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A lot has changed in the beauty industry since Daniel Martin got his first break assisting Pat McGrath in the 90s. Like many creative industries, ‘rising in the ranks’ is a process that has been irrevocably altered in the digital world.
“The trajectory of how you would move up in the business has completely changed because of social media,” he tells me during a recent trip to Sydney with MECCA and Tatcha. “I remember having to carry my portfolio around and, like, meet with agents, artists, or art directors. Now they can just go on your socials, but you can miss out on a lot.”
Of course, it’s always been about hustling, but he emphasises the importance of mastering the basics of the craft—something that many can bypass on their rapid rise.
“Somebody can work with one celebrity and then blow up, but may never have an opportunity to learn how session work happens, or how to fit foundation or collaborate on an editorial, or how to collaborate on a runway show,” explains Martin. “There’s a whole generation that will not have that opportunity, which is unfortunate because many editors, directors and designers don’t necessarily look at your following; they’re working from word-of-mouth or experience.”
In his three decades in the business, working with the likes of Michelle Yeoh, Dakota Johnson, Ali Wong and many more icons, Martin is one of the few enduring makeup artists who remains a household name but is just as warm and genial as an eager-to-learn rookie—a trait he credits as part of his success.
“At the end of the day, I’m providing a service, just like the mailman or the garbage man, I just so happen to be working with famous people,” he says. “As so much of this job is taking care of other people, you can really feel it on a set when someone’s not feeling okay.” He also acknowledges that while he’s “not saving lives”, the work he provides means a lot to people, especially when it’s a big moment for them, and so he treats it as such. “A lot of the environments we work within, getting ready for red carpets, backstage at fashion week or editorial photoshoots, are high-pressure,” he explains. “People are vulnerable, and you need to be able to leave your shit at the door and be kind and on your game.”
One of his most notable career highlights came when his longtime friend, Meghan Markle, tapped him for her wedding makeup—a look that struck a chord with many for its refreshingly natural finish.
“With [Meghan Markle]’s wedding, we’ve known each other for almost 15 years, so everything could be done through texts relatively smoothly—we just didn’t have time to do a trial. She was already in the UK, and I was in New York, and it was also around the Met Gala time, so our schedules couldn’t connect,” he tells me. “The day of, she was just like, ‘Do what you what you need to do?’ and yeah, it wasn’t stressful until I realised the magnitude of the wedding.”
While Martin didn’t quite understand the event’s gravity, he reflects that it was probably for the best, as he was able to be as efficient as he would be in any other job.
“I wasn’t that familiar with the royals, so I didn’t fully grasp that it was this cultural moment. I was just in work mode, making sure that I was doing right by her. I didn’t even know who was doing her hair or what her dress was like until the morning of.”
Even for events like the Met Gala, many collaborators aren’t aware of each other until the day of, reveals Martin.
“You kind of have to be quick on your feet. I always have. That’s why I’ve always tried to show my clients a direction rather than exact looks.”
An industry veteran, Martin has seen trends come and go but was arguably doing ‘no makeup makeup’ before it was a thing., always drawn to emphasising skin’s beauty over masking it.
“I think because I suffered from really bad cystic acne in my teens, so once I got to a point of feeling good in my skin, I didn’t want to cover it up because that felt like PTSD,” he says, telling me how he came to find his ‘voice’ in makeup. “One time, a bridal designer was looking through my work, and she said, ‘I can see that you’re good at makeup, but I don’t see your point of view. I thought that was fascinating as no one had ever said that to me, and that’s when I realised that it was actually skin that was my focus… Luckily, most of my clients are on the same page, so I’ve always tried to emphasise their natural skin, as opposed to contorting it.”
Of course, everyone has their individual taste, but the biggest error Martin observes with makeup is that many of us tend to underestimate ourselves.
“You don’t need a heap of makeup to shape your face or accentuate your features,” he advises. “I feel like people watch TikTok and end up covering up so much, thinking that they need all these extra products when a few can have the same effect.”
Though Martin embraces how Beauty-Tok is changing how many of us interact with skincare and makeup, his only warning is to keep some perspective, especially when it comes to the harsher stuff. “I think where else people go wrong is not being in tune with their individual skin and expecting these ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions,” he notes. “It’s fun to experiment, but consider your own unique needs. Plus, you’ll never look back and regret being gentle on your skin.
“Kids on retinol scares me,” he laughs. “Not just the concentrated ingredients but also the expense of it all.! It’s just not necessary, we go through so many changes when we’re younger.”
Some years ago, Vicky Tsai, the founder of Tatcha, saw a kindred spirit in Martin’s beauty ethos and reached out to him on LinkedIn. The pair struck up a friendship, and Martin was named Tatcha’s Global Director of Artistry not long after.
Naturally, many questions arise about Martin’s tips and tricks for achieving a flawless base at home, but his approach always comes back to taking care of the skin first.
Particularly for events, he relies on Tatcha’s newest hero product: The Matcha Cleanse. Rich with antioxidants, ceramides, amino acids and other skin-soothing ingredients, it’s a naturally potent blend that effectively cleanses and purifies while also restoring hydration and calm to the skin.
From there, he reaches for The Texture Tonic to gently exfoliate before adding hydration with either The Water Cream or The Dewy Skin Cream—both of which are viral favourites among beauty aficionados. Before he goes in with the foundation, The Liquid Silk Canvas will ensure the base goes on smoothly and doesn’t budge.
While much of what we know about beauty changes on the regular, Martin’s sought-after work and viral beauty moments are proof that great makeup is all in nailing the basics.
Shop Tatcha’s new The Matcha Cleanse below.
