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Nigel Stanislaus: "When You're Confident in Yourself, You Don't Need to Poker-Face Anything"

Makeup artist Nigel Stanislaus' Instagram is a health mix of polished artistry and self-effacing humor. How many high-profile artists would post an image of themselves staring quizzically at a subject and joking that they made the eyebrows uneven. Or when someone posts that he's handsome, Stanislaus responds, "Are we looking at the same picture?"Stanislaus isn't above making jokes, including ones where he's his own punchline.

That aside, the Maybelline ambassador still takes his work very seriously, a healthy combination that makes him accessible and engaging with his audience on Instagram, during workshops, and at events. He has several New York and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week events under his belt as well as doing ad campaigns for Maybelline. 

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a makeup artist? How early did the passion start?

Stanislaus: “I didn't know. As far as I remembered, I wanted to be a fashion designer, but that was way too technical for me. But I could illustrate, and that translated later into painting on a human canvas.”

Q: How did you get established? Was it a big break or years of hustling?

Stanislaus: “I would like to think that I tried to be respectful and be nice to everyone. Well, that's my version of the truth. Yes I had to hustle - it's part of the job. But rejection is also hard to handle, even today.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone trying to become a makeup artist?

Stanislaus: “Develop a sense of style, understand fashion and always practice on your technical skills. Have good business practice. Be grateful even when you don't get the job. Keep on top of your brand via social media and learn. Decide on what kind of makeup industry you want to be a part of, whether it's tv, advertising, fashion, or film.

It's not about shocking or special effects - that's tacky. It's not about screaming. It's about balance and grace. Your goal is to make the audience look at the subject and emotionally connect through the makeup. You are there to make a normal face become magic. If you understand that, you understand makeup artistry."

Q: What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Stanislaus: “The traveling and meeting people. It changes every day, and it can be horrifying and thrilling at the same time.”

Q: How does the Asian makeup industry differ from the American?

Stanislaus: “Asian women want different things: They love a luminous fair complexion, straight brows and smaller lips with big doll-like eyes. American aesthetics, I find, quite favor the opposite.”

Q: Your Instagram feed shows you having fun and keeping a sense of humor. Many makeup artists keep a poker face. Is that just your personality or a way of lightening up the industry?

Stanislaus: “I love makeup, the craft. But I don't need to adopt the intimidating attitude. Once you are sure of yourself as a person you don't need to poker face anything in life. No not even Instagram. The truth is I have fun. I always do and I'm so grateful to be good at a job and actually love it. How many people can say that? 

Q: What have been some of your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Stanislaus: “The judgment and the rejection can be cruel sometimes and also quite embarrassing. But I learned that was only what I projected on myself. Surround yourself with good friends and family who love you and you will survive this ‘trauma.’”

Q: How did you get signed on with Maybelline? What is the biggest strength of the brand?

Stanislaus: “Maybelline is today's global number 1 cosmetic brand; a maybelline mascara is sold every 0.8 seconds around the world. She celebrated her 100 birthday recently and is the home ground of many It girls, including Gigi Hadid and Jourdan Dunn. The biggest strength of the brand is its innovation with trend. I have been with Maybelline for a decade now and have been nicknamed Mister Maybelline. They were looking for someone to head the brand and it took a year before they decided to sign me.”

Stanislaus is represented by Coco Productions. Samples of his work are featured below (Images used with his permission)
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