Voice of Heivy: Meet & Greet Monica Wu
By Jill Preston
Who doesn’t love a little glam? This month, we’re thrilled to have Monica Wu, professional makeup artist extraordinaire on the Meet and Greet series.
Monica is a New York based makeup artist who’s created looks for fashion magazines, movies and commercials. She’s worked on the indie film 7045 Steps, a beverage commercial starring NBA player Joel Embiid and much more. You can find her work at monicawumua.com.
In this interview, we deep dive into how Monica got started in the makeup world and her tips for keeping skin healthy while using makeup.
Heivy: Hi Monica, we’re so glad to have you on the blog!
Monica: Happy to be talking makeup with you all.
Heivy: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Monica: Sure! I’m Monica Wu, I’m 34 and I’m a freelance makeup artist (MUA). I’m originally from Taiwan and I’ve been a New Yorker since 2007.
Heivy: It’s so cool you’re a professional MUA. What do you love about it? Anything you hate about it?
Monica: I feel like I was born to be a MUA, I just hadn’t had a chance to let it out. I finally realized how much I loved makeup, and now I can’t find anything I don’t like about it!
Heivy: It’s nice to be so drawn into a calling like that. How did you originally get into makeup?
Monica: I started taking makeup classes in 2015 and found myself really enjoying the entire process. Now I do lots of photoshoots, commercials and indie film shoots.
Heivy: Very cool. And what keeps you motivated?
Monica: My passion. I can’t really help it.
Heivy: As a professional MUA, you probably care a lot about skin, the canvas for all makeup. What’s your daily skin routine like?
Monica: Usually, I wash my face with cold water twice a day and keep it really well moisturized. I really love the Oolong tea face masks Heivy has. They really do add so much moisture to my skin.
Heivy: In your opinion, how can people maintain their skin while still using a lot of makeup products?
Monica: I really believe in “you are what you eat,” so I’m much more cautious about the foods I eat than the skin care products I apply to my face.
Heivy: That makes sense, healthy comes from the inside and the outside. On that note, how do you stay healthy in a general sense?
Monica: I love to sweat. It’s really good for your skin, so I work out and drink lots of water. I also try to avoid unhealthy foods and staying up too late. I also drink collagen with my breakfast so it has a chance to start working early in the day. I find it helps my body recover faster.
Heivy: What suggestions do you have for your clients who are using lots of makeup products on their skin?
Monica: Sometimes it’s good to give your skin a little break. I would suggest taking a “makeup break” 1-2 days a week. Make sure you clean and massage your face to increase the circulation.
Heivy: Do you take supplements for your skin?
Monica: Definitely, I take vitamins and collagen drinks for my skin. I’ve found my skin glows much more after taking Heivy collagen consistently.
Heivy: And we’ve heard you’re a fan of Heivy’s red bottle in particular. We’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
Heivy: Yes! Well, first, the package, I really like the size. It’s perfect for any kind of travel and fits right in my handbag. I take one bottle a day I’m very happy with the results.
Heivy: Excellent! And, back to makeup, what’s your ideal MUA job?
Monica: To be a celebrity makeup artist, of course!
"I feel like I was born to be a makeup artist."
Heivy: Who’s make-up would you love to do?
Monica: Cara Delevingne and Margot Robbie!
Heivy: Love them! Let’s switch gears for a second and talk about creativity. What inspires your makeup looks?
Heivy: Mainly movies. I watch a lot of them. They inspire me in terms of creating new makeup looks and coming up with cool photoshoot ideas.
Heivy: Sounds like you’re very motivated. How have you propelled yourself forward?
Monica: For me, it’s all about how determined I am and how badly I want to achieve the goal. Once I’ve decided something, I’m very determined. No one can change what I want.
Heivy: Speaking of motivation, do you have any advice for aspiring makeup artists out there?
Monica: Never give up and follow your dreams. It really can happen.
Heivy: Well, this has been great. Thank you so much for letting us into your world.
Monica: Thank you Heivy!
Heivy: Check out Monica’s work at https://monicawumua.com.