Mia Saige on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mia Saige. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Mia, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I actually had a moment on Halloween that really made me laugh. It’s pretty rare that I get to apply a prosthetic to my own face — I always joke that my hands work outward, not inward. I’m trained to paint and sculpt on other people, not myself, and I decided to film a fun little TikTok while doing it. Let’s just say…the footage will be staying in the drafts graveyard forever!

It turns out I’m way more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, and it definitely showed. The best part was that the character I chose was incredibly niche, so I had to custom sculpt the prosthetic on a life cast of my own face. I had an absolute blast painting it and watching it come to life before gluing it on.

The whole experience was chaotic, silly, and honestly reminded me how much joy I get from creating — especially when it’s just for me. (I’ve included a photo of the final look; it’s not glamorous by any means, but it’s absolutely one of my favorites.)

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Mia Saige, and I’m an artist, first and always. Makeup just happens to be my chosen medium. I cycle through digital drawing, traditional painting, photography, and whatever else pulls me creatively in the moment. Working as a makeup artist in the TV and film industry feels like the perfect intersection of all of those passions — colour theory, sculpting, storytelling, lighting, composition, even if the final art is temporary.

For me, makeup is another form of visual storytelling. Whether I’m designing a character, creating a soft glam look, or doing full prosthetic transformations, every choice is intentional. I love that each look is fleeting but meaningful. It’s a chance to experiment, push myself technically, and bring a moment to life on camera before it disappears.

Off set, I’ve been pouring that same energy into a full rebrand of Mia Saige Artistry. I’m currently rolling out a new logo that reflects my personality and style more, and I’ve been designing my own merch to go with it. It’s still in the sample stage, but it’s been exciting to build a visual identity that feels aligned with who I am as an artist — not just the makeup looks I create.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Definitely my mom. She’s the one who put art in my hands before I even understood what it meant to be an artist. She understood my creativity, and my need to express myself visually. She signed me up for every kind of class — pastels, pottery, watercolour — and she was the one taking me to museums, libraries, and bookstores and cultivating my voracious appetite for stories.

She would always tell me to ‘grow, learn, and play’ and looking back, I realize she gave me a lifelong compass. It’s why I bounce between mediums, why I still experiment like a kid in art class, and why makeup was such a natural fit. She still encourages my imagination to this day and every new medium, every weird character, every creative detour I’ve taken as an adult traces back to that simple permission she gave me.

She saw the artist in me before I had the confidence to say it out loud. She always treated my creativity like something real — something worth nurturing — even when I thought it was just a hobby. Her belief made it feel possible. Every path I took — painting, photography, makeup — eventually led me back to the same truth: I was always meant to be an artist. She didn’t just encourage my artistic side; she built the foundation for it.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t worry you never outgrow wearing all black, which ends up working in your favor because that’s the unofficial uniform of every makeup artist on set.

You don’t need to shrink yourself to be accepted. Take up space — your art, your ideas, and the way you move through the world. You don’t have to hide just because someone else doesn’t get you yet. Keep making weird things, keep being curious, and trust that your voice matters.

The world is bigger than the people who made you feel small. And the little version of you who painted fearlessly? She was right to trust her own magic.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to learning how to trust myself creatively. That’s a lifelong project. Letting go of comparison, pushing past imposter syndrome, and showing up for my own art even on days when it feels scary…that’s work I’ll probably be doing forever, but I’m okay with that.

On a more tangible level, I have a dream project I’m slowly working toward; I would love to do makeup for an Ice Nine Kills music video one day. Their visuals and storytelling are a cut above the rest, and SFX artists like Christopher Nelson and Jill Fogel set the bar so high on their recent work with the band. It’s the kind of creative challenge that inspires me, and it motivates me to keep growing so that I’m ready when an opportunity like that comes my way.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m in that liminal creative space. When I’m creating something with my hands. Late at night, music playing, painting or drawing with no deadline, no expectations, just me and whatever I’m building. It’s the one place my brain stops spiraling and starts flowing. There’s a special kind of calm when I’m focused on colour and detail, everything else just falls away.

And honestly? I’m also deeply at peace when no one is emailing me. That’s definitely a close second.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://miasaigeartistry.com
• Instagram: @miasaigeartistry