Patrick Ta never intended to become a celebrity makeup artist.
Patrick Ta on going from bankruptcy to working with the Kardashians
The 30-year-old stylist opened a nail salon in Arizona as a teenager but when he was forced to file for bankruptcy, moved to L.A to try a new career and now has a client list that boasts the likes of Katy Perry, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.
He said: "With my salon closing and having to file bankruptcy at the age of 21, it was such a big disappointment for myself and my parents. When I moved to L.A., I knew I couldn't disappoint them or myself again. 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 was making a decent amount of money, but I got thrown into this world of social media and working with celebrities. 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."
Patrick - who went on to launch his own beauty brand in 2019 - explained that he was scouted on social media by stars such as pop singer Ariana Grande and reality TV royalty the Kardashians and adjusted his style accordingly.
He told Byrdie: "Because of social media, I met most of my clients. Shay Mitchell, Kim Kardashian, and Ariana Grande found me on social media. 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. "
Tagged in Ariana Grande Shay Mitchell