world domination in her sights too. Last year, she turned her hand to creating her own products in a bid to plug the gaping holes left by big name brands, who, in 2019, still fail to recognise the need for shades suitable for black and dark skin tones.currently produces lip glosses in a whole spectrum of nudes, highlighters that in Mata’s own words look like “money”, as well as a trio of vibrant pigments inspired by Grace Jones.
She may have moved fast, but Mata’s isn’t simply a story of luck or fluke. i-D finds out how she makes things happen, her advice to would-be make-up artists, and where her empire is heading next.I didn’t study at all. I kinda just fell into it. When I was 19, one of my best friends needed a make-up artist for a video she was doing, and I just said I would do it to help her out. I didn’t have a proper kit, I just had loads of make-up at home.
I was at university for a minute. I was studying creative business management but it was so dead, so rubbish. They kept on bringing in old people to speak to us and I just couldn’t relate. So I basically started doing loads of editorials and stuff but I didn’t really call myself a make-up artist until later on, I didn’t really see myself as one.I have an art background, I studied art at school. So I knew colours, precision and all of that stuff, so that helped me in a way. I’m very creative.
It’s not even been two years since that first music shoot, but you’ve achieved a lot. What has been your career highlight? Working with absolute legends like Lauryn Hill has been amazing. Being in the same room as incredible people has been amazing.It was amazing. When we first met, she had already seen tharticle about me and I had done her daughter’s make-up last year, so she had seen pictures of me and knew a bit about me, but when we met that just confirmed it all. She was warm, so welcoming, gave me a really nice hug when we met at her show.