Patrick Ta’sworld is glamorous and glitzy.
This month alone, he’s been traveling across France, working with everyone fromAdriana LimatoEva Longoria.
Needless to say, he is the epitome of a beauty boss.
However, Ta’s path to becoming the makeup mogul he is today was far from linear.
Growing up, the San Diego native lacked confidence and was unsure of his place in the world.
“Little Patrick was insecure,” he says.
Patrick Ta / Design by Tiana Crispino
“I grew up in a predominately Caucasian area, and I was made fun of in high school.
I was overweight, gay, and Asian.
My family was also very academically-inclined, and I didn’t do well in school.
Patrick Ta / Design by Tiana Crispino
I ended up dropping out of high school.”
In pursuit of personal and professional clarity, Ta decided to relocate to Arizona at 17.
There, he discovered his love of beauty.
Patrick Ta / Design by Tiana Crispino
While he dabbled in makeup, he ultimately decided to open a tanning and nail salon.
He set his sights on Los Angeles and shifted his attention toward building an artistry career.
You became an entrepreneur at an early age.
What was it like running a tanning and nail salon at 18?
My mom used to own a bunch of nail salons.
That’s what she knew and how she made a life for our family.
They were very popular at the time.
I fully believed in myself and knew I could do this.
But looking back, I honestly can’t believe my mom and dad did that for me.
I’m so grateful my parents helped me though.
I wanted to prove to myself, my family, and peers that I could do something.
In the beginning, my salon did very well.
And because of that, I was able to learn so much at such a young age.
However, we had to foreclose on it because I couldn’t afford to pay my lease anymore.
When I moved to L.A., I knew I couldn’t disappoint them or myself again.
Patrick Ta / Design by Tiana Crispino
When you moved to L.A., what was your plan?
I definitely didn’t come to L.A. to become a celebrity makeup artist.
I didn’t even know that makeup could be a full-time career.
I started to realize I could do something with this and saw it as the perfect career choice.
I went to work every day, and it didn’t feel like work.
When you love something, I feel like it makes everything better.
What was it like trying to build your client roster in L.A.?
It was a huge platform for me as someone who wasn’t represented by an agency.
Social media was my portfolio.
I was particular about what I was posting and the style of makeup I was doing.
When I wanted to work with the Kardashians, I did super glam makeup.
When I wanted to work with models, I showcased more toned-down looks.
Do you have any memorable moments with any of your celebrity clients?
One of the most memorable moments was working with Joan Smalls for the MTV Music Awards.
It was one of my first times working with a supermodel.
My style of makeup was a lot heavier back then.
So, I bought new makeup to make her look natural and fresh.
That day taught me I need to expand my thought process when doing makeup.
Now, I always ask my clients, “What’s natural to you?”
I still work with Joan, and now she wears more makeup.
But at the time, she was coming from high fashion, where the makeup is usually so natural.
What are some of the other lessons you’ve learned as an MUA?
When I started my career, I would look at other makeup artists and attempt to copy their looks.
It wasn’t until I stopped comparing myself that I began to think my work was beautiful.
It’s important to be original and find your own style.
Let’s talk about Patrick Ta Beauty.
How did you feel on launch day in 2019?
On launch day, there was a feeling of pure excitement.
We worked on the brand for about two years before we launched.
When I was able to show my community what I was working on, it felt really good.
We threw a big launch party, and I invited my clients, friends, and family.
Seeing my clients show up for me instead was such a win.
Seeing that people wanted my products was a really good feeling.
I felt so much love that night.
How do you approach product development?
But I remember buying my first high-end powder and cherishing it.
With Patrick Ta Beauty, I want to make products that capture that feeling and make people feel special.
As someone who is still a working makeup artist, I’m constantly learning new techniques on set.
So, I always want to create innovative products.
I also prefer to launch little collections rather than an entire line.
I’m not the brand that will come out with 20 lipsticks at once.
What’s next for the brand?
I want to continue to amplify our amazing products.
Our latest launch was the Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette.
We were the number one SKU in Sephora during the month we launched.
That was wild to me because there are thousands of products at Sephora.
I feel good about where we’re at because we basically have a full range of products.
But there are really exciting things in the works.
I think you’re going to see complexion makeup from us this year.
With everything you have going on, how do you practice self-care?
My whole life in L.A. has been about work.
It wasn’t until this past year that I was able to slow down and enjoy time off.
After getting a little glimpse of that, I realized I need to sit back and recharge sometimes.
You’re pouring from an empty cup if you work every day without rest.
Traveling, meeting new people, and immersing myself in different cultures is self-care for me.
Whenever I travel, I come back and look at things differently.
