THE make-up PRODIGY

Setting records comes naturally to Drishti Parikh, who became India’s youngest makeup artist at the age of 15 and Asia’s youngest nail artist at 16. Priyanka Parshurami enters the exciting world of this talented teenager to discover the milestones of her journey.

Seventeen year old Drishti Parikh has been familiar with beauty blenders and mascara wands since the age of 9. Looking at her passion for make-up, her parents supported her and with the help of her alumnus, the LTA School of Beauty, she excelled at professional make-up artistry. Today, she is 17 and is already valued as a commercial make-up artist. In an exclusive interview, Parikh shares the secrets behind achieving success at a young age.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE MAKE-UP ARTISTRY?

At a young age, I started watching make-up tutorials on YouTube and my interest in makeup grew by each passing day. At first, my parents were worried that I might damage my skin but later they also identified my passion. My father’s support became my biggest motivation to pursue a career as a make-up artist.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOUJUGGLING BETWEEN SCHOOL AND MAKE-UP PRACTICE?

On a typical day, I mainly focus on my studies as I have selected science stream but at the same time I spend at least two hours on learning new techniques for improving my make-up skills. On weekends, I spend 5-6 hours practising make-up and nail art.

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING MAKE-UP AT LTA SCHOOL OF BEAUTY?

The LTA School of Beauty has made a huge contribution in my growth as a make-up artist and nail technician. They helped me to transform from a make-up user to a professional artist.

HIGHLIGHT ANY SPECIFIC SKILLS OR TECHNIQUES THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AT THAT ACADEMY, WHICH HAS PROVED TO BE BENEFICIAL.

The specific skill they taught me was how to get perfection in my work and give it a professional effect that stands out from other make-up artists.

SHARE A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE OR PROJECT THAT YOU ARE PROUD OF.

I once had a client who hailed from a rural area.

I had to consult them and also, do their make-up and for that I had to travel 30 km. I travelled alone and also stayed there by myself. During this project, I learned a lot about the ground reality of being a make-up artist. It has been an unforgettable experience for me.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED AS A YOUNG MAKE-UP ARTIST?

The main challenge I faced and I am still facing is that people always want their make-up to be done by well known and famous artists. They are not ready to trust younger artists like us as they think It would be risky and we might ruin their special day by not doing our work properly. I would like to make them understand that even young artists have skills and with proper training and practice, we too are on par with professionals.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM AND SETBACKS IN YOUR WORK?

The only way I handle criticism is by practising makeup or nail art more. Whenever I feel down or when someone makes me feel that way, I get into my setup and start practising my skill, using their criticism to fuel my passion.

HOW DO YOU STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST TRENDS AND TECHNIQUES IN MAKE-UP ARTISTRY?

To stay updated with the latest trends, I prefer reading magazines related to beauty. I also invest my time on social media to find more about ongoing trends.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN TERMS OF YOUR CAREER AND SKILLS?

In terms of career, I am not sure yet, but if I talk about my skills, I would like to work on them every day and make them as good as possible in the next five years.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER YOUNG ASPIRING MAKE-UP ARTISTS WHO ARE TRYING TO FIND THEIR FOOTING IN THE INDUSTRY?

For those who are willing to get into this industry, if you truly are passionate about it and can work in this field even in the middle of the night, then only get into this industry. Without interest and passion, you won’t be able to last long.

If you are truly interested, then keep going. One day, you will surely be proud of yourself for taking this decision.

PBHJ