Meet Will Or and Mak Tung, 2 of Hong Kong’s finest male make-up artists
As make-up becomes more mainstream and associated with gender-bending countercultures, STYLE interviews two of Hong Kong’s finest male make-up artists
In recent years, men have started to enter the heavily female-dominated industry of make-up, creating a cultural shift. As make-up is becoming more mainstream and associated with gender-bending countercultures, we interviewed two of Hong Kong’s finest male make-up artists, Will Or and Mak Tung, who are also influencers and mentors, to get a glimpse of their vibrant world.
1. How did you get started in make-up?
Will Or: Since I was young, I have fallen in love with pretty things and in particular make-up, skincare and essential oils. The first make-up items I ever used were concealer and foundation. I used them to cover my pimples and spots and started realising the magical function of make-up. Therefore, I chose to start my career as a make-up artist.
Mak Tung: During high school, students were not only focusing on their scores but also got to nurture their hobbies by joining different kinds of extracurricular activities. My teacher suggested that I should take a make-up course as I love beautiful creatures and was curious about how they are created. That was the beginning of my journey to becoming a make-up artist.
2. Who or what inspired you from the start? And who inspires you now?
Will Or: Should be me. Due to my own skin problem, I wanted to improve my skin and conceal those skin imperfections, so I decided to find out more about make-up. When I first started my career, I met a versatile make-up artist. He inspired me a lot, not just in the profession but also the skill to deal with people and things in society.
Mak Tung: In the past, people had a relatively conservative mindset towards make-up. They thought it is a daily routine for women, and it is sissy if men wear make-up, so male make-up artists were not common at that time. When I was still a make-up learner, I went to the beauty counters for cosmetics, and some female customers would look at me with curiosity and doubt. At that time male make-up was not popular and the information regarding this was relatively limited.
All these factors motivated me to become an excellent male make-up artist to share more beauty and skincare and make-up tips with everyone. As a make-up artist, keeping up with updated information and the latest make-up trends is a must. Whenever I see spectacular make-up, it inspires me to re-examine myself.