Life & Work with Anthony Nguyen of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Nguyen.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got my start in makeup through filmmaking and photography. Growing up, I’d direct and produce short student films that were primarily horror, and also did fashion & conceptual photography. This is where I picked up doing makeup behind the scenes and loved the balance between beauty and fantasy. I decided to emphasize on one focus, and chose makeup because I was obsessed with the art of transformation. I began working behind the counter in retail cosmetics for years practicing my craft, and simultaneously building my portfolio to branch out into the fashion and commercial world. After over a decade, I ended up becoming a celebrity makeup artist, primarily working with music artists which is my favorite because the music world is such an incredibly creative space.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This industry is incredibly tough and competitive so you have to have thick skin. I’ve found major struggles finding my way in the beginning, especially with having my traditional and conservative family accept a non traditional career for one. Even after a couple decades in an accomplished career, there will always be bumps on the road no matter what field. The industry and styles are constantly changing that you have to keep up with, social media is now a huge practice you have to evolve with, & teams change and get replaced constantly. At the end of the day, you have to always be humble and kind to everyone, work your ass off, and surround yourself with positive energy always. Don’t forget to take care of yourself and mental health!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a LA based celebrity makeup artist. I’ve worked with celebrities such as Adele, Kylie Minogue, Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry, & Jessie J. One of the most recent moments I’m really proud of was being part of Adele’s iconic residency in Las Vegas and Munich, it was truly such an honor to be a small part of the shows!

As an artist I’m known for being a very versatile & creative artist. From beauty to theatrical fantasy, I love finding the balance between the worlds!

I also love doing makeup on myself, especially for Halloween! I’m known for my Halloween transformations and taking it to the next level with full video/photo & costume production. I like to do high fashion versions of iconic characters and making it my own.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think I see the industry shifting a lot with social media in 5-10 years. We’ll probably be seeing even more moving images, videos, etc. and trying to keep real human beings & creative individuals thriving in art, versus Ai taking over!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @anthonyhnguyenmakeup

Image Credits
Portrait photo by: Elias Tahan Jessie J photo by: Ashley Osborn Kylie Minogue photo by: Erik Melvin Adele photo by: Raven B. Varona