Q&A With Celebrity Makeup Artist Daniel Martin

We’re celebrating Pride Month by spotlighting some of the incredible talents in the community, and will be featuring LGBTQ+, non-binary and male-identifying creators all month. We’re excited to amplify their stories and experiences, and will be kicking off the month with makeup artist and longtime friend of Orcé, Daniel Martin. Daniel used our Come Closer Skin Perfecting Serum Foundation for Tadashi Shoji's fashion show to even out models' skin tones and cancel out redness to give them that runway-ready luminous glow. His decades-long career spans editorial, backstage, and celebrity looks. He’s collaborated with designers like Proenza Schouler, Cynthia Rowley, and Khaite, and even did Meghan Markle’s makeup on her wedding day. Read on to learn about Daniel’s love of beauty, Asian heritage, and take on how we can make space for a more inclusive industry.

 

1. When did your passion for beauty begin? Is there a specific memory or moment you can share with us?

My grandmother, who is French, never left the house without red lipstick. I used to sit and watch her get ready at her vanity when I was a kid and I believe that’s when I fell in love with makeup.

2. What has your experience in the beauty industry been like as an Asian American male?

I’ve been very fortunate to have many incredible opportunities in this business and though I’ve experienced my fair share of racist micro-aggressions along the way, I’ve had even more rewarding experiences as well.

3. What does Asian beauty mean to you?

Asian beauty is the celebration of time tested rituals and ingredients passed down through generations in our culture.

4. We love how you use your platform to promote Asian awareness and representation in beauty. What do you feel the beauty industry needs to change in order to become truly inclusive?

We need to have more representation in positions of power to change the narrative to what we want to see in our industry. There's many shades of beautiful in Asian culture other than just straight black hair and pale skin. The tokenism needs to change and we have to rise up to make sure it happens.

5. The beauty industry has historically been (and in many ways still is) heavily marketed towards women. What can brands do to further inclusivity and representation of male, trans, non-binary, and queer beauty lovers?

More representation and shared stories by the brands, period. It starts with educating the consumers as to why their stories are equally important and to be heard.