When the latest series of Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star returns to our screens, the new batch of contestants face an assignment featuring a very familiar voice.
Their transformation TikTok video is set to the words of Lady Gaga, whose Haus Labs brand of make-up launched in the UK last year. The make-up artists (MUAs) on the 鶹ҳ Three show have the chance to win spots on the brand’s digital advertising campaign and even join the team in Paris at a launch event. It’s an opportunity that can be a big step up the industry ladder and 鶹ҳ Bitesize has caught up with someone who knows just how that feels.
Anh Ho is Haus Labs’ senior director of product education, meaning it’s her job to create a series of resources about the brand that are passed on to beauty advisors working in the stores that sell them, as well as selecting certain products to send out to them.
The lure of competition
Haus Labs plays a prominent role in the opening episode of Glow Up’s sixth series when its global artistry director Sarah Tanno, also Lady Gaga’s personal make-up artist, appears as a judge. Competitions like this, where aspiring MUAs can work on campaigns, movie and TV set environments, and be inspired by the influential names who appear as guest judges, weren’t around when Anh started out, but does she think Glow Up could have benefited her?
“These shows are so inspiring,” she cheered. “Not only are [the contestants] seeing the output but they’re also seeing behind the scenes and the dedication it takes to be an artist in the industry. You get more real about what the industry is about and that’s only just still scratching the surface. There’s so many different avenues here in this industry, but these shows could only help and inspire those to go for their dream.”
And would a young Anh have applied? Put herself in contention for a Val Garland ‘ding-dong’?
“Oh my gosh,” she said. “I would be very intimidated, but yeah, I would go for it because it’s just a really good experience.”
Her colleague Sarah Tanno agreed. She told Bitesize about her time as a judge: "I am so happy for new artists to have the opportunity to showcase their creativity on such a powerful platform as Glow Up.
"I am thrilled to be supporting the next generation of makeup artists with challenges that push them out of their creative comfort zone and help provide real industry experiences and advice to support them on their journey.”
'I wanted to change how we could educate people in store'
Based in Oakland, California, Anh is one of a team of fewer than 60 people at the brand (“we wear a lot of hats,” she laughed) which launched in the USA in 2019 and focuses on a vegan, cruelty-free approach to its products. Her adventures in the make-up industry stretch back further - another 20 years - when she was not long out of school.
Anh remembered: “I kind of fell into this industry right after high school… Ironically, I didn’t get good grades.
“When I got into the beauty business, I really wanted to change the approach on how we could educate consumers and people in the store on having fun with make-up, and I believe that a lot of it has to do with the art of knowing people and of course, the craft, which is artistry skills.”
But everyone has to start somewhere. For Anh, that was doing make-up on her friends, trying as best she could to replicate the looks from favourite magazines. It eventually led her to build up the confidence to approach a make-up counter and explain how much she wanted a job. Her big test was pulling enough passers-by over to begin a conversation with them about the products on offer and her personable approach proved a hit.
Stepping up to the ‘rockstar brand’
Eighteen months later, Anh got a job at MAC Cosmetics (or “the rockstar brand” as she and her friends called it 20 years ago) where she spent nine years learning about the various skin types, kinds of faces, and a variety of products for people of different ethnicities.
This led to a managerial role at a flagship north California store, with her sights then set on the coveted position of trainer: “That was just hard to get because basically you had to be an incredible make-up artist. You had to be really knowledgeable with formulas and colour theory.”
Anh explained how an effective make-up trainer will make those they teach feel confident enough to apply the same skills on their own - and other people’s - faces and how it was “humbling” when she was eventually offered a position.
It’s not all about the artistry
Fans of Glow Up may watch the series and be concerned that they don’t possess the natural flair and artistry for applying cosmetics to make it in the industry - but Anh believes this shouldn’t be a barrier for anyone passionate enough to succeed.
Anh said. “When people think about this industry, they think it’s about just looking good and, in some ways, yes. But there’s so much more that goes into it.”
Working in cosmetics involves a great understanding of the products, the ways they are made and testing and retesting different methods of application, as Anh explained: “OK, I’m going to adapt that theory and try different things until you get what you’re looking for. I think people with that kind of mindset would do super well.”
There is also, Anh said, the importance of building a good rapport with people, and knowing how to adapt the conversation based on their interests, whether it's the beauty aspect of cosmetics, or what goes into the product: “If I was talking to someone who is really into ingredients, very into innovative formulas, then I would go with the more science-forward approach. It all comes down to having this knowledge in your back pocket.”
Series six of Glow Up starts on 鶹ҳ Three on 10 April and can be viewed on iPlayer after broadcast.
This article was published in April 2024
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