The Makeup Insider
The Makeup Insider is a fortnightly one-on-one podcast exploring the life and career of makeup artists, hosted by freelance mua Vanessa Barney.. Finding your community of other likeminded mua’s – the creative, artistic, talkative, flexible, adaptable with a good eye for colour kind-of-people, can often be daunting. Like, where do you start? The Makeup Insider is designed for just that. To build a collaborative online community of artists to build their confidence, connections and help drive their career to the next level.If you’re just starting out or have been in the industry for a long time, tune in now, check out the key takeaways in the show notes and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Find Vanessa @vanessabarney @the.makeupinsider
The Makeup Insider
How Liz Tieu Transitions from the Salon Floor to Live TV.
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In this episode of The Makeup Insider, we're joined by the incredibly talented Liz Tieu — Sydney-based hairdresser and makeup artist — as she shares her inspiring journey from studying business to becoming a powerhouse in the styling industry.
Liz takes us behind the scenes of her career transformation: from eager apprentice to salon owner, and from backstage glam to TV screens across the nation. With a salon full of loyal clients, a growing online presence, and a portfolio that includes working on shows like X Factor, Liz proves that with determination and heart, anything is possible.
We chat about:
- How a single DM turned into a career-defining opportunity
- The daily hustle of running a busy salon and juggling creative projects
- Her mentors and the pivotal advice that shaped her path
- What it’s really like working behind the scenes in TV production
- Finding harmony between a fast-paced career and family life
Whether you're just starting out or deep into your own beauty journey, Liz’s story is a powerful reminder that your big break could be one message away.
Makeup Career Journey and Training Experience
Speaker 1Hi and welcome to the Makeup Insider . I'm your host , vanessa Barney , makeup artist , hairdresser , educator and all-round beauty junkie . If you've ever felt lost or lonely in your makeup career , this podcast is for you . I'm here to interview makeup artists and other industry professionals , to give guidance and be the mental I needed earlier in my career . It's a new episode every Tuesday . Don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss a trick , and if you like what you hear , please rate and leave a comment . I hope you enjoy . Today on the Makeup Insider , I'm joined by Sydney hairdresser and makeup artist , liz Teo . Thanks for being here , liz . Hey , lovely to be here , thank you . Do you want to start by introducing yourself to the audience and just tell them predominantly what you do day by day , week by week , in your job ?
Speaker 2Yeah , so I'm mainly based in Sydney now and I own a small salon , boutique salon that has three chairs , two basin , in a suburb that's next to the Harbour Bridge on the other side of the city , in Willoughby , and I'm there from Tuesday to Friday mostly , but then the rest of the week is either photoshoots , admin or when I'm booked on TV . That would just be constantly beyond TV . But day to day it's pretty consistent of being in salon from a certain time between Tuesday and Friday , and then a few weddings and yeah .
Speaker 1Cool , so a bit of a mix .
Speaker 2That's why it's hard to know down what it is . Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 1So , and where ? What is your Instagram tag ? How can people find you ?
Speaker 2So I have an older Instagram account that mainly is a . I like to treat it as like a gallery of work and it's by Liz Teo . So BYLIZERTEU and I have a smaller one for my salon account , and I want to . I want them to be separated because I want the salon account to be celebrating normal women every day and it's not just all flashy , beautiful images and I mean , it's still beautiful , but you know more for salon work .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , all right , let's go back to the beginning , where it all began for you . How long have you been ?
Speaker 2a hairdresser .
Speaker 1I look that young , but I'm not that young . You do look young . How long have you been a hairdresser and how long have you been a makeup artist ?
Speaker 2So because I just always had to think at my age point that I left Vietnam when I was 18 , so that is like 22 years ago . That mean that I start hairdressing 21 years ago .
Speaker 1Amazing , yeah , and when did you come into makeup ?
Speaker 2I'd say 10 to 11 years . Yeah , kind of don't count it anymore . Once , when you really like it , you really love it too . You kind of just passed the five years survival .
Speaker 1I like that . The five years survival . I love that .
Speaker 2So let's talk about how it began for you as a hairdresser leaving Vietnam and coming here , yeah , so I actually , my mum sent me to New Zealand to study business and I completed my diploma in business and everyone would think that I would continue that path until I was asked to be a practical model for my friends to blow dry my hair . And I got to the academy and I thought , oh my God , there was this girl . She's really tall , she's a chance and she has her hair done beautifully . And she was like trotting down the runway in the academy in Crazy in Love by Beyonce and I was like , oh my God , I don't want to wear no more clothes going to office every day . This is the life I want .
Speaker 1Amazing , how excited , yeah . So you went there to be a model , and then you ended up becoming a hairdresser .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I was like mum , I don't want to be a do business anymore , I want to be a hairdresser . And for a good five years my mum never told my family , even my grandma , what I was doing , because she was like I could actually just send you to somewhere in Vietnam to learn that not overseas , ah , okay . But yeah , you know , I stuck around and she really I mean she said it to me now so I can say it is her word she's very proud of what I've done .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah . So when you did your hairdressing , did you do an apprenticeship or did you do like one of those courses ?
Speaker 2So I did a one year course first in New Zealand it's a two years course , yeah , and I was . There was a two very dominant , like there's only two academy that I remember now it's Cut Above and Seville's and then I went through one and I decided to work as apprentice in a very big salon . But that path was a bit slow for me . I always knew that I need to start earning and I don't want to sweep the floor by fan . We actually have to wash the foil and tidy it and like clean the foil for the next day . So I don't want to start doing this forever .
Speaker 2And I also actually saw someone that was . She was around 23 , 25 and she was a senior hairdresser and she earned really well and I was like dad I was 22 at the time . So to be like her , I cannot be on the floor sweeping floor for the next 10 years . So I decided to fast track and went back to Seville's and do the second year and work with Seville's and work up from there . So I'm not . I didn't go through the apprentice .
Speaker 1Okay , it sounds like you still did a fair few years training .
Speaker 2Yeah , but also so long story short when . So when I did that actually long story , seville's had . Seville's is a very well known Academy training hairdressers for New Zealand and in fact , like a lot of my friends in college that I know now in the industry , that's very . I can name a few , but they were trained in Seville's and they had six salons that recruits graduate and basically they handpicked the best to be working for them . So that was how we fast track If you got chosen to work at Seville's , you get going through another training system , just like if you work for Tony and Guy . They will retrain you and you work on the floor until you're a junior and then you build up and being seniors . So that I went through that way , okay , after graduating for two years .
Speaker 1Okay , so how many years training do you think you did ?
Speaker 2So two years training and hairdressing and then when to work in Seville's , and I took six months to complete their course . It's all came down to how much practice you can do , how many models you actually get in there and do it and get signed when you passed . So , yeah , I could say I was pretty determined to finish it .
Speaker 1No , no . You seem very determined and really entrepreneurial very early in life , Would you agree ?
Speaker 2My mom would say differently , because I study business but when I finished as like training as hairdresser , I never wanted to open my own salon . So , that's my non-entrepreneur , because I just want to do these creative like you know , clown , nine kind of level and moms like , just are you going to start earning money ? And like having concrete Monday to Saturday job , and I was like no , I don't want that responsibility . So I thought maybe I'm not entrepreneurial .
Speaker 1Oh no , I think , I think from when you said that you looked up at the girl who was like 25 and she like , oh , she's earning really good money . I want that to be me . So to me I was like , oh , she's so entrepreneurial , so early .
Speaker 2Yeah , but you know also that the level of the confidence that she has as a young senior stylist get me thinking . I was like you know , I'm 22 and I'm just starting because hairdressing , won't you agree ? Hairdressing and makeup artists started very young and I started at 18 and consider a little bit older at the Academy already .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , I know what you mean . Yeah , hairdress is . I mean , I started hairdressing at 17 .
Speaker 2So , yeah , I know , you can start in New Zealand . You can start at 15 , 16 . So I was 18 when I started and I was like how long is that going to take me to be a seniors ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , and the pay is pretty , pretty sad . As an apprentice , yeah . Did you do any talking about ?
Speaker 221 years ago , though , oh yeah .
Speaker 1Yeah , I think mine . I think mine was . I started in 1997 and the pay was $177 a week . So anyway , did you do any competition work ?
Speaker 2Yes , I had enter , it was just we just have to when and at the time when I was young . I think back about my career path now and I thought I did want to make a name for myself , but then I used to think , oh God , listio is not a good name for award , it's so short and it just doesn't have a ring to it . I enter a few , I've got a few , but the trophies are in New Zealand and one to do with L'Oreal color trophy back in . You know , l'oreal color trophy is huge , huge thing and because Seville's really encourage all the artists to own desks , their employees to enter . We were nurture from being junior , being helped with senior artists and then , just , you know , encourage to enter very early on . But I never enter . Weller , I don't think .
Speaker 1Yeah , that one came a bit later . I thought so when did you end up in Australia ?
Speaker 2Australia in 2012 . Okay , yep , god , yeah , 2012 . So what is that now ? That's 12 years , yeah , wow .
Speaker 1Yeah , so how did you end up in Sydney ?
Speaker 2So , living in New Zealand , I never wanted to travel to Australia because when you are in a small pond and you hear about great thing across the ditch and you're like what if I go ? And I really like it and don't want to come back . So I never wanted to go . And then one day , well , my husband moved here for work first and I went and stayed with him and he put me in this very nice Mariton apartment in Sydney and I was like let's move here . On the first trip , 10 days in Sydney , I'm like let's move moving .
Speaker 2So yeah , but because also the time of our life , that time my daughter was three , my career was at a bit of a standstill because Seville was the best salons in New Zealand but I was off with having my daughter never really came back full time because I really enjoyed being a mum and I also I think I hit a bit of a creative block that I don't know what else I want to do and I know that I don't want to do hair as much as I love it , not seven days a week and not seeing improvement progression .
Speaker 2So , yeah , so we move . And Sydney is just because it seems to have a better opportunity and bigger , and beaches , and I love the hot weather ?
Speaker 1Yeah , because New Zealand would have liked Melbourne , right .
Speaker 2Yeah , and everyone's like oh , you'll love Melbourne . And I do love Melbourne , but I love to visit Melbourne , not live in Melbourne .
Speaker 1Yes , fair enough . So talk to me , tell me what you did when you got to Sydney . What was your first work ?
Speaker 2Yeah , so , yeah . So I fully .
Makeup Artist Recommendations
Speaker 2Before I left for Sydney I asked Paul Seville's , who owns Seville's . And I was just saying to Paul you know I'm going to Sydney , do you have any salons ? You recommend me to go . And we're very lucky because Paul , in the industry he's so well known , seville's name is so well known , that I come here .
Speaker 2And I went to Brett in a Gossy Murphy and I said to him look , I've just been recommended to come here and I don't know anyone . He said you know , I trust his recommendation . I don't have anyone , I don't need anyone right now , but my mate , stevie English in Bondi . I might need someone . So I went to Stevie English , had a trial and work with the team . I love the team . I still am in contact with Stevie and actually have my best friend you know a few of my best friend from that time worked there . Then I , then a few things happened and then I decided to work freelance because I live on this side of the bridge , because we choose this side , green leafy , similar to New Zealand , but I work in Bondi and my daughter was three at the time . So back and forward and no one . We have no family or relatives here still , it's just impossible . So I made that decision to go freelance and , yeah , never look back . Wonderful .
Speaker 1When did you ? When did makeup happen for you ? When did you start doing makeup ?
Speaker 2I think I have always dabbled into makeup , even when I was at the Academy , because we have a few units that we had to do photo shoot , so we do all the hand styling , and then I also decided to do makeup for my model . So I love that , but more so when I'm working with CV English and he does a lot of photo shoots and he get everyone involved in the whole process and then I start doing makeup and then I just collecting makeup . I have always loved makeup , but I start collecting products and play with it and , having given the chance to do it , and one day I just say to my friend who is a makeup artist I'm like do I really need to go back to school and get this qualification ? Because I can see I'm doing both . But what if I'm being asked for my qualification ? And she said to me well , you're already doing it .
Speaker 2Why do you want to go back to school and get the qualification ? Unless you want to take on special effect work in TV ? There's a few skills that you need . I said no , I don't see me doing that .
Speaker 1So then like , yeah , Awesome , I can't remember what I was going to say . So you decided to go freelance . Had you done any freelance work or made contacts or anything Before that ?
Speaker 2Yeah , oh sorry , how did I make contact ? It was really scary , but at the time , again , because of my family situation , I'm very lucky that my husband is fully support me of doing whatever I needed to do , preferably not too busy that I can't look after our young Stella back then . So I didn't have the pressure of working full time . And , funny enough , I actually approached the head of hair for X Factor at the time through her Instagram . Instagram was so new , but I've seen that I've just clicked a few click and know that she's the one that was doing X Factor . And funny enough it was because now , thinking back , it's all thanks to Dami .
Speaker 2I was watching X Factor and I can see my Asian representation . She's doing so well and she looks so great . Her voice is amazing . So I start looking and I was like who does her hair ? Who does the makeup ? And click , click , click , click . And then I DM head of hair and I said you know I really love what you're doing and you know if you are looking for hairdresser , I love to work with the team . And she replied I try out . And I made a lot of my friends during that time . We all worked together .
Speaker 1Ah , cool .
Speaker 2And X Factor is so long ago , right , but yeah , that's the start of my TV career .
Speaker 1Really so . That's where it all began for you .
Working in TV and Hairdressing Adventures
Speaker 1So when you were working on that team , were you working full time or just during , like additional ?
Speaker 2I was employed pretty much full time , which is pretty rare for the first season , because I was told that a lot of us working on experience first and I was like I'm a mum , I can't really afford full seasons of experience . You know that's been my full time job .
Speaker 1But also , I think hairdressers are harder to come by , aren't they in the TV world ?
Speaker 2Because , yeah , because if you are working in salon , you have to be in salon . You can't do it , or it's . That would have been fun . But you know , I think back . I don't know how I don't . I didn't have any fear of asking , maybe because , like I said , I'm lucky that it's not that I have to make a certain amount a week . I also have a bit more flexibility because my daughter was at daycare . The problem is only if she's sick or anything that I have to go and get her . But I also think , well , nobody knows me . It doesn't hurt to ask someone that doesn't know me . My face value saying no to me on Instagram .
Speaker 2That's good that you didn't have any fear I mean I do , but because I was just like , well , worst case , they say no .
Speaker 1Yeah , true . So what come after that for you ? What else have you worked on ?
Speaker 2I hate this part because I never remember what I do . And then my agent was like you know , you gotta go right down , maybe like year to year , what do you do , oh my god , and actually turn out you know when you do that it feels very good about yourself .
Speaker 2But then I'm like , oh my god , I actually do that . So I work on the voice as well . Australia got talent Bachelor Bachelorette . What else ? The biggest gig that I'm a head of department for was Australia Eurovision , australia Decide , which I got you work on as well , and I work on , I think . Show me the movie with Roe McManus , a few other shows and actually another shows that I sat much earlier on was I don't think anyone remember it , but one of my clients that's still coming to me from that show . She's bringing Sexy back . So she like she found me because I did a . I was responsible for her color change as part of the reveal and to remember the color that's like five years down the track she found me and I was like , oh my god , it's just been coming to me ever since . I love that . I love you know it makes you feel like you made a different .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , so we met . Oh yeah , how did we meet ? Because I was thinking about so there was , you're in Melbourne and With Mal and Bernicole , yeah , with Mal and Bernicole , and it was some Swachkov thing .
Speaker 2Yes , it must be one of those . Yeah , with Grant . With Grant must be Swachkov , because , yeah , mal would have got me on that .
Speaker 1Yeah , so was Mal like head of makeup or something ? And then she , yeah , and then you were there too , and then I don't know how , I think someone gave my number , I think someone gave put my number on to Mal and then , yeah , I met you in Sydney , just that once , and then we kept in contact , work wise , and then you asked me to do Eurovision on the Gold Coast .
Speaker 2I know it's like wild , it's like to go because instead Wild .
Speaker 1How fun .
Speaker 2Do you know you go yeah , no , no , I'm just saying because I think I don't have a very good memories . But when I do have a connection with a person , whether you know , I come with faith , value always and with a work ethic . I mean , some someone said to me , and it stuck with me , that a lot of people can do hair , but not a lot of people that have that people skill and also would make up the same thing . So your face to face with someone you're in this small space for them is how you make that person feel before they go on their wedding , their show and they have to put on their persona . That's how I choose my artist that work with me , you know , and also how we work together . We're not competing with each other , which is here for the same goal . So that's how I remember people .
Speaker 2Oh , I'm flattered , thank you , I mean of course it's their skills as well , you know , no , no .
Speaker 1I think that's really nice , because for me , I'm really about really genuine people as well , so that means a lot that you say that . But anyway , how did you end up with the gig of Eurovision ? How did you end up as head of department ?
Speaker 2Yeah , so Eurovision . How did that happen ? I met Dami after she won't expect her , and we talk about this quite often because we're like did you do my hair make up on expectors ? And I'm like , no , I met you after , but I voted for you . And then , so I first did Dami's make up for her first Aria debut Aria award . And then she said we seem to get on really well . She keep calling me back and I work with Dami . So that was 2015 , so 2016 . I still remember we work together very closely now . She's very popular , was very popular and very busy at that time . And then she called me and she sing an Abba song I can't sing , so I'm going to say the word . She's like what's that song ? I said all over the world tonight . And then I was like what are you traveling over the world ? Are you going to Eurovision ? And she's like I don't know . And then I'm like , oh , my god , fucking , I'll get . I'm sorry , I just swear . Then , but I was like please take me , I'm coming . So we did .
Speaker 1I'm sorry , you just cut out for a second , so where did you ? Get cut out . It cut out .
Speaker 2You were singing the song , so she told you so she told me yeah , it hint in a song because there was speculation that she's going to go on Eurovision . But you know , dami , never tell me everything until it happened so yeah , yeah yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2And then and I was like , oh my god , oh my god , you are going to Eurovision . And she's like da , da , da . And I'm like , oh my god , am I coming ? Am I coming ? So you know , I was the first , and pretty much the only the first that year in the four Australia someone bringing their own hand make up person , because Eurovision has a big budget and lots of sponsorship from hair company and make up company , so they use the whole MAC team and the whole swatch cough team , so I'm the only one like following Dami everywhere .
Speaker 2So after that , the head of delegation for Eurovision in Australia is now a very good client of mine , paul Clark . He saw my potential , he saw how I work with Dami and my work and , you know , has been really kindly , I think , a lot of it . If you ask Paul , he will say very nice thing about me , which I'm flatter , but I think he just say that I deliver , I care , I really do care and yeah . So people , just again , you just have to get your foot in the door , you show that you're committed and you your work ethic and you show up amazing , amazing .
Speaker 1That cut out again , but I think it's been recorded , but I got the gist of what you were saying . Paul was a client and he trusted you and he asked you to do the job , basically , and yeah , so that was the first , your first sort of one , that you headed up . So how many ?
Speaker 2I can't remember how many of us there were , how many artists wait so artists as in , like us , all the candidates no , us make up , because we did hair the first year as well yeah , I think I've got up to six plus me , yeah , and then we had some students as well that's right , see I , because I did the two years with you and the second year we had Moroccan oil , we had Pete .
Speaker 1I just they wanted , they kind of can't remember which was what and then I think the next are you still doing it ?
Speaker 2I know COVID affected no , I think they don't . They decided to not having the Australia Eurovision , australia decide version anymore and just go straight to the public vote and jury decide for who represent Australia okay , okay .
Speaker 1So when you went overseas with Darmie , where did you guys go to ?
Speaker 2we were in Stockholm and that was my first European country , really 26 hours away later and how long were you there ?
Speaker 2for I was there for two weeks straight and now thinking back , like the moment that the so the day it finishes . The next day we all flew out of Stockholm and that was the first moment when I thought to myself I should have actually extended another week and see Europe . But I flew straight back , also because my daughter was so young at the time . I can't believe I left her for two weeks . That was the first time ever leaving her with my husband for two weeks .
Speaker 1He's still working well , she's , she's , he must have done okay yeah , she's the vibe I'm can fish yeah , I'm can fish when it comes to the looks for what you created for Dami for that , how so ? Who came up with the looks ? Is it ? Was it a like a collaboration between star a stylist yourself , dami ? Can you remember the process ?
Speaker 2yeah . So Dami is very loyal . Once you find someone that you know she worked well with and she's very creative , she comes up away , come up with something new . She always want to try new things and she have one of those faith in the amazing body that she could actually put on anything . That's you know . But Heather was her stylist at the time and Heather had pulled together a lot of amazing clothes . So I actually like to go with the styling and then I have a few looks that I know she looked great in and then I'll just change it up . But when we were in Stockholm , dami was traveling without , without Heather , so I was pretty much her hair makeup friend .
Speaker 2Wardrobe , yeah . Dress carrier , yeah . Fan girl , yes . But it's fun though , it's like , I love it . I just did it . Today I went to my friend's house and my friend just went through surgery and you know she's like I just don't feel like I look good in any of my clothes anymore . So I'll come over and we'll go through your clothes and , you know , go through each of it and sell , throw , keep it's just great . So I did the same for Dami and you know , on the day we were like what should we wear for this occasion because also the event is there for two weeks , there's main dresses for the event , but also there's a lot of side events , so she had to decide the look and what she's wear for that too . So we just decide what's appropriate and go from there cool .
Speaker 1And what about with the ? When you were the head of department for Eurovision , did you come up with the looks or the looks ? Then I know you did actually , because I was there . Yeah , yeah , do you want to talk me through that process ?
Speaker 2yeah , so I did . And Eurovision you've worked with Eurovision team before and you know that is like nothing else we have the scale here for for television . It's so extra . So I want to bring in how to say my aesthetic is always , you know , minimal and then throwing something . I'm not just throwing everything at once . So I was just . I had I always had meeting with the artists to see where they want to take their creative . And then I have meeting with the you know , we have meeting with every department and to see where they want to take this performance . And and then my , my small part of hand makeup is very small comparing to everyone else in that machine and then I would have a few looks proposing to the , to the director and and creative director , and then they will say yes or no , but usually is a yes , that's good .
Speaker 1That's good , and how long does that process take you ?
Speaker 2yeah , so here here the honest truth if I am going to be involved in the big show again and to choose between just turn up and create and to or manage a team and going through the all those meeting are probably choose to just turn up because it takes months , hundreds of emails unseen , work back and forward and you are including included in every email . Oh , there's a lot like even with the light changing . Or like we have a car on stage but the next day , no , we can't have the car , we have fire , the dress that's just gonna have fire , so your hair can't have down , but the next day , no , fire , you can have it down . You know , like all these little things so a lot of admin .
Speaker 2Okay , I get you , I hear you but I love that , but I love that . That's probably I think it's like also the next progress of your career , if you choose to go there .
Speaker 1Hmm , so you've done a lot of work in television shows , so maybe live TV a lot , yeah , yeah . I love life to you . Yeah , um , I love you . Worked in other areas as well , like shoot commercial .
Speaker 2Okay , yeah yeah , so I'm . I was also a hit of hair for husk , which is a American hair natural brand that sponsor for the actor awards . So every year I would be leading a team a smaller team but actually involving a lot more than just doing hair . So I don't have to come up with the look for the talents because they just turn up on the day , but I need to have a team that understand all sorts of hair , know how to do for have that last all day red carpet , but also be able to answer to media with any question that they have for the looks and predicting look for the red carpet .
Speaker 1On behalf of husk oh fun , yeah , that's where . I met Melissa Leon good , yeah , you look up to Melissa when she's in town . Yeah , yeah , yes , so was that recently . When did you do that , I feel ? Like the last three years yeah , yeah , I can remember seeing it on Instagram . What is , what's the awards ?
Speaker 2which awards is it ? So that's the actor awards . Is the Australian actor ? Yeah , award for film and TV ? I think I'm pretty sure . Yeah , more yeah , film and television . So the areas is for music and I don't know what's the equivalent from the actor with , because the American has so many whether Grammy yeah you know , yeah , one of those for television yeah , and do they have , like another person , other people , taking care of makeup for that ?
Speaker 2yes , yes , cool , leanne what's her last name ? She's been doing it so many years and I have a few story like great backstage story as well , but maybe it's fun . It's like a different world to what I'm used to . So I would say that I I'm used to doing a lot of music musician , singer and talents and then you know actor and actresses . I get to see them once a year . I don't watch a lot of TV and , to be honest , I only get time . I have time to watch the TV . I'm actually involved in doing it , yeah yeah , I'm like who's who's ?
Speaker 2buzz lemon . That's funny . They actually asked me to touch up his hair at backstage and I was just still pinching myself , like hell is like to do a bit of research , this thing down . He's the loveliest person and everyone introduced him just just bars and I'm like okay no , I think that's great .
Speaker 1I think because he's just a person anyway , after all , and you know , that's yeah but , I , was also it was at the areas with rebel Wilson .
Speaker 2Elsa was there , and who else like who and who ? Everyone . But again , the question that everyone asked me who's the celebrity I'm ?
Speaker 1I don't know , because there's just people to me yeah , yeah , I hear you and I think that's really important actually , I think that's really good advice . Actually , what you're sort of saying without saying it is they just you just obviously have no clue who these people are , which is completely fine , so you just treat them like normal people , which they love , because my , I just think my job is not make a big deal , because that is such a it really is such an intimate space and they .
Speaker 2I feel like if I , if I were in that situation , I would like to be as much as myself as possible and not being asked to take selfie . I'm not being asked , I don't know . Funny question , just leave me alone , my like my corner so I can learn my lines yeah , yeah , yeah , no , definitely , definitely .
Speaker 1Um , now you are ripped by an agent . Yeah , yeah , have you . Is this the first time you've been rep ? To be been rep ?
Speaker 2before . I was aligned with another agency before and I'm still . I'm in a very good space with Jodana , who I was with before . The way I approach the agency is very different . I use the thing that's really important to be represented by agency , and it might be still be for a lot of people if you want to work in glossy magazine , if you want to work in and if you're not confident in reaching out and have contact . But for me , because I have a salon , I have a established client that I work really hard for , I I only sign an agency agreement when it's benefit both of us . Yeah , and and it's . I say this with great intention . That is the one that I signed with was based on a religion , shit , not what they promised me , because they can't promise me more than what I'm already doing . It's just a trialing out and and see where it go , mm-hmm . So yeah , is it the concierge agency ? Yeah , the concierge .
Speaker 1Yeah , I love the girls there yeah , I mean I I've had an email actually about doing a job when I was living in Melbourne for someone and they were delightful . They were so lovely . Now you also do . Do you like online stuff ? What is it called on Instagram ? Do you do anything any ? Is it influencey , influencey kind of stuff ? I don't know if you could . You do lots of stuff online , you're so good at ?
Speaker 2yeah , are you ? Are you asking me , are you ? Do you want to call yourself influencer or content creator ?
Speaker 1that's it . Concurrent creator . I couldn't find the word , couldn't find the word , I don't care . You've influenced me , so influence you would you call yourself a concrete content creator .
Speaker 2Yes , in a way that it's what's the word , it's validate what I do . But I don't do that because I want to say that I'm doing it from the professional point of view .
Speaker 2And offer what I know in a bit more . What's the word I'm trying to find ? I want so okay . So if I'm looking through tutorial video online , I hate long video . I hate people starting with a long story . I watch something very snappy , something very catchy , and that's what I produce . And if it sends someone to find a good product that suits them , it's create a bit of attention , it's create brand awareness . I'm happy and I didn't want to do a lot of pay posts . I still say no to a lot of pay posts because I don't want it to limit what I can say . So , yes , in a way , I'm influencing . No , in another way , I'm not fully influencing , because that's not my full-time job and I'm relying on it .
Speaker 1Yeah , Okay . So it's kind of like you like doing it yeah .
Speaker 2I like doing it and I think the more you do it , the more natural you become . And I have a lot of people asking me and telling me , you know , and I encourage my makeup friend and my hair friend to do it all the time because they were like , oh you know , I have content , I put it , I do this and that , but I don't know if I want to put it up , just do it . Yeah , at the end of the day , you critic your own videos the most . I do it , I post it . I do not look at my video again . I do not look at statistic , because what I think best feedback is when people de-game you and talk to you .
Speaker 1And I have that a lot , and that's enough I love that . I love that . Liz , that's great advice With the agency you're with , what sort of work do you do through them ?
Speaker 2So the agency , again , the concierge , is very , very different to other agency because Danielle thrives on production . She has the whole team actually producing campaign and brand awareness . So they are doing a lot of what would I call it I don't know the technical term but the whole creative process . So having someone in-house is very useful to be able to just say to the client you know , I have the right person and I know that she wanted to stay with small and stuff , which is me , and then we now have Steph and Victoria Anderson . So it's a very small team and I like that . We , even though we slightly compete with each other , we are very different . So then I know that my interest is not going to be compromised . In a way , I don't want to be just another number .
Speaker 1Yeah , and you do makeup with them , both hair and makeup .
Speaker 2Both hair and makeup .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah Cool . Before we jumped online , we were talking about being a self-trained makeup artist and I know I've heard recently from somebody that , no , I have to do a course , because if I don't do a course then I'm not going to be a makeup artist . Being a self-trained makeup artist yourself how has that ever bothered you ?
Speaker 2Yes , at the beginning Because I worried that I don't know enough and I still don't know enough , but I know that I can . If I can't get their straight line , I can go then a long way and that's a downside of self-taught . But if you just you know , if you keep getting at it probably not on your celebrity client , but if you keep practicing on other people , you'll get that . I think the main thing is , I say to my younger assistant is that you've got to be hungry enough you know and try to learn everything . They have so much information these days to actually be learning from . And I'm still learning from internet , from social media , so that's that is my upside . I learned from all source continuously , so that's what learning from Academy won't teach you . Yeah , because a lot of school is still sticking to format of the old steps and products and products is continuously improve and changing and that's the perks of me being receiving a lot of new product to try out .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , yeah , I agree , I don't think you need to do a course to be a makeup artist , especially now , but you know , yeah , but you know I also think I decided much earlier on that I don't want to do special effects .
Speaker 2Yeah , Don asked me to do Halloween makeup . Unless it's glitter , I'm the most quiet makeup artist doing Halloween and Madagascar .
Speaker 1Yeah , I have to say I'm not into how I thought I wanted to do special effects and then I went and learned to and I'm like what are you doing ? I only want to make people pretty . I'm not interested in putting my third eye on it ?
Speaker 2Yeah , because there's also , you know , those question , that there's a few questions you want me to look through , and who's inspired me on my Instagram and social and I look actually is a big variety . However , the main people are still editorial , beautiful precision , makeup and making people look beautiful . I look at the people that make you know transformation and I was like , yeah , it's good to look at , but where do we go from there Once you don't walk out looking like that to the product sell , but for what , though ? Do you know me Like ? There's only a small market for it and those people master that market and grateful them , but we don't need to have hundreds of you know amazing transformations .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah yeah , who does inspire you ? Like which makeup artist ?
Speaker 2Oh my god , so everyone's talking about Pat McGraw right Right now the runway . Oh my god , oh goosebumps . Have you seen the Mason Mojela ? No .
Speaker 1Let me look now .
Speaker 2Okay , so have a look .
Speaker 1So is it on Pat's page or is it on Mason's page ?
Speaker 2Yes , it's finally on Pat , but it was also because it's Mason Mojela , but it is John Galliano , so he is couture d'or before and so his direction of fashion couture is just so exciting . So the makeup is like I . Before she name it , I was like it looks like a AI postlin doll . Oh , really , I haven't seen this Like how do you walk down the runway looking like AI ? Oh , is it this one ? It's perfection . Oh my god , it's perfection . Like that face , that wax , the wax on the skin . What is that ? What ?
Speaker 1does she do ? It actually looks like a mask Doll , yes , like a wax doll , yeah , wow , that is amazing . I haven't seen that .
Speaker 2I know so if you go on to Pat's page .
Speaker 1By the time this comes out , people probably seen it .
Speaker 2Wow .
Speaker 1Yeah , you know . I'm like yes , wow , that's incredible .
Speaker 2So you know those moments is like yes . And she must be like oh , my god , I got , oh , but what is on top ?
Speaker 1I know , I know what you're saying . What is on top the shine ? It honestly looks like she's put masks on everybody .
Speaker 2So you know . But you know we look at it now we're like , okay , there's so much layer because that contouring it , all that layer on underneath before she put a blanket of thing on .
Speaker 1I'm going to go on to talk about . I'm going to go on to study that later .
Speaker 2Yes , I think we're all going to try to create it . And then I like Nikki Wolf . Have you heard of her ?
Speaker 1Yeah , nikki make up , so her .
Speaker 2Instagram is Nikki make up . Yeah , yeah , yeah , I know Nikki the British make up . And then James Muloy I actually learned I had to workshop with him three hours in a flew to Perth to see him and who else ? But then I like , also like , mae Pang . Her Instagram is Microsoft . She's the one that have no hair and she's just like paint with brush and it's just incredible .
Speaker 1What's her page called ?
Speaker 2at Mac M M E . I cross off like Microsoft but Microsoft .
Speaker 1Oh , I have to look for her later . Yeah , I'll send you a . Send you this list .
Speaker 2And then , and then there's Patrick that you know , the . I mean , it's not that he he was the word , it's not that he invented doing powder and then cream blush , but just become a thing . And now I have to have all his makeup .
Speaker 1I mean , his blush is a beautiful . They really are beautiful . I know he just marketed and cream right . He marketed it as a product Speaking of which ?
Speaker 2are you a powder fan or cream cream ?
Speaker 1Yeah , me too , me too , but I do love our glass blushes . Oh is that ? This is that part .
Speaker 2Right , yep , this color I would never reach for Get on there Tiny bit .
Speaker 1Look at that , it's amazing , yep . This is got a beautiful blush on and the color is quite vibrant , would you say .
Speaker 2Yeah , really vibrant and yeah , blush without caution , I got used to her blushes , but I've read a lot about them .
Speaker 1People love them .
Speaker 2Yeah , but I can't , I can't depot . Oh yeah , you can . You can if you break enough to break this . I don't know how much they are .
Speaker 1Yeah , oh , that's your product . Oh , you got a question , you go .
Speaker 2I have a question . You are decant or depart , as in like what do I say ? Yeah , no , do you ? Sorry what I'm trying to say ? You like depot them into different pan or you just take them out and put in the new . Like do you downsize ?
Speaker 1your kit . Yeah , I do downsize my kit , but I downsized every single eye shadow I owned and I put them into those shadow Bibles and I actually hated them . I never , ever , reached for them , because they just look like they belong to a five year old child because they got so dirty and dusty . I did that too . I think we did it at the same time , and now I've thrown them out with the move because I'm like I was gonna like , yeah , I'm gonna , you know , make them look good and I'm just like the actual packaging is kind of what inspires me . So I leave my eyeshadows in packaging , but not blushes and stuff . How about you ? I just noticed you've got yours there .
Speaker 2Oh no , this one I just made especially for my mom and my sister because they're coming , but also , this is what they this is the leftover of my depotting . But I thought , instead of them trying my , my sister is mom of one and a half . Two is coming and my mom just know one color she would use . So I was like , well , why don't I just like get a little palette for you so you don't have to have all the color you would ever use , whatever you would need as a present and in this little thing , so you don't have to have a hundred product that you use only one color you know do you ?
Speaker 1How do you feel about your depotting decanting situation ? Do you like it ?
Speaker 2I . So I went through that . So I , you know , we went through the stage of like pressing and changing and making it all uniform in a different palette . And I look at them for a year and I don't reach for them because I don't know what brand they are . I don't know . Yeah , it doesn't inspire me anymore . So I've used , I've also get sent a lot of products which is accumulate over time and it looked really mismatch .
Speaker 2So this month I've done oh my God , I had to show you , if you want to see that I haven't shown Susan yet , but this is Susan's little baby and she's a very good makeup artist . Oh , yeah , so this is Smith Kit . Yeah , and I haven't . I haven't finished this one yet , but this is Pasha Fah . Oh , and then I just bought . I just bought another two in here , so then they will go in there and fill that space .
Speaker 1So hold on . Have you put your both the cream and the powder in there ?
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1That's a cream .
Speaker 2That's a powder and that's their name ?
Speaker 1Okay , so it's the Patrick Tarr and Liz's pop them into the . It's what's it . It's a Smith Kit , isn't it ? What's the ? What's the ?
Speaker 2Yeah , this is Smith Kit , and they're in a big size . See , that looks good , though that's deep . They lay flat like this , and then you can put your other one on top .
Speaker 1Oh , I like that . See that eyeshadow one looks great too . Show me your eyeshadow one , can I see please ?
Speaker 2I'll show you , I'll show you the eyeshadow .
Speaker 1So are these we press or just de-potted ?
Speaker 2No , they just de-potted , because you know what ? The most important moment when Zep palette release , the one that we can use in Australia , mmm , you know the what do you call it ?
Speaker 1The induction cooker you know , the one that mounts . Oh , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah , it mounts it .
Speaker 2Yeah , so this one . It's broken so I'm not gonna open it . But I have this tart here . I'll see you know what it is . Yeah , I have tart . I line them with matte and then shimmer and this is all matte and then I have this . I wanna show you because you'll get this . This is so satisfying .
Speaker 1Yeah , that looks good . What are those shadows ? Are they Patrick Taras one .
Speaker 2These are Patrick Taras contour , and then one left I just put . This one is Makeup Forever . Ah , and then that's my lips . See , that looks good you also ? I know they look good . These are the pan that comes with smith kit and that's Shallot Tilbury Rare Beauty Makeup Forever . They're decent size , yeah . And I so now I love you know I've depotted all my Patrick Taras in here too , so you've got it all together . And Makeup by Mario .
Speaker 1Okay , yeah , yeah , but yours look good . See , you know , when I did them into the shadow Bible they just got all dusty and they just they didn't fit , I think because it was they were round , I don't know , the size wasn't big enough for me . I like that . I might consider doing it again , I'll see .
Speaker 2I don't , I don't want to show you my Bible . Do you use the Bible ? It looks so bad . It looks so bad .
Speaker 1You know what . You know what I mean , though , when I say it looks yeah , it looks like your five year old child's makeup anyway , and then my powder , like that's Shallot Tilbury . They look beautiful . I love it . I love it and Susan would be proud she would be . So , now that we're onto some products , let's talk about some kit favourites , because you know your product . You know lots of products . Should we start at foundation ? Actually , no , let's start at skin prep . What's your ? What do you go to skin preps at the moment ?
Speaker 2I have to have Lana lips . Oh yeah , Then I also most of my client will get magic cream as base . I don't do eye primer . No , okay , I also don't do face primer . Unless they ask for yeah , I don't . I just think that the way yeah , the way I layer the makeup , it would last .
Speaker 1Yeah , I don't do face primer , but I do do eye primer . Do you use a concealer or anything as an eye primer ?
Speaker 2Yeah , so I usually use a very thin layer of concealer and pat it on and dab or whatever , and then I almost like take most of it off too . Yeah , just even everywhere , because not a lot of time I actually feel colour all the way to the eyebrows , so I just need that space to be even .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , Okay , so we've cut . Okay , what about foundations ? What are your favourite Foundation ?
Speaker 2is such a hard question . I stock shellet Tilbury mostly in my kit . Then I have Giorgio Mane still yeah , and I have Face Atelier .
Speaker 1Do you have Face Atelier ? I used to . I've got it , but I don't carry it in my kit anymore , just because and then Too heavy yeah . Just because I'm trying to carry less and I always pretty much reach for luminous silk . Anyway , yep , sorry , keep going .
Speaker 2See again , depend on the work that you do . What else I have ? Kat Von D the serum Apple Serum foundation . Yep , it is so good . So what are you talking about ? The downside is there are too many shades , so if you are going to carry it in your kit , you might just need four shades . I've got given the whole thing , so it confuses me . Yeah , so what do you like about it ? You need like literally one pump for entire face , and if you want to cover more , you just need a little bit more . If you want to thin it down , you can just add moisturizer to it .
Speaker 1But it's seamless , so you can add moisturizer to it . Yeah , yes , and let's go on to concealer . What should I go to concealer ?
Speaker 2Concealer . I've just only discovered the duo , and Laura Mercier the which one ? So good , laura Mercier . Laura Mercier , which one ? The one with the black fleece ? Sure , you know ? Oh , the one that have one brightening and one is concealer .
Speaker 1Oh , I don't even know about this one . Oh , do you get Santa Fe ? No , I bought that one myself . You bought that one . Okay , wow , it must be good , then you know .
Speaker 2It is really good . I try to try it out myself first if I like the brand before you know . Even bother saying yes to all these being sent out , because you accumulate a lot of product over time as well . And what's the other one I really like ? Oh , have you ever tried Anastasia Beverly Hill Magic Touch Concealer ? Oh , Really really good . I like tart shaped tape , but I always find it's a little bit too thick and then it's a bit dry . If you don't have control with how much product you use , it could be disaster . But the Magic Concealer is very the consistency is beautiful and it still do a lot of coverage and you can buff it out and you can have it heavier and it has a bit more time in terms of working , so you don't have to like hurry up , it's just quick .
Speaker 1Okay , which one was that ? That was the Anastasia and the Laura Mercier . I'm going to have a look for the Laura Mercier one . Have a look for that one . And the Laura Mercier doesn't have like 40 colors , so it's good , yeah , when there's too many colors , it's quite tricky , isn't it ?
Speaker 2Because , like I love Fenty , but they have too many , I mean it's a good problem . They have 40 something color . It's not a good problem . It's not a good thing for makeup artists to carry and have to , like , figure out what you want to stop , because it's different from brand to brand how much oxidation , what's their cool , what's their warm , what's their ?
Speaker 1neutral . I agree , I have the same problem . Like I go and I see them all and I'm like , oh my gosh , there's just so many shades . Where do I begin ? So I'm glad you mentioned that and with your , you mentioned you like cream blushes and you're loving the Patrick Tar .
Speaker 2Yeah , but I also , you know , I also have a lot of my red beauty , which I love .
Speaker 1Yeah , I haven't . I haven't actually used the red beauty , but people love them . I can't go past the still convertible colors . I always go back to them . I love them .
Speaker 2Do you know what , though the ? I don't know how many hundred phases you need to actually go through this bottle , because you need less than a dot , so they really should just sell us like the half size , or all of us just get half size ?
Speaker 1Yeah , it's really concentrate the red beauty yeah , really concentrate , yeah . And what about lips ? What about lipsticks ? Have you got any favorites there ?
Speaker 2Um , yes , last year I worked on fashion week and was generously given a whole kit by makeup forever , and you know that's makeup forever is known with makeup artists but not known with , you know , consumer , and I'm so glad because I get to try everything . And then lips the lipstick is so , so good . I have one on today , this one and then the lip pencil . I don't know what's the formulation like before . The formulation is so good .
Speaker 1And the shades , their shades . I've tried to find dupes , actually because they sell out quite a lot and I can't I can't find any . But yeah , love their , love , their liners . And last one , what about mascara ? What's your favorite ?
Speaker 2mascara . I , yeah , I , I prefer mascara not to not to wet , because then I don't have to spend ages trying to do that . But professionally , I , if I were given , I use . I actually really like Charlotte Tilbury one and Anastasia Beverly Hill . But if I have to buy , I actually buy M-Core Beauty , Because we're going to use a different applicator anywhere . But for my personal , but for my personal use , I actually use this one . Have you seen it ? I love it .
Speaker 1I love it so it's .
Speaker 2I say to you you need to get , actually get more of this and actually sell that . I've told her that too .
Speaker 1I've told her that as well . I'm like can we buy them ? So what Liz was just showing was the if you haven't seen Sandra Glame's fabulous mascara I'm pretty sure that's what it's called . It's got two , two different , one size either end and there's a really tiny little skinny end which is amazing for getting really close to the lash line . Yeah , definitely have a look at it if you haven't Did you like the Kevin Unclean ? Mascara , any other kit favourites ?
Speaker 2I think you know my unsung heroes are actually those art brush . So I , like a good , I have a lot of brushes , the Japanese one , well known brushes one . But you know , sometimes I actually I go through a lot of lip brushes and eyeliner and always trying to find that size brush for liner . And yeah , arts and crafts Cool .
Speaker 1Yeah , are you talking about like a little pointy brush ?
Speaker 2No , I have a variety . I have like a lot of anywhere I go that have a $2 shop , art shop . I'll just go and collect a few , Like the angle one , square one , flat one , Ah , okay .
Speaker 1I'll have to have a bit more of a look in the arch I did years ago . I used to buy the art shop ones . They were great . Liz , do you still use assistance ?
Speaker 2When it is when they have the budget for paid assistance . I feel like this generation there is is hard to find someone hungry enough to work For free . Also , I find that I think like I , I don't feel good having someone working for me for free . So when there's budget , yes , the short answer is yes . But also I'm so used to you know this , used to working on my own , that almost like on a job . If I had to say out loud everything I want and need , it would be slow me down and sometimes I like I just rather do it myself .
Speaker 1Yeah , I understand that for sure . Any words of wisdom for artists wanting a career like yours , wanting to work in TV , wanting to be repped , wanting to be a content creator .
Speaker 2What do you suggest ? I think the most important thing , really really want it and it doesn't happen overnight . There might be a few luck , you know , playing in place . So if you look at someone and you think that they might have the same starting career point and they got further than you , it's probably because of a few lucky points , but also working really hard . So don't compare you to them . And also , I think what's more important is that our career there's up and down , and when it's down it's okay to feel down , but also just remember there will be up Every year .
Speaker 220 years , I should say 10 years , on freelance . In January I was just like what am I doing with my life ? What is this ? Do I clean , clean brushes ? What more can I do ? Why everyone else doing cool job ? Why am I not doing this job ? But it will come soon enough then that I'll be like oh my God , I don't have time to brush my teeth , so just enjoy it . It's easier said than done , but really , if it go down , there will be going up . That was such good advice .
Speaker 1Thanks , Liz , because I don't think it's good to hear that . You know , 10 years on freelancing , you still have those moments . What am I doing with my life ?
Speaker 2100% . But you know , I said to my husband next year let's take longer holiday because I don't want to spend January thinking what am I doing here ? I'd rather work till Christmas and take the same amount of time , but in that quiet time and nobody needs me , I agree , I think take longer in January off .
Speaker 1It's quiet then .
Speaker 2Yeah , but everyone is in the same boat as well and you know , sometimes we don't admit it because I don't know for what reason , in this culture of being busy all the time , you know I am busy because I make my client wait for me from middle of December until middle of January , so everyone's coming back in salon , just like Christmas time right now . But if you're quiet because you've been so busy , then you know those people are coming back slowly , yeah . So , yeah , just enjoy the quiet time , because be careful what you ask for .
Speaker 1Liz , thanks so much for chatting with me today . I didn't know your story , so I'm glad to do now .
Speaker 2I hope I wasn't just like blah , blah blah .
Speaker 1No , we need you to be blah blah blah . So thank you so much .
Speaker 2Thanks for having me .
