Inside 20 Years in Beauty: Sydney Makeup Artist Molly Warkentin on Taste, Timing and Building a Career That Lasts
Molly Warkentin x The Makeup Insider Podcast
If you have ever wondered what it really takes to build a long term career as a makeup artist, this conversation is for you.
On the latest episode of The Makeup Insider, I sat down with Molly Warkentin, a Sydney based makeup artist with more than 20 years in the industry. Molly has worked across editorial, fashion, brand and bridal, and she has built her name in two very different markets, the UK and Australia.
This blog pulls out the most useful takeaways from our chat, written for makeup artists at any stage of their career.
Who is Molly Warkentin
Molly is a Sydney based makeup artist originally from the UK. She trained at Chichester College, cut her teeth at Mac, and built a career rooted in editorial work, brand collaborations and a tight industry network she affectionately calls the Makeup Mafia.
Today she balances client work with motherhood, and is intentional about the projects she takes on.
Lesson 1: Community will out earn talent
Molly is the first to say her career was built on relationships. Mac gave her technical training. The Makeup Mafia gave her the calls, the recommendations and the courage to back herself.
The takeaway for new artists is simple. Get in the room. Assist. Be the person people want to work with again. Skill alone will not open doors, but a strong reputation will.
Lesson 2: Taste level is the skill no one teaches you
One of the most important parts of our conversation was the idea of taste level. Molly explains it as the ability to know what looks good, what feels current, and what suits the brief without overdoing it.
Technique can be taught. Taste is built over time by paying attention, studying great work, and being honest about your own.
If you want to grow your taste level, look outside makeup. Study fashion, photography, interiors and film. Train your eye.
Lesson 3: Saying yes to new skills can change your career
Molly resisted hairdressing at first. She is a makeup artist by trade and the idea of touching hair felt outside her lane. Once she gave it a go, the work doubled and so did her income.
The lesson here is to stay open. The industry is shifting toward dual skilled artists. If you can offer hair and makeup, you become harder to replace.
Lesson 4: Knowing when to pivot is a career skill
Molly made the decision to step back from bridal work. It was lucrative, but it cost her weekends and family time.
She chose editorial, brand and content work instead. The takeaway is that growth is not always about adding more. Sometimes it is about subtracting what no longer fits.
Lesson 5: Advice for new makeup artists
Molly's advice to anyone starting out can be summed up in three points.
Assist working artists for as long as you can
Build real relationships, not transactional ones
Stay curious and never stop refining your taste
Final thoughts
If you are early in your career, this episode is a reminder that the long game is built on relationships, taste and the courage to make hard decisions about your time. If you are further along, it is a permission slip to keep evolving.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your shows.