In 2021 I talked to VIP Magazin, the Chișinău magazine that asked me about my road from home, in the Republic of Moldova, to my career in Bucharest. Here is the story in short, followed by the make-up tips I give most often.

From Chișinău to Bucharest

I came to Romania to study. I really wanted to study abroad, and I chose Romania because it was close to home. My story across the Prut began with high school, then university and a master’s degree. That is how, step by step, I built my life and career in Bucharest, doing what I love and what defines me. It was a long road, full of challenges, but a beautiful one.

My mother’s red lipstick

As a little girl I loved watching my mother put on red lipstick. I was fascinated by how a single lipstick changed her whole face: she suddenly looked elegant, radiant and glamorous, like the TV presenters I thought were the most beautiful women in the world. Whenever I was left alone with her make-up bag, I tried everything, every product and every colour, on my small child’s face.

I think my feel for drawing and colour comes from my father, who has an artistic streak. Later I did make-up on my sisters, my friends and my classmates, without ever thinking of it as a career. Over time I understood that the things you love deserve a chance. Today my job is my passion.

How I became Bourjois’s official make-up artist

My first encounter with Bourjois was during my make-up training in Bucharest: I bought my first foundations from them for the kit I practised with. A few years later I worked on a shoot organised by their PR team in Romania for a new lipstick collection. They then invited me to an interview for the role of official Bourjois make-up artist for Romania and, out of several candidates, they chose me.

In 2021, after four years together, the role was extended to Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. I have received many awards and nominations, including a nomination at the ELLE Style Awards 2020, but being chosen for four countries was, at the time, the recognition closest to my heart.

Behind the scenes of an ELLE cover

Every collaboration with ELLE Romania is a joy, especially the cover shoots. A whole team works behind a single photograph: the people on the cover, the stylists, the photographer, the hairstylist and the make-up artist. For one of the covers we worked on the roof of a very tall building, and climbing up there to do the touch-ups was a real challenge. Sometimes you have to overcome your fears to keep up with the team, and I like that, because it takes me out of my comfort zone.

On a set like that, the make-up artist’s role is to translate the concept of the shoot into make-up, to bring out each person’s features and to help the photographer get a flawless image.

6 make-up tips I always give

  1. Moisturise before foundation. Otherwise the foundation won’t adhere properly and won’t last through the day.
  2. Set your eye pencil with an eyeshadow in the same shade. It lasts longer and doesn’t travel outside the eye contour.
  3. A smoky eye calls for a nude lip. The focus stays on your eyes and the whole face looks especially elegant.
  4. Choose your blush to match your lipstick. Both should belong to the same colour family.
  5. Oily skin or enlarged pores? Skip highlighter on the cheekbones and satin blush. Matte textures flatter oily skin the most.
  6. For brows, pick a pencil one shade lighter than your brow hair.

If you want to practise make-up from scratch, from skin prep to smoky eyes, my online course AutoMakeUp takes you step by step. If you would rather practise them next to me, with corrections on the spot, join the workshop.

Source: VIP Magazin - Tania Cozma – Excelența Sa, make-up artistul (in Romanian). Photo: VIP Magazin.