Bathroom Chats: With Patrick Ta

Bathroom Chats: With Patrick Ta

Flannels blog article
BATHROOM CHATS: WITH PATRICK TA

In the world of celebrity makeup artists and Instagram beauty influencers, you don’t get much more prolific – or respected – than Patrick Ta.

The man behind the famous – and seriously sought-after - faces of Gigi Hadid, Megan Fox, and Shay Mitchell et al, Ta has become the go-to for softly sculpted skin that looks flawless but attainable.

With a cool 2.3m followers on Instagram and celebs clambering to get their faces in front of him, Ta turned his expertise to creating his own label. Quite literally, bottling that Ta glow we’ve all craved and selling it to the masses. His formulas are renowned for being the best: dreamy textures, clever multi-taskers and long-lasting colours. While the packaging makes it worthy of a place on your bedside table.

To celebrate the launch of Patrick Ta at FLANNELS Beauty, and his latest addition Major Volume Mascara, we sat down with Ta to talk his beauty beginnings, celebrity faces and his expert tips.

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Going back to the beginning of your beauty journey, what are your earliest memories of beauty?

Growing up I wasn’t super into beauty. I think because of coming from an Asian American family, I think that me being able to express my love for makeup just wasn’t something I felt I was allowed yet. I wasn’t out of the closet, until I was like 20, so even though I’ve always loved interior designing and cooking, it wasn’t until I was able to move out of my parents’ house... I moved to Arizona when I was 17… that I started being able to be more comfortable with myself. I feel like when you get a glimpse of this world, I feel you go like ‘ooh this is fun.’ From there, I think that my obsession - I’m 30 years old now - I think my obsession for makeup and my obsession for beauty has evolved so much. I think it’s amazing that I feel in this day and age you can express yourself in whatever way you want and not feel ashamed for what you love. But I think the moment I felt that I was able to tell my parents what I actually love, I feel like that was the moment I was able to really connect with the beauty world.

What made you see beauty as a career?

I had a roommate in Arizona, she was a makeup artist, and I needed a job. She got me a job at MAC, as one of my first jobs doing makeup as a career. And from there I really, I really just started to fall in love with it. Maybe like, this is actually what I want to do with my life, because 1) it was fun and 2) it was a way for me to perfect a craft. I feel like it’s something you always have to practice, and for me I love things where you have to get better and better.

You’ve been very open about your first beauty business - a tanning salon – failing. How was it approaching Patrick Ta, the brand, with that experience?

I think I was able to take all the knowledge of the mistakes I made before. I think one thing that’s super important is being able to know how to work with others, like the most important thing about having a team is having a team that works well together, because no one can do everything themselves. I think the one thing I learned, the biggest takeaway, is being able to work well with others.

I think it’s amazing that I feel in this day and age you can express yourself in whatever way you want and not feel ashamed for what you love.

What’s been the most important thing for you when creating Patrick Ta?

I think really making products that are true to the makeup style that I love. I think because I live on the line of being a makeup artist but also an influencer, I feel like it’s being able to have high-performance makeup - professional high performance - but usable work makeup.

What does beauty mean to you now?

I think beauty can be whatever you want it to be. I think what’s really important is that people now, more than ever, are really proud of showing duality and there’s not one form of beauty anymore. There are so many types of beauty. And I think, it’s whatever you want it to be. It allows people to play with their creative side and do whatever you feel looks beautiful on yourself, to make you feel the best version of yourself.

You’re well known for your celebrity clients and making over famous faces. Who was the gamechanger for you?

I think Gigi Hadid has been one of the biggest in terms of changes for me and my career. I met her when she was at the beginning of her career, and we have such an amazing friendship. She loves makeup just as much as I do, so I feel like she’s just let me play, and we’ve built this trust together. We’ve worked together for six or seven years now.

Flannels blog article
Flannels blog article

Who has been your biggest ‘pinch me’ moment?

I think working with Rihanna. Her aura, or her presence, just exudes superstar. So, I think working with her has just been such a huge dream. I’ve only worked with her a couple of times but she’s just so gracious and so kind and she really is everything you would hope a major superstar to be.  

Whose still on your wish list to work with?

I would really love to work with Beyonce. Just because I love… just being around and having the energy of powerful women. I’ve always been a huge fan of her, and I think there’s such a difference when you work with somebody that is famous and when you work with someone that you’re a fan of. You’ve followed their journey and their career, and you’re excited to be a part of whatever they do next.

How do you approach working with a new client?

Whenever I’m working on someone new, I’ll always try to Google what their whole makeup look is. What they seem to love. How they like their eyebrows or like their skin or their eye shape. Because typically celebrities know exactly what they like because everyone does a similar version of what they love. So, the first few times you want to be able to accommodate on what they care about, and from then you can build up that relationship so you can switch things up.

I think beauty can be whatever you want it to be. I think what’s really important is that people now, more than ever, are really proud of showing duality and there’s not one form of beauty any more.

 

How has the past 18 months changed how you approach makeup and your relationship with it?

I think trying to figure out how to wear less makeup but still feel glam at the same time. My clients love to dress up. I love dressing up myself too. But obviously it’s so much more comfortable to be in sweatpants, so I think trying to find a good in between.

What’s the biggest beauty mistake you see people make?

I feel like, if you’re not good at something, maybe just don’t go for it, like try to colour in your eyebrows or really contour. I think less is always more unless you know how to perfect what area of the face you’re working on.

We’re really obsessed with soft sculpting, which you’re the master of. What’s your secret?

Just really being able to find a product that works well with your skin, in the same colour family. Having the right tools to blend it out. It’s all about finding the right blushes.

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What’s your most surprising beauty tip?

I think being able to layer different textures. I love layering cream over powder, it allows colours, like pigments, to really shine through and your makeup to then really look like part of your skin. If you have oily skin, I wouldn’t recommend applying so much cream on top of powder, but if you have normal to dry skin, I think it’s a really good technique to have your skin look as glowy as possible.

What are you most excited about for your latest release, the Major Volume Mascara?

I wanted to create a mascara that really gave you that tapered false lash effect. I really love a wet mascara because I feel like you’re really able to layer, layer, layer and build up the lash to how you want it, without having it look clumpy and having your eyelashes look healthy. There’s nothing worse than having crusty, clumpy eyelashes.

I want to constantly create products that I stand behind and that I’m excited and proud of.

We run into you in the bathroom. What’s the one piece of advice you’d offer?

Bring a little powder puff so you can blot your t-zone. I feel like there’s a difference between looking dewy and looking oily and I feel like I always would hope for someone to look dewy. So always blotting like your t-zones and your smile lines.

 

What’s next for Patrick Ta and what do you hope will be the legacy that you leave behind with your brand?

I want to constantly create products that I stand behind and that I’m excited and proud of. I don’t want to launch something just to launch it, like a product or a trend, I want to fully love everything that I’m launching and hopefully a consumer can love it as well.