While most makeup artists have their own clientele base — weddings, proms, high-fashion — makeup artist and director Katrina Liza’s clients are as diverse as her abilities.
Liza, 27, has been doing makeup for as long as she can remember. She said she always did her friend’s makeup for homecoming and other dances, and she never forgot the moment she realized she wanted to work with makeup professionally.
“I was in the kitchen reading a magazine, and I came across a L’Oreal ad featuring Beyoncé,” Liza said. “She had purple and blue eyeshadow on at the same time, and I was obsessed with it. My mom suggested that I go upstairs and try to recreate the look. Ever since then, I’ve hit the ground running.”
After her second time doing makeup for New York Fashion Week in 2015, Liza was offered the position of makeup director. As well as leading the other makeup artists, Liza got to work closely with the designers to find the best looks to suit their clothing lines.
“Every artist backstage — there were 50 of us — had to come to me to check their models before leaving the room,” Liza said. “It’s so fast-paced and such an adrenaline rush for nine straight hours, and then you’re drained completely afterward.”
Liza received the 2015 and 2016 Best Hair and Makeup award by The Knot, a personal wedding planning company. She also received the Best of Hair and Makeup award from the Baton Rouge Wedding Industry in 2015.
Although makeup is her speciality, Liza graduated from Aveda Institute for cosmetology in 2012. She wanted to educate herself on hair in case it became necessary for her work.
“Ultimately, I wanted to be able to save the day if the hair person didn’t show up on set or at a shoot,” Liza said. “In the long run, the full cosmetology license has gotten me many more credible gigs because I do both hair and makeup, as well.”
Originally from Cobleskill, New York, Liza moved to Louisiana in 2006 with her friend, a Louisiana native. Liza instantly fell in love with the culture of New Orleans and decided to reside in Baton Rouge while traveling to cities such as Los Angeles and New York for makeup assignments.
In addition to the work she performs for her clients, Liza has a large Instagram presence. With more than 30,000 followers, Liza consistently updates her profile with bold and distinctive looks.
This October, she is participating in a 31-day Halloween Makeup Challenge during which she showcases intricate and artistic looks each day.
“I often collaborate on fun makeup ideas with other artists on Instagram,” Liza said. “It’s awesome to feel like I have a family of people I don’t even know personally on Instagram. They are my biggest supporters.”

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