Anya Tisdale on Experimental Makeup Looks
The multifaceted makeup artist will change how you look at beauty looks.
Photo courtesy of Anya Tisdale
Instead of tuning in to Zoom classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, Anya Tisdale used that time to turn her camera off and practice her makeup in the mirror. Born in Boston and based in Brooklyn, Tisdale’s makeup skills are rooted in her background in illustration. In 2020, she wanted to expand on illustrating but wasn’t sure what that medium would be. Experimentation and endless practice led to her dedication to intricate makeup looks.
In addition to her illustration skills, Tisdale gets her makeup inspiration from baby drag. One of her signature looks includes bright brow bones and inner-eye corners to create the illusion of bigger eyes.
“I like being a chameleon,” Tisdale says. “I think my signature is versatility. Depending on the day, I can bang out a quick beat for work in about 25 minutes or can take upwards of two hours of freestyling and trying out new techniques, color combos, or products. Makeup is the only thing in my life that I don’t like to plan out to a tee, it’s much more engaging and exploratory for me to be fluid in my art. The daily process is to just go with the motions and create based on how I’m feeling at that very moment.”
Tisdale has achieved many makeup looks, but her favorite looks come from the Cakeface series. She turns her face into a cake with icing, candles, and confectionery. She says this viral look was the moment that gave her a name in the makeup community and that no one has done it before her.
Photo courtesy of Anya Tisdale
“They were so enjoyable to create because they encapsulated everything about my art in one look — the whimsy, the unusual, an ode to the inner child,” she says. “Also, cake is just awesome. I love the way they look, especially the vintage ones with a ton of frosting and little sugar roses.”
The viral ability of Cakeface led to a project series with her friend Mo Zelle called Cereal Killers. The fun yet twisted short involved a murderous cereal-faced couple shot by Holly Marie Olmos. After this, Tisdale fell in love with blending film and makeup, making her makeup videos more elaborate. After all, she does have a degree in film and media studies — so she thought, ‘Why not take advantage of it?’
Cereal Killers by Holly Maries Olmos
The makeup process isn’t easy for anyone., not even for Tisdale. While it can be satisfying, it can also be painstaking and frustrating when looks don’t turn out as anticipated. To maintain a healthy relationship with makeup, Tisdale allows herself to feel everything when doing her makeup.
“There have been times that I’ve been severely stressed creating a look, and there have also been times that I’ve been elated! I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be disappointed, discouraged, or disconnected from your work — but I think it is incredibly important to be able to delve into those emotions and understand them, using them to advance your craft. My emotions toward makeup are checkpoints that I use to evaluate whether a different course of action or change in my practice is needed.”
What can we expect from Tisdale? Experimentalism, experimentalism, and even more experimentalism. With a hope for more free time similar to the pandemic, Tisdale says she’s open to navigating new signature looks, growing her career, and educating herself and others on beauty.
