While her signature look is an effortless natural glam, Shannie Jung also loves to explore her creativity and work on edgier editorial fashion beauty. Bold colors, textures and shapes are as much part of her repertoire as a nude lip and subtle smokey eye. “I’m a Gemini, so”, she offers as a candid explanation for her versatility.
I sat down for a zoom interview with Shannie on a Thursday evening, not before setting up my ring light in true beauty guru fashion, unsure of what to expect from a makeup artist. Shannie was refreshingly easy to talk to, her ability to empathize with her clients and models instantly transpired. We chit-chatted for a bit, (she introduced me to her hairless cat, that I at first mistook for a baby chihuahua) before we discussed her work and sources of inspiration.
After a formal training in beauty school, Shannie sought to explore her creative side and work for herself. She describes her style as streamlined, fresh and sophisticated. “I like to refine everything”, she says. Her attention to detail and her distinctive precision allow her to create looks that feel clean yet innovative, and, coupled with her perceptiveness, enhances her models’ natural beauty but also their interiority and emotions. In fact, she cites emotion as one of her biggest sources of inspiration. She seeks to frame what is there and bring out what is concealed, rather than to mask. Shannie works with an inherent empathy, dedicated to bringing her clients’ vision to life. Her gentleness and soft-spoken nature ensure her models and clients a serene experience.
Shannie has extensive experience working as a Make Up & Hair artist for a multitude of fashion editorials and publications, runways, and red carpets, films and promotional content. “I love to gain new experience, it makes me a more well-rounded artist.” She also adds that she loves working with hair, and that she considers it the pièce-de-résistance of any look she creates. “Hair is so major”, I’m compelled to say in the words of hairstyling virtuoso Jonathan Van Ness. Her proficiency in handling both hair and beauty sets her apart from other artists. Working with new personalities and meeting different types of people is also what inspires Shannie to constantly explore new opportunities in the industry. Her approachable demeanor and positive attitude is certainly addictive.
