While working as a consultant for Mary Kay, Londina Cruz was told she had a real aptitude for working with cosmetics.
She didn't think much of the compliment, except that she liked what
she was doing. Then she saw a television show where makeup artist Linda Seidel used makeup to conceal scars on burn victims.
"When I saw the difference that she (Seidel) made, I said, this is something I want to do," said Cruz, who also works as an accounting manager and lives in the City of Poughkeepsie. She went to school and earned her cosmetologist license, concentrating her training on the application of makeup.
Although Cruz was told there weren't any jobs in makeup artistry, she
was determined to pursue her passion. "I said, 'I'll make the jobs,' " she said.
She did, at first, by knocking on photographers' doors to introduce herself. "I said, 'I'm a makeup artist. I'm trying to build my portfolio.
I'll do a free photo shoot with you for pictures," she said.
Cruz also researched jobs on the Internet and pounded the pavement in New York City in search of work.
Success ensues
It worked. Soon she was doing makeup for actors and models being photographed for print work. Then she branched out to fashion shows, commercials, movies, videos, special effects and weddings. She also volunteered for the "Look Good … Feel Better" program, which offsets changes in peoples' appearances caused by cancer treatments.
"It changes peoples' lives," Cruz said of her work.
Aside from understanding how to use cosmetics and keeping up with new products as they come out, Cruz pays careful attention to skin care, since the skin must be properly prepared before makeup is applied to it. She also does dry hair styling.
"When someone calls me to do a photo shoot, if I also know how to do hair, that's one less person they have to look for," Cruz said.
The New York state Department of Labor reports during 2002 there were approximately 180 makeup artists (theatrical and performance-related) employed in New York, with that figure estimated to increase by about 20 positions in 2012.
Jane Butler, an instructor at the Beauty School of Middletown, which has classrooms in Middletown and Hyde Park, said professional makeup artists must complete aesthetic or cosmetology training and get licensed, which involves six to 12 months of school, plus a passing grade on the New York state boards on written problems and hands-on techniques.
Coursework may involve the study of skin care, nails, hair styling and makeup, including sanitation practices when working with cosmetics and the study of different kinds of products and how to apply them.
"There's your spa atmosphere where … the end of the day, after a whole package, you would apply makeup; there's also wedding-party application; there's theatrical application, then there's demonstration and product," Butler said.
Although students learn the technical aspects of applying makeup, which may involve small hand tools or finger work, other aspects of the job are the artistry of working with cosmetics and keeping up with new product introductions, such as mineral powders, and style trends, such as bold colors and false eyelashes.
"They apply makeup now with the air brush," Butler said, "and you can do it theatrically or every day."
Many makeup artists work as part of a production team, particularly when the work is done for a photo shoot, theatrical production, movie or television show.
Cruz said applying makeup on a client can take from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the desired effect. The job requires close contact with people and careful attention to their requests.
"When I look at a face, I don't tell the person, 'This is what you need to have done,' " Cruz said. "I ask them, 'What is it that you want me to do for you?' "
Cruz's job sometimes has her working weekends and traveling to job sites with her makeup bags in tow, but she also works by appointment in her home studio in Poughkeepsie.
"I love doing makeup, so to me, that's not really working," she said.
