Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Tyme.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My story starts with a little queer, comic book-loving horror obsessed kid growing up in the middle of nowhere Maryland and certainly not a great place to be queer. I was different from the other kids and was certainly made aware of it. I knew I wanted to be a make-up artist since the first time I understood what make-up could do. I was watching “The Making of Thriller,” and the key make-up artist Rick Baker was removing his own zombie make-up and speaking to being the weird kid that liked the darker side of art and how that translated into being a make-up artist. I knew at that moment that FX make-up was all I ever wanted to do.
Given that there was no production or freelance work where I was located, as soon as I was eighteen, I began working my way up through the ranks of the corporate cosmetics world. If I couldn’t be somewhere to create the make-up I wanted to see, I could grow my skills as an artist this way. It also enabled me to take any side project that became available and not have to worry about the low rates. Following that pattern, I eventually moved to Philadelphia, followed by New York City and now Los Angeles. Which is where I feel I became who I was meant to be, and my truest life story starts.
Once in LA, I got an agent and started working freelance doing commercials and celebrity red carpet. It was everything a make-up artist could hope for. Through commercials & ad campaigns, I can create monsters and heroes, while my beauty needs are met by painting the faces of famous people. LIFE GOALS ACHIEVED. Yet, I felt I needed to do more. I wanted to help my communities; the artists, LGBTQ, feminists. In looking for a common thread, I realized that one thing all of my communities had in common was lipstick. So many have a shared experience through lipstick! It dawned on me to create a charity that would be able to aide these communities utilizing the one thing we all had in common, which just so happens to be a major part of my daily work. I founded “I Wore Lipstick” in 2015. The mission of I Wore Lipstick is to raise equality awareness and create an opportunity for lipstick wearers. When you look at lipstick wearers as their own demographic, you’ll find it is made up of marginalized members of larger communities whether it be women, the transgender or queer communities. I knew I wanted to find support from a cosmetics line and given some companies are owned by larger umbrellas that may not believe in the mission of the charity- I decided to create one myself. One that would embody the mission of the charity, but to also support it and give every wearer inspiration to live authentically. ADVEKET is even spelled phonetically when used as a noun to assure the wearer to be their own advocate.
ADVEKET is the creator of “Gender Fluid Beauty” every product in this series is labeled “Gender Fluid” to maintain a constant affirmation that beauty knows no gender and was given an uplifting name, that when combined with other lip products actually forms a positive mantra to help the wearer stay focused on their own well-being in any scenario. Aside from being a top quaintly product, the lip mantras the wearer creates is one of my favorite parts about owning the line.
Lipstick is such a personal experience for each wearer and can be so many different things throughout one’s life. This product line allows every wearer chooses their mantra. To choose their words of inspiration to help guide them through even the toughest of days.
ADVEKET pledges to donate $1 per every item sold to the charity and continuously donates products all year to help all lipstick enthusiasts feel their best and most authentic. Through ADVEKET and I Wore Lipstick we have been about to sponsor events, conduct educational seminars, and the oversee donations drives for The Transgender Wellness Center, The Covenant House, and The Transgender Employment Empowerment Program. For which we have received “Certificates of Appreciation” in both 2018 and 2019. But I have dreams for so much more. It is my goal for ADVEKET to create a scholarship fund to help under privileged lipstick wearers into cosmetology school. Beauty is one of the few areas that you can succeed in no matter what your backstory. A career in beauty allows you to utilize your life experience and apply it to a craft that has virtually no limits. Where you are judged on your skills and not the path you took to attain them, it allows you to choose your destiny just as you’d choose your ADVEKET mantra!
The line also comes with celebrity support! Miley Cyrus launched the line on her Instagram. The line has been featured on the social media and or worn by celebrities Lavern Cox, Lisa Edelstein, Riverdale stars Lili Reinhart and Madelaine Petsch. ADVEKET has been featured in Women’s Wear Daily and Teen Vogue.
Thats me in a nutshell!
Please tell us about your art.
Speaking to my art/I Wore Lipstick/ ADVEKET: Transformation is my art. In every aspect of my life, “transformation” plays a huge role. In my personal artistry, I transform people, whether it be into a character or just an enhanced version of themselves. Through I Wore Lipstick, I help to transform the world of Women and the LGBTQ community through education, experience, and creating a safe space to be who they wish to be. Through ADVEKET, I help transform the way that humans look at make-up and skincare. To light a path of self-acceptance through self-expression and self-love.
There is no one aspect of my work and art that are not connected. I have created a space for myself to thrive, where every function serves another.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
The main challenge is always staying out of your own head. Artists can have a lot of downtime between gigs. The instances of not knowing where or when your next job can come are agonizing. It leads to self-doubt and constant stress.
The secondary challenge is social media; it’s not enough to be a great artist anymore. You’re judged by your content, followers, likes, and comments. Things that shouldn’t matter in the art world are now given higher regard than skill level and experience. The industry has changed so much in the last ten years. Its become an entirely new world to explore. While it has created new opportunity and showcases so much more that we could have ever dreamed of, it does carry the downsides mentioned earlier.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My personal make-up artistry can be viewed at or on my social media @justintymeart.
ADVEKET can be viewed at www.adveketcosmetics.com or @adveket.
I Wore Lipstick can be viewed at www.iworelipstick.org or @iworelipstick.
Contact Info:
- Address: Los Angeles
- Website: www.justintymeartistry.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @justintymeart
- Facebook: @adveketcosmetics
- Twitter: @justintymeart
- Other: www.adveketcosmetics.com
Image Credit:
ADVEKET campaign shot by Jordon Nuttall
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
