Columbus native and professional makeup artist Daniel Klingler can turn you into a raving beauty or a terrible monster, all with some makeup and delicate brushes. And he’s sharing his knowledge with the world in “Idiot’s Guides: Everyday Makeup Secrets.”
The lavishly illustrated 250-page tome, published by Alpha, a division of Penguin Random House, features tips for choosing the best makeup for your features and step-by-step lessons for creating contemporary looks.
Klingler, who lives in Indianapolis and owns the Broad Ripple Salon Neck Up Designs, also has created and crafted hair and makeup for theatrical productions in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Who are your makeup inspirations? And how would you describe your aesthetic?
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My number-one makeup inspiration is Kevyn Aucoin. He has books called “Face Forward” and “Making Faces”, and I have owned those for years. He represents my aesthetic, which I call “theatrical beauty.” That’s really the marriage between my love for theater and beauty. When I’m doing beauty makeup for a bride or in a photo shoot, I love to transform her look in subtle ways. In theater, I love doing dramatic changes. But my aesthetic always leans toward beauty.
How did you get the book deal?
I went to school with the acquisitions editor for DK publishing. We were talking at a class reunion several years ago here, talking about what we do. She said she was in publishing. I said, ‘Oh, I’ve always wanted to write a book. A couple of years later, she called me and said, “We want to find a makeup artist to write a book.”
How does it feel to be a published author?
It’s really exciting. Twenty years ago I together put a bucket list of things I wanted to accomplish and writing a book was on it. When I was younger, I read a lot of Danielle Steele, so I didn’t know what the book would look like. I just wanted to put something creative out into the universe, and the opportunity came to me. It’s really overwhelming to see something you created in print. It’s international; it will be in book stores in the U.K., Canada and Australia. I love education, that’s my passion, and I really approached writing this book from an educational standpoint.
How so?
As consumers, we’re so inundated with all these product lines and makeup. They, makeup companies, are constantly trying to create the new “it” product, and yet, on average, American women only use three products a day. I was just in Korea … and they wear 10 makeup items a day on average. I’m really trying to help women go into Walgreens or Sephora and educate themselves.
Where are most women getting their makeup products?
I think it depends on their budget. I have the best products because I have clients. I will grab Maybelline from Walgreens for my mascara because it’s great. I say mix and match. You can get a black eye pencil for a couple of dollars — that’s fine, then layer in Kat Von D’s Tattoo.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Daniel Klingler” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Hometown: Columbus
Medium: Makeup and hair
Find out more: neckupdesign.com
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