Val Garland

Val Garland is a fixture backstage with MAC at some of the most exclusive and creative shows, including Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. She has a knack for crafting out-there beauty looks that not only look crazy-amazing, but cause us to question the concept of beauty and what we think is beautiful. When asked how she comes up with such weird and wonderful makeup, she simply replies that she's "a bit bonkers." 

"I fell into the industry by pure chance, really. I was a hairdresser and I used to wear tons of makeup — tons, and tons, and tons — and photographers kept saying to me, 'Oh, you should do makeup.' I was a bit reluctant, and then one day the makeup artist didn't turn up. So, I had to do the makeup, and that shoot ended up being in a magazine in Australia. Then people just started booking me. I made a lot of mistakes because I'm self-taught, so in the beginning I would make everybody look like me — they always had big, black eyebrows and very black, heavy, sooty eyes — but it's only by making mistakes that you learn. As time went by, I kind of refined and honed my craft."


I really like both Val Garland's work, and her way of thinking. I love the looks that she produces and how she is not afraid to make a statement or stand out. I also feel like she does not have a particular area that she focuses on/specialises in; she explores many different looks and styles and each and every one works well and looks amazing. 

But it's not like every look needs to be drastic and bold and different; she is also able to follow her client's directions as shown here: 

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/22239/1/val-garland-amplified-realness

Reference: http://www.refinery29.com/val-garland