Makeup to Go!

…dedicated to the Art and Craft of Makeup

Blog Instagram Threads Linkedin
makeup to go blog tania d Russell makeup educator Los Angeles San Francisco
  • Home
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
  • Services
    • Personal Services
  • 5ST Member Resources
  • Contact
MAKEUP TO GO BLOG

Bookings

makeup to go blog tania d Russell makeup educator Los Angeles San Francisco behind the scenes

Tania D. Russell...

Tania D. Russell is a career media makeup artist of 25 years and counting with a career that has run the gamut from early hip hop videos to print advertising. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Elle Sweden and Runners’ World, on TV shows for clients such as BET, MTV, and HGTV, and for more commercial fashion and beauty clients than she can remember.
Instagram Threads Blog
makeup to go blog tania d Russell makeup educator Los Angeles San Francisco
Work With Us
visit the blog
Contact us

makeuptogoblog
🤷🏾‍♀️ Listen I get it. Things are wa 🤷🏾‍♀️ Listen I get it. Things are wacky dacky, work is slower for a lot of folks, no one wants to be caught outside in FOMO-land. However you'll never magically just "get what you're worth" unless you develop the muscle of asking for it. Part of the fear of asking for your rate is the fear of rejection. But when you are confident in what you are offering there is nothing to fear and the reality of the reality is there are a lot of makeup artists/hairstylist/creative of whatever kind in the world and you're just not going to get every job anyway. Really, negotiation is a two-way street where they determine if you might be a good match for their job, but you can also determine whether or not a job is a good match for you. 👍🏾 If rates and negotiations causes your vision to go blurry, let's clarify it for you in one of my Need to Talk 1-on-1 sessions, my most popular offering. First link in Bio or comment TALK and I'll send you the deets 👍🏾 Do you feel confident in negotiating your rates? #mediamakeup #makeuptogoblog #promakeupartistrates
It's always the Skin for me. And for the type of It's always the Skin for me. And for the type of work that I do, I really do love a good tinted moisturizer type product that has a good pigmentation and good coverage. We'll deep dive more into why in a later post come soon 😉 I've used the Glossier forever, both for myself and it photographs beautifully. I have been very very pleased with the new Multi-Serum Skin Tint from @versed . I love a product that I can both use on set and recommend to private clients. This is a serum foundation from a skin care brand so it has lots of good for you skin ingredients. It is an SPF 40 (which is nice but it obviously wouldn't substitute for using your sunscreen daily). And it's readily available at Ulta, that other chain store where I'm not shopping anymore, the Versed website, etc. It has a great range. I was gifted the first three bottles from a Model-friend who worked on the campaign for the product, and I liked it so much that I bought another three. Overall there are 14 colors in the range and they are not all trapped in the beige zone 😏 I love the finish. Now in the image on the next frame it is fabulatized with other products because that's what the client wanted but the finish is a very pretty natural glow, not dewy but not matte. And it wears well. I've used it a few times in a few different situations now and in particular on this shoot, we were working with water. I used Blue Marble to set but the foundation also played nice and stayed put. No beading or peeling or shifting or anything else that can happen. Lastly I dig that it's bottled in glass. For us makeup artists we're going to depot anyway but for our storage things in glass last longer, and then of course glass is much better for the environment. 👍🏾 I am always on the foundation prowl and this was a very happy discovery. What new (or new to you) foundations have you been loving lately? #makeuptogoblogapproved #mediamakeupartists #skinwerks #skinwerksbymakeuptogo
With Labor Day weekend officially behind us, it's With Labor Day weekend officially behind us, it's time to get back to business which for me is a mix of on-set client work and education client work. Fam, I needed this reset. Between juggling all the things, my consistency took a backseat. But here's what I know after 25+ years in this industry: consistency beats perfection every single time. To help me regain my focus, I've been leaning heavily on my MVP productivity tools; @freedom.to – Freedom features customizable blocklists that keep me from silly-scrolling when I should be working. You can customize it to block what you want, for however long you want so you can focus on your own brilliance and not cat videos. @flodesk – It's not just for email lists anymore (although I do think email lists are undervalued in today's social media obsessed world). The new integrations plus all of the new features available in Checkout = Flodesk has really gotten its GlowUp on over the last year. It's an indispensable tool for my business. ALERT - **They just announced their big pricing change** . Get Unlimited pricing while you still can! @planoly – I'm back in baby's arms. There was a snafu that made me have to leave Planoly for a minute at the end of 2023. The other scheduler I was using worked fine but I never really made peace with their funky interface. Planoly's visual scheduling lets me see how everything will look which is a game changer for visual folks like us. And scheduling in advance means still being present on social even when we're with a client or somewhere on set. 👍🏾 I know that many of us aren't natural content creators – we're makeup artists trying to build careers while actually doing the work. But as one of my business mentors often says - Everything we want is on the other side of Consistency. Brand deals, PR lists, better clients for better rates, successful launches, etc. are all there waiting for us, we just have to stay focused, and show up on the regular. What tools help you stay consistent? Drop them below! 👇 And if you want to learn about these tools I've mentioned, hit my Link in Bio or comment FOCUS and I'll get you that info 👍🏾 #mediamakeupartists #makeuptogoblog
It's Action Time. This year is definitely been w It's Action Time. This year is definitely been wacky dacky but September marks the final month of Q3 and we are heading into the madness of Q4. The whole theme of this Five Small Things list is that historically speaking Q4 - for nearly everything from retail to private clients to media work - this is the busiest time of year. And when there's more activity, there's more opportunity 👍🏾 Now we have to be real here – at least for those of us in the United States - it is extremely difficult to say what is Q4 is going to be like. Things right now are chaotic to say the least, particularly in retail, and that undoubtedly trickles down into other facets of work life. But as freelancers no one knows the art of the hustle and the pivot the way we do. In my experience now right now - September - is one of the best times of the year to do a promotional push. Reconnecting with past clients, reaching out to new clients, starting to plan and pre launch your holiday season offers, all of this type of thing. Do it! 💪 As they say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is 𝒏𝒐𝒘. If you did some marketing and promotion early in the year, go ahead and start following up. If you haven't done any promotion/marketing/etc. already this year, go ahead and start now. A little push now can reap benefits that will last through the end of the year. So how are you going to prep for Q4? (Need some help? I got you! DM (or hit the Link in Bio) about my Services - Need to Talk or the Five Small Things Monthly membership - and we'll help you get your groove on going into Q4 👍🏾) #makeuptogoblog #mtgfivesmallthings #promakeupartist
August has been a month. I've been in the endless August has been a month. I've been in the endless Hold/Release loop. I had an opportunity appear then not appear. I just got rejected again this morning, actually. I've also gotten two new brand opportunities. A new Corporate client. And I've got multiple holds for some upcoming large-scale events. Such is the life of a creative freelancer. If it seems like you're putting in maximum effort and getting minimal return just keep working through the process. Much like a fitness plateau you just have to push through it. The worst thing you can ever do is give up and stop. Keep going 👍🏾 Need a little support as you move through your career? Check out the Five Small Things Monthly Membership for monthly information, support and community to keep you moving on your career path. Link in Bio or comment Membership for the deets 👍🏾 #mediamakeupartists #mtgfivesmallthings
I recently saw a post that got me thinking about h I recently saw a post that got me thinking about how artists sometimes struggle when they transition from private clients to media work - which makes total sense because nobody really teaches you this stuff!�� Well, actually, I do ;-) And I can see how the rules of engagement of working with media clients might trip you up if that hasn’t been your bag, so let's clear some things up for ya: PRIVATE CLIENTS = YOUR CHAIR, YOUR RULES Straightforward. You’re running your own business, so you call the shots. MEDIA CLIENTS = THEIR DIME, KINDA THEIR RULES - Less straighforward. Understand you're being 𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 as an independent contractor, providing a service to the end client. Yes, there are things you absolutely can and should negotiate, but the dynamic is different. PAYMENT TIMING IS EVERYTHING - Private clients? PLEASE get payment upfront. Media clients? That will almost never happen. Now - different jobs pay in different ways - production jobs may have you on payroll, agency booked jobs the client pays the agency and the agency pays you less their cut.. etc. You might be able to negotiate a faster turn around time in some instances, however the reality of the reality is trying to demand payment upfront on a media job is going to raise eyebrows. BOOKING SYSTEMS VS CONTRACTS- Your private clients might book through whatever method you prefer. Booking with media clients needs detail - preferably a contract - that outlines 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. Trust me - you want this. The person who contacted you is likely not the same person who will be paying you. A paper trail brings the Clarity needed to ensure the payment process goes smoothly. These aren't better or worse ways of doing business - they're just different systems for different types of work. 👍🏾 If you're ready to level up your media client game, comment AGREEMENTS below and I'll send you a Sample Agreement and info about my upcoming Confirmation Agreements 2.0 release - plus get you’ll be on my list for all the insider knowledge that'll help you navigate these career pivots like a pro. #makeuptogoblog #mediamakeupartists #confirmationagreements
Follow on Instagram
All images copyright of respective photographers | Many thanks to Sonya Bowman Photography, Saryn Christina Photography, and Together in Wellness RN for BTS and Portrait Images
Website Designed using Bluchic Themes | All content © 2008-2025, Makeup to Go / Tania D. Russell except where noted

Disclosures | Official Giveaway Rules | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy