In Confidence
Renowned makeup artist Isabella Schimid talks about staying confident in an industry driven by looks, her journey with vitiligo, and how pink hair became her identity
AS TOLD TO SALLY HUNWICK
Isabella Schimid learnt to accept, then embrace, her skin condition, vitiligo
Skin has always fascinated me, the way it responds to products, to touch, the way it can glow in a photo. At 19, I was already working as a skin therapist. I had found my calling.
But I also loved makeup.
My first boss was Nerida Joy, now one of the most celebrated facialists in Los Angeles. Nerida had moved to LA from Sydney, so I went over and worked in her spas. It was a great way to gain a deep knowledge of skin and how it responds.
Nerida knew how much I loved makeup, so she encouraged me to lean into it more. Her encouragement changed everything.
I did a makeup course and started working in film and television. I loved the alchemy of transformation, and how makeup could help bring a character to life. The importance of continuity; it all really thrilled me.