Through The Looking Glass

It’s a strange time for beauty service freelancers, the most hard-hit of the industry. With unpredictability in the air, a muscled social media presence might perhaps be the key into a new world

- Chelsea Tang

A day in freelance makeup artist Larry Yeo’s life goes something like this: He wakes up at 6.30 am every day, drinks a cup of Joe, and starts work an hour later. The bulk of his morning is spent on “content prep” — shooting pictures of the latest beauty launches for his Instagram account (@larryyeo), researching the science behind skincare products (he has a background in cosmetic science) or rehearsing talking points for upcoming brand presentations that he is engaged for.

Once the “at-home” to-do-list is checked, he rushes out; either to be on set as the makeup artist for editorial shoots, or as a hired makeup artist for brides-to-be, or simply to purchase products for upcoming work projects. It’s usually a 12- to 14hour workday for Yeo — the norm, he shared — and his schedule includes weekends as well. Being the hustler that he is, 2020 marks Yeo’s 14th year as a freelance makeup artist; and he has successfully established himself as one of the industry’s most renowned. It’s as they say, the early bird catches the worm — till February this year, when Yeo finally slept in for the first time.

“It’s like a long weekend that keeps getting longer,” he says wryly, over the phone. “I enjoy being at home too much now and I’m afraid I’m going to get used to it.”