Interview: Make-up Artist Magdalena Klonecka (Poland)

Can you tell us a little about you?

I`m a Make-up Artist from Poland running my own company “Magdalena Klonecka Makeup Room”. I`m 25 years old and trying to find my own place in fashion industry. I like to think about myself that I`m more an Arstist than just Make-up Artist. I think that the name of my profession obliges to do some more crazy stuff and I`m trying to follow this rule by creating some artistic work for magazine editorials and creating my own style.

How long have you been a makeup artist and how did you get your start?

I have been working as a professional for 4 years since I got my diploma from makeup school. Since then I also regularly attend courses with really talented and well-known Makeup Gurus from many countries.

At first becoming a makeup-artist wasn`t an obvious decision for me. I wanted to become a fashion designer but

I was not admitted to the university. Makeup was my plan B, but with time I found that It became my plan A, and everything else I just put aside. I always wanted to become and artist, I used to attend to art high school and painting was my life, but with makeup I found even more opportunities. During painting I can imagine my own world and show it to somebody or just imitate real life, but with make-up, I could not only show my own world but also bring it to real life and even change it ! That`s something I love in make-up – it brings art to real life.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I`m looking up to people like Pat Mcgrath, Lisa Eldridge and Slava Chaika, these Make-up Artist are just awesome, but I`ve never been a person who liked to copy or recreate somebody`s work. I think real inspiration comes from real life. Mother nature gives us so many colour combinations and shapes that It`s just shame to not get inspiration from her. Crazy colours, textures and light can be found in every animal, landscape or person, and with a touch of imagination can create fantastic picture. That`s what me and Ela do in our photography and makeup.

What are some of your makeup products that you use?

I`m really into high quality products. With years of working with multiple brands I just know that good results come with good products. It doesn`t mean they must be crazy expensive, but some things are worth the splurge. For example I cannot live without Lancome Teint Miracle foundation- this it my “go to” if I need this healthy and glowy touch on skin for photography (and evening make-up too). And to give you example of very fair priced product – I love Milani Lash Trifecta Mascara, I think It`s very underestimated product. This mascara makes lashes 3x longer and thicker, and costs around 10$.

Who have you worked for and who would you like to work for in the future?

I have very good memories of working for “Hasso Fashion”. I did makeup for lookbook and campagin photos. That was my funniest and kindest client ever, and owner of company came from England to our studio in Poland just to make this shoots. I really like brands which have their own style, they know where thay`re going and build strong brand image. Hasso Fashion was exacly like this, and I love to work with people who know what they want.

My future dream job is to work at Givenchy runway backstage. I`m always stunned by makeup looks for Givenchy. They`re very sophisticated, dreamy and a bit disturbing. That describes exacly what I love in fashion make-up.

Any makeup tips you'd like to share with us?

Less is more – that`s my clue for real life makeup. We live in era of Instagram makeup and YouTube guru`s which sell us fake view on beauty. I`m really disturbed by this, beacause Instagram makeup doesn`t look in real life same as on screen -after photoshop and photographed with professional lights. Unfortunatelly women thinks that If they put tons of concealer under eye like YT guru, it`ll look flawless. Honey If you`re reading this- there`s no bigger misteake than putting too much under your eyes. It look good on screen of your telephone but in real life- its a mess ! I hope that era of countouring and highlihting will end soon.

If you were not a makeup artist, what would be your dream job?

I`ve mentioned below that I was thinking about Fashion Designer career. I think that if not makeup- then this ! Fashion industry isn`t only about clothes, it`s also about shoes, accessories, jewelry, lingerie, makeup, hair and nowadays lifestyle too. I think I would be happy to work in any of this parts, or with all of them at once !

What are three things every girl needs in her makeup bag?

If I could give advice what is nessesary in makeup bag, I`d say – good brihtening concealer, because sometimes when you don`t have time to do full face mkeup, under eye brightening is a miracle touch which makes whole face look better and fresher and you can also ude it as highlighter if you like. Cream blush – it`s one of this products which can be used for whole face look, I use it for cheeks but also istead of lipstick and as an eyeshadow. Last thing for me would be – Bronzing powder, I`m not a fan of countouring trend, but I love this tiny, soft shadow udner cheekbones which sculpts but is invisible. Remeber it must be not too cold or not too warm.

What are common mistakes you see women make on their makeup?

I think very common misteake these days is following this “instagram brows” trend. I see a lot of young girls on streets with their brows shaped to perfection. It doesn`t sound bad, but If you have barely little makeup on your face, and carbon black-sharp and thick like hell brows, it`s just hilarious for me. At this moment I can see just brows and can`t pay attention to rest of girl`s face. Sure it`s good to care about brows, but this trend became too excesive. I think our eyes are most important in our face and we should focus on them when talking. I hope we`ll come back to natural brows with delicte makeup creating shape not SHARP.

What do you think of the magazine?

Following my colleagues from the industry I can see how many of them been in Modellenland Magazine. I`ve seen a lot of covers with models I know from work and editorials as well, this magazine gives a good kick for young, aspiring people to develop their talents. I love that you`re encouraging them to showcase their work. There`s not many magazines on market which like to showcase work of each profession in fashion industry. I love it that you give equal chanses to be seen for photographers, models but make-up and hair artists as well ! I feel that my profession is often very overlooked, and many artists may feel underestimated. We forget that good photography is a result of a team work. I hope that my and Ela`s interview will remind everybody that good things can happen only with a good team, which respects each other. Than you Modellenland Magazine and I hope to see more talents growing on your pages.

http://www.klonecka-makeup.pl/

https://www.facebook.com/klonecka.makeup.artist/

Photographer of the photos " Elżbieta Tomiak" Read the interview here