We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Annette Chaisson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Annette below.

Alright, Annette thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I sometimes wonder what my career would look like now if I had started doing makeup earlier. I actually have a degree in Political Science and planned to go to law school. However, that went out the window as soon as I graduated and moved to L.A. I should’ve known my path would change when I enjoyed my fine arts classes WAY more than any of my poli-sci classes.

Throughout my 20’s I really had no idea what my passion was beyond working in the entertainment field. I bounced around doing work as a production assistant on commercials and tv shows, then assisted an actor, and worked as an assistant to a talent agent. I enjoyed all of those jobs but I really gravitated towards the makeup dept while on sets. I loved everything about it. The creativity, the spfx makeup, the beauty makeup and they always looked like they loved their job. I just didn’t know how to break into it. A friend who had an incredible makeup career in film suggested I go to makeup school. So, I quit my job and did exactly that. One of the best decisions I ever made.

Do I wish I had gone to makeup school fresh out of college or high school? Maybe I’d be at a different place in my career now. But honestly, no. Being successful as a makeup artist is so much more than just applying pretty makeup on people. A strong work ethic, people skills, common sense, problem solving, tenacity, empathy, patience and being able to pivot on a dime are all essential if you want to work consistently. All of my prior work and life experiences helped develop those skills and have proven to be vital in my career today. I believe everything happened at the right time for me.

Annette, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! I’m Annette and I’m a makeup artist working in film and television. I also do makeup and hair for editorial photoshoots, red carpet events and press junkets. I love that every day is different and that I get to experience a variety of people and places. It’s one of the main reasons I chose this career.

When I first started working as a makeup artist the best thing I ever did was to say Yes to everything. I was always hustling looking for work and things started rolling quickly because I had absolutely no ego. I worked on student films, AFI films, low budget projects, short films, headshots (thank you Shandon!) and anything on Craigslist that didn’t look like a sketchy death trap. I haven’t been on Craigslist for 20 yrs so not sure if that’s even a thing now. But at the time, that’s where everyone was looking for non-union makeup and hair artists. It was on those low budget films that I really developed spfx makeup skills doing prosthetics, bald caps, blood rigs, cuts and bruises. I can’t count how many zombies I created.

One of the more fortuitous opportunities that I said yes to at the time was working as an intern for Exclusive Artists, a hair & makeup agency. I wanted to learn what that world was all about and I figured interning one or two days a week would be super beneficial. I learned the importance of good photos, beautiful makeups and how they should be presented. I assisted some of the incredible makeup artists there on high profile photoshoots and fashion shows. I also developed a relationship with the agents. It was such an important piece to my career.

My path shifted when I had an opportunity to join the makeup union and work on a Disney television show so I had to end my time at Exclusive, but it was actually not the end at all. Several years later, one of the agents I had interned with, Matt Bauer, saw my name on a call sheet and asked if I’d be interested in coming in for a meeting. After meeting with all of the agents, they asked me to sign with them. They’ve been instrumental in helping me combine the two worlds of union film/television work with celebrity press, red carpet and editorial shoots.

When people or clients ask me what I enjoy working on the most, I have to say that it’s the total sum of every different gig I get to do. I love making people feel like they look their best, or that I’ve helped develop a character with an actor that will be onscreen for everyone to see. It’s one of the best jobs in the world and I’m so thankful I get to do it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn trying to please everyone. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to like what you do and how you do it. Not everyone is going to like the makeup you do. Or the hair, or the clothes or the whatever! And you know what? That’s ok. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t talented or nice or skilled. Sometimes it’s just not a good fit. And sometimes, it has absolutely nothing to do with you.

Very early on when I was working on a non-union low/no budget film an actress didn’t like the makeup I did on her. She was pretty rude about it and ended up doing her own makeup. I was so upset and wanted to make it right. I was talking to the hair stylist and costume designer and they said, “Girl, it’s not just you. She complained about the hair, the wardrobe, the lighting, the script, the food. Everything. Don’t think twice about it.” Lesson learned. Or unlearned, however you want to look at it. You don’t know what someone is going through, so just be kind and keep it moving.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s pretty simple, really. I get to make people feel good. Yes, making someone look pretty or handsome is great, and an essential part of my job. But the best part is when they leave my chair feeling confident and happy!

I’ve been lucky to work with actors as their personal makeup artist on shows so I try to create a fun and safe space for them in the makeup trailer. I’m one of the first people they see onset, usually very early in the morning, and a big part of what I do is to get them mentally ready for the day, in addition to the makeup. It’s awesome being a part of someone’s day in a positive way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annettechaisson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annettechaisson_mua
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettechaisson/
• Other: https://www.eamgmt.com/annettechaisson

Image Credits

Rob Lowe, Nathalie Emmanuel, Trevor Noah, Ruth Negga