Five Minutes with Mariah Wilson, Special Effects Makeup Artist

Photo A. Daniels

Mariah Wilson (’18) spends what little free time she has on special effects makeup, cosmetology and baking.

Ashlea Daniels, Assistant Profiles Editor

Q: When did you start doing special effects makeup and what exactly do you do?

A:I always liked it, I’ve been doing it since I was 8. In total, I make wigs, prosthetic appliances, I paint them, I apply them-oh yeah, I do hair coloring, I just put it in the category of wigs.

Q:You do drag makeup as well, correct? What exactly does that involve?

A: [It’s] just cosmetology, drag is where you don’t have to use an appliance to change your face up. You’re using just actual makeup to change the shape of your face and what you look like. That’s why I like drag.

Q: Why do you like doing special effects makeup?

A: It’s fun to change what you look like, not me, transform a person, to [mess with] a person. I like it because no one else does it.

Q:Where do you get the materials and makeup to do special effects?

A: I buy directly from China because its cheaper. All it is is that America buys it from China and it costs more because of import values, so you might as well buy it straight from them.

Q: Do you do makeup and hair on yourself?

A: Actually I did that yesterday night. I did one thing that I didn’t even think would changed my face and then I looked at the picture they took of me and I said ‘wait that doesn’t even look like me’ so I showed everyone in band and none of them guessed it was me.

Q: Do you do anyone else’s hair or makeup?

A: No one. I just practice and practice. I just have a bunch of human hair. Weave. And I know the science behind hair.

I did a project on it last year. [The science of hair] depends on what category. Like, bleaching is the oxidization of the melanin in your hair’s cuticle and it becomes colorless. There’s still something there, it just becomes colorless.

Q: What’s something memorable that you’ve done?

A: I started competing in cake decorating contests over the summer, like national competitions.[I placed] first in 2/3 [competitions].

Q: How do you feel after you have a complete cake?

A: That it’s not done yet and I need to add more.

Q: What’s the most unique thing about you?

A: Ten brothers and sisters? No, that’s not that unique.

Q: No, yeah it is. How do you feel about that?

A: I feel special! Because I have a lot of brothers and sisters and you guys don’t.

Q: How do you feel about being the middle child?

A: Neutral. That’s how I feel about everything, neutral. That’s how I make it in life. I’m neutral.