86 MY LIFE IN BEAUTY
Make-up artist Patrick Ta shares his tricks and must-have products
WHAT FIVE PRODUCTS DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR KIT? La Mer The Renewal Oil, €185, and The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation, €100; Shiseido Whipped Powder Blush, €40; and, of course, my Patrick Ta for Her Major Glow Lip Shine, €20, Major Glow Body Oil, €47, and Major Glow Highlighting Mist, €29.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BRING OUT YOUR OWN BEAUTY RANGE? I wanted to create a range that was dedicated to the women in my life. Products that made women feel as special as they make me feel. WHAT FOUNDATION DO YOU ALWAYS RETURN TO? La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation is my go-to kit staple. WHAT’S THE WORST BEAUTY MISTAKE YOU EVER MADE? Layering too much foundation onto the skin when I first started in the industry. I saw my error and instead of letting my client walk out the door, I wiped it off and redid it. Your client isn’t going to remember your error, they are going to remember the finished result, so it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. IS THERE A TREATMENT YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY? I’ve yet to try a cryo treatment. I’m not sure I could handle the cold, though! DO YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE SCENT? Definitely – my Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540, €195 for 70ml. Someone asks me what scent I have on every day. DO YOU HAVE ANY WEIRD MAKE-UP HACKS? I use tape as a guideline when creating very sharp eyeliner looks. Be sure to apply the tape to your hand first, so it’s not as sticky when applied on the eye. WHAT’S THE LAST BEAUTY PRODUCT YOU BOUGHT? Tom Ford Cream Shade and Illuminate in 0.5, €70. They just launched this shade, and
I’m obsessed.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN TO WORK WITH SO MANY BIG NAMES? I was fortunate enough to be contacted by Shay Mitchell on Instagram, and everything grew naturally from there.
HOW DO YOU THINK SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED BEAUTY? It’s an online portfolio, making it easy to showcase your work globally. A lot of my work comes from people seeing my profile.
IS THERE ANY BEAUTY TREND YOU’D LIKE TO SEE LEFT BEHIND? The overly-silver highlight. We love a good highlight, but one that is more dewy rather than powdery.
LOOKING BACK THROUGH ALL OF YOUR WORK, IS THERE ANY ONE LOOK YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF? I love all my clients and all the collaborations I’ve done with them over the years, so I can’t pick one, but I will say that working with Rihanna for the first time was a pretty proud moment for me. WHAT MAKE-UP ARTISTS DO YOU FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM? I follow so many artists and they are each so talented, but to name a few: Ariel Tejada (@makeupbyariel), Hung Vanngo (@hungvanngo), Katie Jane Hughes (@katiejanehughes), and the list goes on!
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR A MAKE-UP ARTIST STARTING OUT? Work hard, and be humble! Assist an artist you admire and practise, practise, practise.
JOIN US AT THE POINT SQUARE DUBLIN FOR THE IMAGE BEAUTY FESTIVAL, MAY 25-26, WHERE PATRICK TA WILL BE WITH US BOTH DAYS. ON SUNDAY, HE’LL HOST HIS FIRST EVER IRISH MASTERCLASS, SHOWCASING HIS SIGNATURE GLOWY RED CARPET LOOK, PERFECT FOR SUMMER; €65 PER TICKET, WHICH INCLUDES GENERAL ADMISSION TO THE BEAUTY FESTIVAL. BOOKING FEES APPLY. FIND OUT MORE AT IMAGE.IE/BEAUTY-FESTIVAL-2019.