While beauty demonstrations, or ‘masterclasses’, have been held for years in order to educate industry professionals, a new breed of masterclass has been taking social media by storm. The masterclass model is now a lucrative brand extension for social media hair and makeup artists whose celebrity status draws followers to learn their tips and tricks away from the screen.
One such celebrity MUA who pioneered this format is Mario Dedivanovic – or Makeup by Mario – Kim Kardashian’s personal makeup artist and Instagram celebrity in his own right. With four million followers, Dedivanovic has held successful events called ‘The Master Class’ all over the world.
Dedivanovic spoke with Glossy about the origins of his ‘masterclass’, saying “I had been getting a ton of messages from artists and aspiring artists asking for career advice and makeup-related tips… Most people don’t have the opportunity to assist big artists on set and learn the real tricks of trade, so this is a perfect way for them to gain some of that experience.”
While Dedivanovic’s first class was held eight years ago with only 20 audience members, he now holds classes in large theatres with tickets costing upwards of $1000 to attend.
The model has also proved popular with other Instagram celebrity hair and makeup artists. The likes of Henry Vasquez, a popular beauty blogger who consults for brands like L’Oréal and Anastasia Beverly Hills, Jen Atkin, a stylist to the Kardashians and founder of the Ouai haircare, and Huda Kattan have all hosted their own successful versions of “The Master Class” for their followers.
Speaking on the phenomenon, Vasquez noted that: “A good majority of the people who take [Dedivanovic’s] classes aren’t professional makeup artists or even trying to be. They just want to learn how to do the looks on themselves.
“Today, people come to these classes more for the influencer involved than the education. People want to feel connected to us. Makeup artists have become the new celebrity.”
