How celebrity make-up artists dominated the beauty scene: with the rise of Instagram and TikTok, gurus like Charlotte Tilbury, Anastasia Soare and Pat McGrath have launched brands and become icons too

Jun 4 , 2023

Charlotte Tilbury with her ambassadors. Photo: Handout

In the past, make-up artists spent much of their time behind the scenes and away from the spotlight – like Charlotte Tilbury, who worked with Kate Moss, Amal Clooney, Penélope Cruz and Nicole Kidman

Eyebrow guru Anastasia Soare, behind Anastasia Beverly Hills, was a hit among supermodels Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell – these days, make-up artists are celebrities in their own right too

Before social media changed the course of the beauty industry along with everything else, make-up artists stayed largely behind the scenes at red carpets and fashion shows. But the past decade has seen them stepping ever further into the spotlight.

A new wave of make-up artists who made their name working with A-listers have somehow become celebrities themselves, with high-traffic social channels and even their own product lines. Although these professional artists’ brands sound similar to the celebrity beauty ranges out there, they play a markedly different role.

While a few celebrity brands seem set for a bright future – such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez and Rose Inc by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – most end up as one-hit wonders. On top of that, as consumers grow wary of inflation and a potential recession, they’re becoming more selective and may consider a brand’s quality and genuineness rather than just its famous founders.

Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk collection. Photo: Handout

With celebrity brands losing cachet, all eyes are switching to the skilful hands these same stars have always relied on – the make-up pros that get them ready. Consumers want brands they can trust and products that will deliver, easier to source from those who understand the science behind quality formulas and have decades of real-world experience.

Now investors are jumping on the trend. “With investors looking to create a rise in revenue, doing so with big names gives them a leg up in the industry,” says Charlene Valledor, president and co-founder of Los Angeles-based beauty incubator SOS Beauty.

Anastasia Soare is the mastermind behind Anastasia Beverly Hills. Photo: Handout

Among this new breed of make-up artists to spawn their own prestigious brand is Anastasia Soare, the beautician who started out with a salon in the Hollywood Hills that became a hit with supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.

After raising Hollywood’s eyebrow game, she shared her services with the world, founding Anastasia Beverly Hills to transform the way the city’s elite shape their brows. She puts her success down to simple trial and error – for example, experimenting with aloe, powder eyeshadow and Vaseline led to her Dipbrow Pomade formula before DIY social media was even a thing.

“Make-up artists are reshaping the market because they have already come to the forefront with years of knowledge and experience that surpasses just their social media presence,” Valledor says.

Charlotte Tilbury’s products are popular among the most style-savvy women. Photo: Charlotte Tilbury