on going to school in December to become a licensed esthetician though.

FAST 5 with 215!!

(Interviewees will have 5 seconds to answer 5 totally random questions about themselves)

17-215: Favorite food?

T: Anything fried. Don’t laugh.  

18-215: One product you couldn’t live without?

T: Concealer.

19-215: Biggest dream?

T: To be a household name.

20-215: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are 3 things you would bring?

T: My best friend, a lot of water, and a radio.

21-215: Biggest celebrity crush?

T: John Mayer – weird but true! He’s so hot…

Wanna check out Tatiana's portfolio? Scurry over to www.beatfacehoney.com right now! Or, if you're interested in learning how to beat better face, check out her Youtube channel and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! http://www.youtube.com/beatfacehoney