Crystal Foster’s passion for fashion and beauty began in childhood, where she spent hours transforming her Barbie dolls and playing with her mother’s makeup. This early fascination led her to the Fashion Institute of Technology to study fashion merchandising, but her love for makeup soon took center stage, prompting her career shift to Makeup for Film and Television in California. After moving to New York, a chance encounter with a Viacom executive opened the door to a 20-year freelance career in makeup artistry. Crystal has worked with A-list celebrities across music, fashion, television, and film, contributing her expertise to major networks like MTV, VH1, BET, and Nickelodeon. Today, she is the artist behind the scenes of prestigious events like the Grammy Awards and the Tony Awards, ensuring that the stars look glamorous and perfect, solidifying her reputation as one of the most sought-after makeup artists of today.
Q: What does it mean for you to be a Black woman in this industry?
A: That’s a good question! I would have to say it has been challenging. My first real job was at MTV, working for Viacom. Viacom was an umbrella that hosted MTV, BET, VH1 and Nickelodeon. I started working as a freelance artist in 1999 and 2000; that’s when I first started with them. Even though I worked with those companies, I was the only brown-skinned girl on set. I always noticed that there was a difference in the treatment coming my way, but I held my own, and hopefully opened some doors for other brown-skinned girls along the way.
Q: What has been your favorite, or most impactful, project or artist you’ve worked with?
A: I actually did the Tony Awards just last month, and I did makeup for Kecia Lewis, who’s leading Hell’s Kitchen, the Broadway play from Alicia Keys. I got to be in the rooms with some really big names like Billy Porter along with other big names on Broadway. That was pretty amazing. I never expected to even get into the afterparties so it was pretty exciting for me to be there and an unforgettable experience to have. I felt really fortunate because I also didn’t see very many brown-skinned people in those rooms.
Q: Do you do anything to continue learning and stay current on the trends that your clients may ask for?
A: Absolutely. As an artist, the learning never stops. I can learn from a seven year old. Just the other day, I saw on Instagram a seven-year old makeup artist, and she was really good. As I was watching her, I liked how she lifted the foundation into the blush and then made it highlight, which is something different than what I did. You just have to stay humble as an artist and continue learning. I do a lot of YouTube tutorials, I take classes, and I read. It’s a business like any other business so I went to school and I studied for it. There’s different facets of makeup artistry; there’s fashion, there’s photography, there’s editorial, there’s film, there’s television, there’s prosthetics, there’s weddings, etc. So, once you learn color theory, then you can go into whatever avenue that you want to but there are different doors that you can enter. As an artist, television and red carpets are my forte.
Q: What is your biggest tip or piece of advice for someone just getting started in this industry?
A: I get asked that question a lot and I tell everyone that I started doing counter makeup with MAC and Fashion Fair. My first job was actually selling fragrance with Christian Dior but the girls at the makeup counter were so glamorous. They had their little blue skirt suits and looked so polished and proper. With my modeling background, I realized I wanted to be behind the counter so I applied for a makeup artist position with Christian Dior here in Atlanta, at Lenox mall. At the time, I was studying fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology, which was across the street from the mall and that’s where it all began with makeup.
So, when anyone asks me how to get started I would still say to get a counter job. It helps you interact with people and come out of your shyness. Even though you’re more of a salesperson, you’re still going to learn color theory and how to work with any race and every skin tone because you don’t know who’s going to walk up to your counter. It’s good to be universal. I meet a lot of artists, even to this day, that don’t know how to do Black skin. Whoever sits in my chair, they can be Asian, Black, Indian, Spanish, Latino or African. As an artist, you’re supposed to be able to do makeup on anyone, from the lightest color skin to the darkest.
Q: Who or what is your biggest motivator?
A: My mom. She was a fashion icon. What fascinated me about my mom is her ability to transform herself; sometimes with just a bold red lip color or she’ll wear fake eyelashes. It was never a whole full face of makeup, but she would just tweak little things and add big, bold earrings to accentuate her huge afro (we’re talking about back in the 70’s). With her, she always was able to put herself together so beautifully and I was always in awe.
I also was always inspired by other makeup artists such as Sam Fine, and Kevyn Aucoin. Kevyn had a book called Making Faces, and the way he would transform every nationality, from the lightest-skinned person to the darkest-skinned person was amazing. That to me was a true artist. I was in awe of his work and I was very sad when he passed away. He just had these gifted hands. That book is my coffee table book. Sam Fine has also touched every famous face and had a knack to make someone look naturally beautiful without transforming their look. Sam Fine’s talent was bringing up your best version of yourself and I feel that I’m that type of makeup artist. I’m not your Instagram makeup artist where you have loads of makeup on. I like to take your natural beauty and just enhance it.
Stay connected to Crystal Foster:
Instagram: @crystallizedartist
