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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.

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

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Hitting "send" just now made my heart race on the

Hitting "send" just now made my heart race on the real.

You know that feeling when you're about to do something that could either move your career forward or blow up in your face? That's what I've been working on these days.

At 55, with decades in this industry and a solid client history, you'd think the hard stuff would get easier. Plot twist: it does not.

I'm still pushing myself to do the things I hate - cold calls, networking events where I know nobody, sending proposals and counter-proposals that might get rejected.

But the great @mariettacn Marietta Carter-Narcisse taught me many years ago: "To make the deal, you can't be afraid to lose the deal." Nerve-wracking? Yep. But also empowering.

Here's what I keep reminding myself (and what I tell my students): if you want something different, you have to DO something different. When I was starting out, my drive to ditch the safety job and go full-time pushed me through every uncomfortable conversation. Today that same energy still exists - I'm still ambitious, and I still have goals I'm chasing even at my big age and doing this for a long time.

The biggest thing holding most artists back isn't talent. It's putting yourself out there when your comfort zone is calling your name. It's doing the ick business stuff when all you want to do is make people beautiful (or ugly depending on what part of the biz you're in 😉)

I get it. I keep telling myself I should just ride corporate makeup into the sunset. But that's not being honest with myself about what I want. Staying comfortable might feel safe, but it won't get you where you want to go.

What's one hard thing you can do that could change everything for your career?

If you want information, support, and community in figuring out and reaching your goals, consider joining us in the Five Small Things membership. Link in Bio, or comment COMMUNITY and I'll send you the details 👍🏾

It used to be me, too. I used to think that dolin

It used to be me, too.

I used to think that doling out affiliate links was sales-y, smarmy, influencer-y (back when I thought being an "influencer" was automatically a bad thing), you name it.

Really, I was just insecure. What turned it around? Getting asked by certain clients. Hello? Recommendations is kinda part of my job.

For us makeup pros, this isn't about liking every product we ever touch or going on about the latest fad trending on social. This is about making the recommendations we were already making in ways that serve our customers hence serve ourselves as well. #winning

For me that looks like;

- Only linking my Hero products that I can recommend with my whole chest.

- Not talking about every product I ever try (which in our cases can be a lot so I don't start recommending until a product reaches Hero status).

- Keeping it relevant to my audience. There may be some related things that might fly but ya know, no one is coming to me for fashion advice, for example LOL

- Social can only do so much so I don't go on an on about it on social. YMMV but again, that's not the content my peoples are looking for from me so I don't go on and on.

- Long form, evergreen content on the other hand? Oh yeah. 👍🏾

As a "micro influencer" with around 2K followers on this platform, I've still grown active and engaged mailing lists, my blog gets a regular good amount of hits, and I have an active Substack. With little or no "push" I'm good for a few $$$ a month through my links. I'll take it! 👍🏾

Interested in a few $$$ of your own? Comment "AFFILIATE" and I'll send ya my wee guide to help you get started.

Is Affiliate Marketing of any kind part of your makeup career matrix?

#mediamakeupartists #makeuptogoblog #mtgfivesmallthings #promakeupartists

Are you ready for Q3? Let's talk strategy! The ye

Looking for an affordable way to stock your kit? A

Full elaborate makeup can be Hella fun and artisti

Full elaborate makeup can be Hella fun and artistically satisfying. But that's not what defines a makeup artist per se.

Being able to assess and deliver the needs of our client is what makes a professional makeup artist.

I am born and raised in California however both my

I am born and raised in California however both my parents families are from Texas, so I've grown up my whole life with consciousness of Juneteenth. My dad was born in Texas and spend time there before moving to Oklahoma and then ultimately ending up in California and then my maternal grandmother was born and raised in Texas.

Most of my extended family is in or from Texas. And if I was with extended family we would celebrate Juneteenth quite significantly.

Red plays a significant role in the celebration of Juneteenth. It's a symbol of both the bloodshed of our ancestors and the resistance and fight for freedom. Needless to say it's an interesting holiday in the context of the current times.

Now, I've always been a red lipstick girly. Yet how many times have I heard as a Black woman - particularly of my complexion - that I shouldn't wear red? (hint: many) The first time I heard this missive was actually from one of my own cousins, during a Juneteenth gathering, where are all the food and decorations were based on red. Yet my red lipstick was somehow beyond the pale lol.

I don't know if I was supposed to be ashamed of having fuller lips or ashamed of being this complexion or if it "wasn't lady-like" (my Texas elders were "sidity" like that), but needless to say it didn't stick and I've been ignoring that rule my entire life.

I LOVE bold color on deep skin and no I don't feel any need to "tone it down" with a brown liner.

So as I'm heading out the door to go support a Black business and check out this Black owned bakery in the area, I am putting on my red lipstick and my red top – similar to this picture – as a subtle nod to my ancestry, and a tiny little act of resistance. And later today I'll take a sip of some sorrel punch and have a chuckle - as I often do - at that silly admonition from my cousin.

Enjoy some red velvet cake and have a happy Juneteenth y'all!

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