Keita Moore is incredibly busy. When I spoke to the makeup artist, he had just returned from a trip around the country, from New York to Atlanta to Las Vegas. He’s worked the Grammys and the Super Bowl, and now he’s arriving in Tampa for his friend’s baby shower.
This is what life is like when you become one of the most sought-after makeup artists in the industry. Keita has worked with supermodels like Iman, actresses like Tessa Thompson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Laverne Cox, and singers like Mariah Carey and Kelly Rowland.
But despite having a dedicated roster of high-profile clients, Keita remains humble and hard-working, starting out modestly. What is his secret? “Hard work, dedication and determination,” he tells HELLO!
humble beginnings
Keita, an art school student, helped a friend put on a fashion show in her hometown of Rochester, New York, after the make-up artist was released on bail. He continued to practice makeup on his nieces and work at MAC Cosmetics. However, he got his big break with this work. love and hip hop girls.
© Keita Moore – Permission from The Only Agency“They were doing club appearances and were my go-to makeup artists, so I ended up working with them and venturing out of New York City,” he explains. “I’m from New York City and he’s from Rochester, six hours away. For eight years, I was traveling back and forth to New York for client work.”
Whether it was driving across the state on my own or riding the bus, I made sure to be there for my customers no matter what. The hard work paid off when I started applying makeup. real housewives of atlanta A star as a step up. This led to him working with more artists, including joining Fantasia Barrino on his three tours.
Keita did the Anastasia Beverly Hills campaign, and if you still go to your local CVS, you might still see the Covergirl campaign where he did makeup for Issa Rae and Ayesha Curry.
“When I saw my work for the first time in Times Square, it was a magical moment of gratitude,” he confesses. “I’ve come a long way from living in my mom’s room looking at my vision board every day and just seeing everything on the vision board in front of me.”
Using A-Listers
Now, he enjoys working with his idols. He admits that he was “a little star-struck” when he started working with Kelly Rowland.
“I was a huge Destiny’s Child fan. They took me all the way from when I was a teenager until now,” he says. But if you were in a room with him and Kelly, he’d never notice because he’s so intent on remaining professional.
“I’m a fan, but I don’t go into that room,” he declares. “I’m excited to be here, but I think celebrities just want normal people.”
© Permission from Sole AgencyFans were also excited when she went to Mariah Carey’s house to get her makeup done for the first time. “When she came down the stairs, it was like Mariah Carey was sitting right in front of me. It’s crazy, but at the same time you’re a professional and you’re reading the room. is.
“We know they’ve worked with all the iconic makeup artists in the past, so we’re going to let them do their best work.”
© Permission from Sole AgencyWe have a strong relationship with supermodel Iman over the years, so we sometimes learn from our clients. “She guided the path of so many people in the fashion industry. She really inspired me a lot by working with her, feeling her presence and hearing her story. I learned about.”
For example, Iman taught Keita to make his eyelashes bigger when the camera is filming far away so his eyes “don’t get too lost in the video.” But when the camera does a close-up, “I take that lash off and get a smaller lash so I don’t get too close.”
This definitely gave makeup artists an edge as they learned how to pay attention to and advise on lighting and angles during photo shoots.
find inspiration
Although Keita can do makeup for anyone of any race, she has an especially strong roster of some of the most successful black women in the industry. This seems to come from his biggest inspiration, his mother who was a makeup artist for Mary Kay.
“She taught me how to apply makeup and how it can change your spirit and mood,” he says. “I’ve seen her work hard to empower Black women.”
©Kevin Mazur“I’ve been learning about black women,” he says. “A lot of magic happens there. I’m a black man, and I think they have a lot of faith in you.”
In addition to her mother, Keita also draws inspiration from her fellow makeup artists. Without a doubt, Pat McGrath is a huge source of inspiration. “It’s so incredible to actually see a Black woman become one of the world’s leading makeup artists.”
“I can’t imagine what she had to go through and how hard she had to work to promote her talent and get people in the fashion industry to actually believe in her vision. All I can do is.”
He is also inspired by Sam Fine, who has worked with the likes of Gabrielle Union and Queen Latifah. “He’s leading the charge and doing exactly what I’m doing right now with the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Keita is also blessed to share many clients with Seeka Daly, who describes her as “Not only does she do incredible makeup, but she’s kind, smart, confident, and… It is also loved by customers.”
A more inclusive industry
Over Keita’s 12-year career, the beauty industry has undergone a fundamental transformation, with comprehensive makeup lines no longer considered optional. But he is keen to note that it didn’t just start with Rihanna’s Fenty his beauty line.
©Kevin Mazur“If you look at Mac Cosmetics, you can find shades that have been around for years. And Cover Girl had the Queen collection even before I started doing makeup, and Queen Latifah was the spokesperson. .”
Keita also mentioned the makeup line of one of her clients, Iman, saying, “As a model who has been in this industry, there was no makeup for black women.”
© Countess Jemal“It’s incredible to see everything being developed for everyone,” he says. “I’m disappointed we had to wait so long, but I’m excited that it’s here. I feel like Black creators, makeup artists, and influencers have really promoted the brand in a big way.” Back then, there were only 15 colors for white and four for black people, and it all worked out for the greater good.”
He observes that more jobs are opening up in the fashion industry, and is excited to see more black people on set. But next time, he hopes to see more black people in production positions.
Keita also talks about the importance of making sure that representation is not tokenistic. “I want to meet black people, transgender people, all kinds of people who have had to experience liberation, people who have fought to be seen.”
Still, there’s a lot Keita is excited about right now. Black Beauty Roster is a collective focused on amplifying the work of Black beauty artists and creatives for greater representation in television, film, runway, commercials and editorial.
“I attended Culture Con this year and it was incredible to be able to speak at an event where thousands of Black people were on stage listening to you speak,” he says. “It’s refreshing to see. I’m excited that so many black artists are doing Makeup His covers and campaigns.”