We talked to Michael Anthony, Ariana Grande's head makeup artist

Espíael Make-Up Artist expert in celebrities tells us how to succeed in the industry and its experience with the pop superstar

By Tish Weinstock

Born in Frankfurt, Germany, and raised in various places in the United States for being the son of military, the truth is that Michael Anthony has always had a gift for creativity.At age six he started playing with makeup and then used to use anything that was in the bathroom to do like in a spa.From there he invented looks for his sisters, friendships and "anyone who stayed still and confused me," he says.After heating in the trade in Mac Cosmetics, he moved to New York, where he worked as an assistant for industry legends such as Pat McGrath, Diane Kendal and Mark Carrasquillo.

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Since then, Anthony has been making a name as star makeup artist to the point of collaborating with Katy Perry, Paris Hilton and Ariana Grande.He is the brain behind the characteristic shinScene– a white eyeliner with subtle red lips or - for another - create a silver circuit around the eyes next to a metallic tone mouth.

Next, the makeup artist gives us his best tips to succeed in the industry and tells us how he has managed to get so far professionally.

¿Qué elementos forjaron tu idea de belleza cuando eras pequeño?

The permissiveness, patent leather and music with synthesizers of the 80s, all the glamor of that decade greatly influenced me.Janet Jackson and his prolific makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin;the documentary in bed with Madonna from 1991 with [her makeup artist] Joanne Gair jumping from one element to another;The television series Dallas [1978 to 1991] with those eyelids and bright lips.Elizabeth Taylor's iconic violet eye shadow...And, of course, a portrait of my mother, beautiful, who was hung in the hall of the house, looking at us with her perfect nails and well -separated eyelashes.I guess you could say that all strong women in the 80s and 90s have a lot to do with my current work.

¿Qué es para ti el maquillaje?

The process of sitting and concentrating on something for me was how to meditate when I was little.I concentrated a lot, but at the same time it was like a game.Now I have realized that when I am makeup, I connect with that same energy, but at the same time it cooperate with the person I am working with.I love the satisfaction you notice in people when you feel safe, beautiful or transformed.

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Hablamos con Michael Anthony, el maquillador de cabecera de Ariana Grande

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¿En qué momento decidiste que el maquillaje iba a ser tu profesión?

If I tell you the truth, I think I have never made the conscious decision to turn it into my profession.Makeup was the result of my creativity and my way of expressing myself.I simply realized a day that I wanted to see my work in the magnary paper of the magazines and learn everything I could use the glitter, the adhesive tape, the red lipstick, the concealer or anything that could serve to transform theperson in character or in another version of herself.

¿Cuál fue tu primer gran éxito?

I have heard there that in the industry you need ’30 balls ’.I would say that one of my great achievements was when I worked on my first covers of _vogue --_ in Vogue Australia and Vogue India, twice with the fabulous, iconic Katy Perry–.I felt that I had managed to transfer the veil of success and achieve something that many people never have the opportunity to live.

¿Cuáles son tus referentes creativos?

My colleagues by profession and the creative minds that are in the queer community and in the beauty, freedom and the way they express it seems very powerful, it seems very powerful.Before I worked with many underground artists and people from the New York night scene, so see now the generation of Tiktok and people who create beauty content on Instagram also inspires me, but otherwise.

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¿Cómo definirías tu proceso creativo y tu estética?

The most important part of my creative process is to worry about using my energy well and cooperating with the person I have in the chair, which requires a lot of listening.As for my aesthetics as an artist, the phrase that I hear again and again in my head is 'give your touch', and for me that happens to do what is best, or that with which the person is most comfortable, andThen give him my own turn.I don't like the terms ‘experimental’ and ‘bream’, but they tell me a lot.I prefer to talk about satisfactory, adventurous, chillion and colorful madness.

Cuando trabajas con alguien como Ariana Grande, ¿hasta qué punto influye su personalidad en el look que creas para ella? ¿Cómo abordas el maquillarla?

She is an absolute beauty with and without makeup, and it is wonderful to deal with those delicate features.We always look for the specific project of the project between hands.He has a very recognizable look, I always like to have him in mind and then add a cool touch, such as a double eyeliner or a white graphic eyeliner.We have even made paper flowers for the eyelashes!

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¿En qué te has inspirado para crear el look del videoclip de 34+35?

For the video we create a subtle and retro look of ‘Women-Robot’, with touches in pastel pink and pearl white.We also made a robot look that required a little more creativity, so I embodied a circuit with metallic tape and studs.It was very fun to place in the eyes and then see it all on the screen.

¿Nos darías tus trucos para lograr el mejor look estilo Ariana Grande?

One thing I have learned throughout my career is that I love creating looks that amplifies the personality of those who wear them while experimenting with placement, intensity and color.This approach is great to work with fashion people, music and show.I am the uncle they call when they want to give a look a different fantasy type.

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¿Cuál es, en tu opinión, el secreto para triunfar en la industria?

Win your own effort -based site, however old or exhausting that it sounds, or ambiguous ... but time and experience in the sector is something that cannot be obtained quickly and running.I would also say that working constantly how you treat yourself, and your mental and physical health.Apart from that, find something that interests you within this business and trying to make your way beyond the ‘standard’.

¿De qué trabajo te enorgulleces más?

Of the US presidential investiture, in January 2021 [where Katy Perry performed Firework] at the Washington DC memorial.He was surreal.We were all going through moments of great sadness and being part of something so cheerful and festive was pure magic.

¿Qué importancia le das en tu trabajo a la belleza como concepto?

There are two ways to see it: it can be understood as something that we value unconsciously when analyzing someone's facial symmetry, light, color, proportion of their features, etc..It can also be something cosmetic that we apply as an external form of protecting ourselves from the hostile gaze of the outside world, so I always have it in mind when I am working.You are already looking to improve the symmetry of a person or place a protective armor with glitter and false eyelashes so that you can get on stage and do what you know, beauty can mean many different things.

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¿Y qué es para ti la belleza?

Beauty is growth.It is beautiful to see how a character grows and develops and witnessing the evolution of a person.Beauty, for me, is to be unique people, in family features that pass from one generation to another, in self -esteem and safety in oneself.

¿Qué esperas del futuro?

Have more collaborations with brands that want to form more diverse teams and change the established, not only in the study and in the makeup room, but also in development meetings and in the great creative positions.I would like the industry in general to participate in the impulse that is already being noticed and perceiving with the younger leaders who have taken the reins regarding the ways of understanding the prestige and assumed positions of creative direction.It would also be appreciated that there were more collaborations with artists from diverse origins and with different experiences.

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