Profile of NBC Makeup Artist Patty McFarland

At the end of this month, Patty McFarland will be celebrating 26 years as a D.C. makeup artist. Working primarily in TV news, McFarland currently does the makeup for all the guests who come through NBC News Channel’s studios on North Capitol Street. While she spends most days making sure the city’s most powerful politicians are camera ready, McFarland says she has done makeup for just about every super model she can think of, as well as pop culture icons like Princess Diana and Clint Eastwood. I sat down with McFarland in NBC’S makeup room to find out how she got her start in the industry and what her best makeup tips for college women are.

   
How did you get started as a makeup artist?
Basically, I was just always putting makeup on my friends. I didn’t wear makeup myself but I would make them up because they made themselves up wrong (laughs). I never thought to do it as a profession. I went into convention planning actually and then people who I was working with at the conventions liked my makeup and so they would ask me to do their makeup for their special events. They paid me and I was like ‘Wow that’s something different’.
 
Then a friend of mine needed a part time job so through another friend I got her a job in cosmetics but I never wanted anything to do with it. Then they were short one day and asked me to come help them at Bloomingdales and I did and then I started doing it as a part-time thing. Then by the time I was 26 or 27 years old, I was doing tons of weddings but it was still just kind of a side business. I was never doing it for anything in particular. In the middle of that, TV started calling. It was all word of mouth. I never promoted myself, or anything like that. It just happened through referrals.
 
Once TV news really started clicking and the cable networks came into being, I really had a full-time job. I left my other job and my boss said he’d keep it for me and I could come back at any time but I never have gone back. It’s been a great career and I will have been doing it for 26 years at the end of this month.
 
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I’d have to say that the whole thing for me is the people. My job is just to make people look the best that they can and just bring out everything for them so that they can go on the air and feel better prepared physically to go out there and say what they need to say. Just about anyone that comes in, it makes them feel more confident.

 
Is there anyone whose makeup you’ve done who really stands out to you?
I got to do Princess Diana’s makeup. I didn’t do her for television. I did her for an event here in Washington. I was very honored to be able to do her. It was incredible. When I got the phone call I couldn’t believe it. I’ve also gotten to do Hilary [Clinton], Chelsea [Clinton], pretty much everyone in the Clinton administration. I’ve done President Obama. I’ve done every supermodel I could do, every movie star I could think of. All the people I’ve had on my list of who I’d like to do, I’ve done, like Tom Magnum and Clint Eastwood, Hoffman. I’ve done them all. I do a lot of work with the Kennedy Center. I do try not to get involved in the political aspects of any of it. I pretty much just keep my mouth shut. It’s one of the reasons I’ve worked for so long I think. They’ve got to really trust you and if they don’t it’s just not going to work.
 
What’s your favorite makeup? What do you always use?
My favorite makeup is always MAC. It’s always a great go-to cosmetic in the industry. Bobbi Brown, NARS and MAC – those three have always been in my palette so I’m always happy to use them. They’re just great products.
 
What’s the biggest mistake you see people make when they do their own makeup?
Usually people either wear too little or too much, or they accentuate one feature too much. Especially with women you’ll see they choose too bright of a lipstick or too dark of an eye. The key to good makeup, especially on TV, is balance. You want to balance the eyes, cheeks and lips.
 
Also having a good hairdresser. I can’t even tell you how important that is and of course, the ever-famous brows. If they’re too light or too dark or if they’re not groomed, it can really make all the difference to a face, especially on a woman. Even men – if you’ve got the bushy eyebrows then everyone’s looking at your brows and they’re not listening to what you’re saying.
 
What is your favorite beauty product that you’ve tried recently?
Skin care wise, Dr. Perricone makes a couple of serums that are brand-new, that are just unbelievable. The serums with all the fruit acids are always great to have and make a big difference in terms of anti-aging.
 
What would you recommend as a good makeup routine for college age women?
I always say a tinted moisturizer, like a Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer is fantastic. It gets you out the door and gives you SPF. That will give you some coverage but it’s not heavy at all. A good lip tint, or gloss is very simple to do. One swipe of mascara across the lashes, and if you want to bump it up for the evening, just a wash of color in a cream or powder eye shadow can just really make a difference. Then add some eyeliner and you’re done.

 
Also bronzers are great. I love them. I use them every single day. I love Bobbi Brown bronzer and Laura Mercier’s also is very good but you know, also CoverGirl, Maybelline and L’Oreal make great bronzers. So put on your moisturizer with SPF in it, apply some bronzer for a good wash of color, add some lip-gloss and mascara and you’re done.
 
What would be your advice for someone who might be interested in getting into the makeup industry?
For anyone who’s interested, it’s a wonderful profession. It’s growing by leaps and bounds every single day. Hone your craft. You can go to school for it but it’s not necessary. Get a portfolio together; just work on all your friends – I did it for years. Try different looks on them and take pictures yourself. I didn’t have Facebook and YouTube but today you go on Facebook and there are tons of tutorials and beauty sites done right out of college dorms.