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There are many greats when it comes to makeup artists. James Charles, a controversial YouTuber, is one of them. I grew up watching every single video he uploaded, from detailed tutorials to stressful and speedy challenges. I admired his exploration with bright rainbow eyeshadow and shimmery cut creases, the way he can match his foundation perfectly to his skin every time, or how he was able to use contour to chisel his cheekbones and jawline, and his eyeliner being perfectly straight along his lash line, not a single stray away, ending in a piercing sharp point. It was beautiful. It is art.
While James Charles is the da Vinci of makeup, skill doesn’t determine passion. Selena Gomez, a singer, actor, and founder of Rare Beauty, a makeup company, is also someone who I share a love for makeup with. She posts short clips of her trying out new Rare Beauty products. Unlike James Charles, who uses brushes and beauty blenders to apply his makeup, Selena Gomez uses her fingers to apply almost every product she tries, gently rubbing or tapping it into her skin. Trailblazers of the makeup industry would laugh at this information. They would
question, “Who would possibly choose to use their fingers over any other tool?” I argue that whether she uses application tools or not, she is still a master at her work.
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