Tania D. Russell | Makeup Artistry Career Educator

Howdy folks new and not-new! 👋🏾 It’s that time of the month again, where I introduce myself to all the new faces I’ve been seeing around here! I’m Tania, I live in sunny, crazy Los Angeles, and I am a working media makeup artist of 20+ years. As a makeup educator here in Makeup to Go land, I specialize in teaching folks who want to learn to work on the media side of the 'biz. My favorite thing about teaching is watching my students and mentees blossom in their own careers, and I'd love nothing more than to help YOU with yours! Join the mailing list (first link in Bio) and gain access to the fab Resources Library chock full o' all types of actionable info to help you elevate your career. And keep visiting me here for info, inspo, and as always, Real Talk. So tell me something about you; When it comes to lippies are you #TeamRed or #TeamNude. 😊 . . . . . . . . . #makeuptogoblog #makeupeducator #promakeupartistry #aspiringpromakeupartist #mediamakeupartists #makeupeducation #makeupcareer #taniateachesmakeupartistry

⁣ “And next up is me, the M-O-N-I-E L-O-V-E⁣ And I’m first cause I’m a L-A-D-I-E”⁣ ⁣ Well I’m not Monie Love BUT the quote still works because it is Women’s Month, AND because in this final (for now) installment of MTG’s Guide to Matching Black Skin tones we’re looking at my group: The Mahogany Fam.⁣ 🔻Pro Tip: go to the last page of the carousel to see a video comparison of a so-so foundation match and a good foundation match on me..🔺⁣ ⁣ As you probably figured out, Mahoganies are deep complexions with Red undertones. Like our Maple brethren and sistren, I wouldn’t say we are uncommon so much as we are misunderstood.⁣ ⁣ A few years back in The Before Times when we could gather socially in person, I attended a meet and greet for Pro artists to introduce us to a line of foundations. I actually already knew and loved the brand, and the artist doing to demo was a respected and established Union artist, but my face practically fell off when they proclaimed that all deep complexions have some green in them. ⁣ ⁣ *record screech*⁣#NOPE. Put some green on me and find out quick. In fact they stil foundation matched me with a shade that’s too green so be sure to go to the final page of this carousel to see a video of that.⁣ ⁣ Please know that starting any sentence with “all Black skin tones are”, “all deep skin tones are”, “all fair skin tones are”, etc. etc. is a one-way street to Fail-ville. Human skin tones are complex, and the more melanin you add to the mix the more complex it can become.⁣ ⁣ This series is most certainly just an overview. I can - and will - go on. I hope this series has provided some illumination as to the vast array of Black skin tones and why - in order to be a truly above average artist - you need to learn to recognize the differences.⁣ ⁣ As I said, more to come. If you have any questions or comments in the meantime, please hit me in the Comments or on DM.

I was recently in a Facebook makeup artist group that was purportedly for pro makeup artists and my face fell off my head when I saw some of the rates people were talking about. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fam - are we still out here talking about $50/face in 2021?! I even saw some folks talking about $25/face. 💀🪦 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This post is not intended to shame anyone, it is intended to liberate you. I don't care where in the US (or most "first world" countries) you are, $25, $50, heck even $100 a face is Not. A. Thing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ First of all, even with private clients get out of the rat race of the "per face" charge. Pros charge full day or half day or *maybe* in some cases by the hour. What if a single makeup takes 2 hours and you're charging $25/face? 😑 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Second of all, if you are going to grow a professional career in ANYTHING, you have to make money. If makeup is how you plan to make your living, you have to make a profit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The fourth page of this carousel is my real Kit Rental* that I turned in on a recent job. For that ONE JOB doing three talent I was carrying over $600 in product (this list doesn't cover everything I had. I didn't even list disposables). Heck I have a face powder on there that costs $58. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No of course it didn't cost me $600 per face to do that job but the whole point is EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. you do makeup it costs you money in product usage that you will eventually need to replace. If the cost of your services doesn't cover the cost to buy ONE product, how can you even pretend to make money?! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Need to Bootcamp A to Z to take your career from zero to Hero? Get on the mailing list 'cos we're going there in 2022. And in the short term if you join the mailing list you'll get access to the Resource Library and learn what a Kit Rental is 😉. Mailing list link in Bio. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Questions? Hit me in the Comments 👇🏾

I've literally seen websites without contact information. Not to mention without location information. Fam, private clients might be willing to go through the form and then the Calendly and then the discovery call and this that. OR some private clients may prefer to just go straight to a booking form like acuity or something. That's not how it's going to be with media clients. Someone hiring for makeup (hair/nails/wardrobe/whatever) for a music video commercial editorial or the like just needs to know where you are and they need a yes or no answer on your availability. And they need to get those answers in the quickest way possible. So even having a form on your website is risky because a lot of decision makers aren't trying to do that. Just make it easy on them – hence making it easier on yourself – and have an email address and phone number. If you don't want to put your real cell number out there on the Interwebs which I get I don't either, you can get a number like Google Voice that will forward to your phone number. But don't get disqualified at the starting line before the race even begins. Make it easy for folks to book you. 👍🏾 Pt 2 building a portfolio that books is the actual portfolio website. If you need guidance, hit the link in bio.

Your booked gigs alone is not your portfolio strategy. I’ve observed in the social media era many artists wondering why their Instagram or before and afters won’t get them certain kinds of bookings. The short answer is that isn’t the type of work decision makers in the media/creative spaces want to see, but it’s even more granular than that. What do YOU want to see? Who are YOU as an artist? And how do you articulate that to other creatives? Aye, there’s the rub! Yes, over time much of your portfolio will naturally be work you've been hired to do, and that’s important information for decision makers. But depending on where you are and what you're going after, booked work alone may not tell your full artistic story. A creative collaboration gives you the space to show range, execute a vision the way you want to execute it, and work with people who can potentially be in your corner long-term. Three reasons I keep prioritizing it: - Meet and build relationships with great teams - Define and solidify your artistic style (without a client brief over your head) - Diversify the work available to show, which can open up further opportunities Hence, even though I am 2000 years old and have been at this makeup thing for 1657-lebbin years, I still LOVE creative shoots and I prioritize getting at least a few good ones done every year. (SIDE NOTE - This strategy has also kept me from becoming “Old Makeup Artist” and being put out to career pasture…) I made a free guide breaking down how to build a Portfolio that translates not just to bookings, but the bookings you want to get. Comment PORTFOLIO26 and I'll send it to you, or grab it via the link in bio. (And don't clown me on this filter please lol. My regular wasn't available, I wasn't wearing make up, and I couldn't see that this filter added shall we say certain details until after I'd already recorded lol)

Shopping is the least important thing you'll do at The Makeup Show this weekend. The Makeup Show NYC is this weekend May 3rd and 4th — and while I’ll be holding it down here in LA, I want to talk to those of you who are going about how to actually work a trade show. Because most of y’all aren’t doing it. Because The Makeup Show is pros only and you aren’t competing with fans lined up for influencer brand drops, there is more opportunity to connect with your fellow artists and brand vendors. Here's what I would do... Pre Show: Plan both the education and which vendor booths want to hit in advance. These should be your priorities and you don’t want time overlap. ��With the education, yes, go see the product demos because Product Knowledge (PK) is important - but pretty please prioritize any business-focused education on the schedule because this is prime career time not just a shopping trip like going to Ulta. On the floor: Shop, yes - especially if you're coming from outside LA or NYC and don't have regular access to pro stores and pro discounts. But don't just grab and go. Introduce yourself to the people at those booths. This is why you want to map out your priority booths in advance because you want to start getting to know your brand vendors and having them know you. And you don't have to buy everything to learn about a product - ask for educational materials. 👍🏾 The mixers: Metropolitan Events (the organizers) sometimes partner with groups like The Powder Group for cocktail-style mixers before or during the show. Go to those. Meeting fellow artists is just as valuable as meeting vendors, and I know artists who’ve met agents at these get togethers. You can be shy later at home, go mingle! 🤗 Bear in mind I've made relationships that have lasted years from Trade Shows. I've loaded *jobs* from connecting at Trade Shows. The networking may not pay off today, but having in-person conversations with your artist community is a precious opportunity that cannot be missed. Are you going to The Makeup Show NYC this weekend? What are you most looking forward to? Tell me in the comments 👇🏾 #makeuptogoblog #promakeupartists

How consistent is your marketing, really? Not when you feel like it or when work is slow and you panic. I'm talking consistent consistent. This is where many emerging makeup artists struggle, and Fam, I know the struggle all too well. Here are Five Small Ways to up your marketing game early in Q2 so you can ball a little bit harder in 2026… 1. Be Consistent in your Outreach - Outreach is just the name of the game, my friend. Consistency is how we build our name brand so decision makers know who we are. If it feels awkward to you, fear not: the more you do it, the easier it becomes to do. 2. Be Consistent in your Focus - If you don't know what you want to do and your focus is scattered, your marketing will reflect that fact. Pick a direction and commit to it. Other opportunities will come, but you need a home base to work from. 3. Be Consistent in your Presentation - Your portfolio, your social, your website should all tell the same story. If a decision maker can't figure out who you are or what you offer within a few seconds of looking, they're out. 4. Be Consistent in your Positioning - “Know your worth" may be the mantra of social media, but your presentation has to back it up. If you're positioning yourself as a luxury artist, a client should primarily see beautiful makeup, beautifully photographed, in beautiful settings, not just before and afters in questionable lighting. 5. Be Consistent in your Follow-Through - PLEASE. Reaching out is only half the job. If someone responds and you don't follow up, or you go quiet after one exchange, any opportunity that may have existed has left the building. This is an area of weakness for me, and I can tell you that my success rate increases *dramatically* when I get it together and do my follow ups. Once your name and reputation are solidified you’ll likely not need to grind as hard (or you’ll have an agent to do it for you). But to get to that point, your consistency will always be your key. And if you want help getting any of this sorted, the Five Small Things Membership and Need to Talk 1-on-1 Strategy Sessions are both great places to start. Links are in the bio.

Let’s talk about being uncomfortable for a minute. For the past several months I have been contributing to a large-scale online education program in our industry. And unlike the courses and content I create on my own, this work was subject to full academic review. And the reviewers were analysts, college professors, longtime classroom teachers: serious education experts, not just other artists saying "yeah that looks good.” Y’all every time I pressed send on an assignment to be reviewed I was *nervous* nervous. But every single one of my lessons were accepted. I am not sharing that to brag. I am sharing it because going through that process taught me something important: I had been operating at a higher level than I was giving myself credit for. And I would not have known that if I had let the fear of being judged keep me on the sidelines. This is the thing about staying in your comfort zone. It feels safe, but it also keeps you from finding out what you are actually capable of. If there is something you have been hesitating on because you are afraid of how your work will be measured, I want you to think about that today. If you want support in figuring out your next move, I have two ways to work with me. The Five Small Things Membership is where I share actionable business guidance on a consistent basis. And if you need to think something through one on one, the Need to Talk Strategy Sessions are available for that. Both are linked in my bio. #mediamakupartist #mtgfivsmallthings #promakeupeducation

When I am reviewing the portfolio of an emerging artist who wants to work in media makeup one of two things will often emerge: either the makeup is too heavy handed and too glam for the type of work they're telling me they wanna do. Or it's not enough and it doesn't look finished on camera. As an artist who's made a career out of natural makeup for commercial photography let me tell you, you probably need more makeup than you're doing when you're trying to do "natural". BUT ALSO be careful that you aren't doing a *neutral* soft glam because that's different. Natural makeup for commercial photography - generally speaking - isn't the same type of "let me just throw on some tinted moisturizer and go to the grocery store". It is in no way actually no makeup. It's just is supposed to have the *appearance* of being no makeup. Particularly if you're largely doing beauty makeup for commercial photography which is historically what I've done. In that realm, our makeup still needs to have the finesse and the refinement of beauty makeup. So how do we do this? A lot of practice and re-training your eye. Instead of focusing online where AI images are becoming super dominant, look at agency websites and fashion magazines. That'll help develop your eye for edgier makeups as well 👍🏾 because it's not about liking or not liking – I love all makeup. Well... I don't love horror even though I respect it lol. But it's about being well rounded as an artist. Because let me tell you I've been working 30 years and counting doing clean beauty makeup. 👍🏾 And if you want to study with me and learn this technique I promise you it's coming I promise. I'm working on some local classes here in LA to start so watch this space. 👍🏾

Here's the secret...

Even if we don't call them "resolutions", it's pretty much human nature to go into a new year with new hopes and aspirations. In the best of scenarios it's easy to lose your way. And I think it's safe to say that we're not in the best of scenarios right now. The good news is if you're feeling like your goals have drifted away already, it's not too late to get back on track. In fact the vast majority of the year is still ahead of us so let's pick ourselves up and plan what we want to do to make this our best career year yet 🎉 Need a little guidance? That's what I'm all about here at Makeup to Go. Comment Q2 and pick up my Quickstart Guide to help you identify what truly matters to you and your career for this year, and start making a plan of action of how to get there. Comment Q2 and let's work on getting this year poppin'

Let's talk about the time I was booked to do celebrity men's grooming and then the day before they asked me if I could also apply six bald caps to kids? Yep this is a real thing that happened. "Scope of work" refers to what exactly is it that you are being hired to do. You must not assume that you know. You absolutely must ask questions before agreeing to a job.. Needless to say thinking you're gonna be doing grooming on one man and being asked to do bald caps on six kids is a significant change in the scope of work. This is why you need to ask the right questions before you give a rate and then once you do give a rate and you do sign contracts your contract absolutely must state the scope of work. That way you have recourse when the scope of work changes. But if you're too happy scrappy and just throw out a random number and that's it now you're stuck when the job changes. In my case I did ask the right questions, the answer just changed. But was working with a great producer and a great client they understood we re-negotiated it was totally fine. However I see stories all the time online of artists thinking they were doing one job and being roped in to something else entirely and then trying to figure out what to do after the fact. Any legit client will respect the fact that you are a professional and that you will have questions before saying yes on the dotted line. If a client runs to the Hills at the first question that you ask, that is deflection being protection. Just let them go. Do you have any stories of a job turning into something other than what you thought it was going to be? (dealing with these types of scenarios are another type of actionable skill that we help artists develop in the Five Small Things membership. Need a Confirmation Agreement for your media clients. I have that available too 👍🏾)