If you’ve ever asked who is the best makeup artist around, you’ve most likely heard the name Michael Weiss. A tip: word of mouth is the best and usually truest form of advertising. If someone or something is that good, you wouldn’t be hearing about it by “word of mouth”. That said, I’ve been hearing about this guy for a few years already, and was thrilled to meet him on set of a photo shoot. He was working on a model’s makeup with a hairstylist, clearly in his element. I had this flashback moment of being in kindergarten and asking the cool kid if we “could be friends”. As I came to find out, he has endless amounts of creative talent. We were all listening to music he had mixed together from different tracks, which had everyone at ease and no one could help busting a move once in awhile. He had a few moments in between makeup looks when we were able to sit down for an interview.
How long have you been doing makeup?
Eight years. I started working behind the counter at Bobbi Brown. All my training was done there, I did thousands of makeup looks.
What gave you this passion and interest in being a makeup artist?
I was a graphic designer at a marketing company. I loved creating, but it wasn’t hands on enough. I always did a lot of painting, and it came naturally to work on the face as a canvas.
Tell us about some of the work you’ve done that you are proud of?
A few of my looks were published in Vu Magazine (Europe). I’ve done multiple covers for Milwaukee Magazine, and I’ve been coordinating fashion shows. Music, the runway, models etc… I’ve been working at Fashion Week (New York) for awhile now. I’m really proud of a Perry Ellis show I did, and was thrilled to work with the model Caridee English.
I nearly choked when you said Fashion Week! Amazing. Care to share a favorite look you’ve done and what inspired you?
There was this moment in a Terminator movie were the actress survives a helicopter crash and she emerges from the rubble and takes off her helmet, and there’s this band across her eyes, and it’s supposed to be dust or something. It inspired me to do this models makeup like “end of the world”. The shoot was in a junk yard, and it just turned out great.
Do you have any tips for our ladies out there with their every day makeup?
Less is more. Start simple and build with colors. Also try new things, so many people get stuck in this rut of doing the same exact thing every day. If you have blue eyes it doesn’t mean you can only wear blue eyeshadow.
We watched the model dance on set to his music in a gorgeous Vivienne Westwood formal dress as cameras flashed. She was stunning. If this happens to be the first time you’ve heard of Michael Weiss, I am sure it won’t be the last. Michael Weiss can be found making the world more beautiful at Blush.
