Renowned makeup artist Isabella Schimid talks about staying confident in an industry driven by looks, her journey with vitiligo, and how pink hair became her identity. Here’s her story,
Skin has always fascinated me, the way it responds to products, to touch, the way it can glow in a photo. At 19, I was already working as a skin therapist. I had found my calling.
But I also loved makeup.
In The Beginning
My first boss was Nerida Joy, now one of the most celebrated facialists in Los Angeles. Nerida had moved to LA from Sydney, so I went over and worked in her spas. It was a great way to gain a deep knowledge of skin and how it responds.
Nerida knew how much I loved makeup, so she encouraged me to lean into it more. Her encouragement changed everything.
I did a makeup course and started working in film and television. I loved the alchemy of transformation, and how makeup could help bring a character to life. The importance of continuity; it all really thrilled me.
But film and television demand your life: the hours are very long and you have to be available all the time. When I had children, especially once I had my younger son, I knew I couldn’t keep working the way I once did; I wanted to be more present for them.
The Move Into Editorial Makeup
Editorial makeup came to me almost by accident. A photographer friend, Nick Scott, suggested we “test” together. Testing is an industry term where you get a team together – photographer, stylist, hair and makeup – to create images for your portfolio. The process allows you to be more creative. There are no clients and no briefs so you can push things more. Then I went with Nick and his girlfriend to Hong Kong to build our portfolios. I came home with this amazing book and got my first agency contract. Just like that, I had stepped into the world of fashion.
I’ve now been in this industry for more than 25 years. And through all of it – the shifts in technology, the changing faces – one thing has remained constant: I’m still obsessed with skin.
A Beauty Junkie At Heart
I am, unapologetically, a beauty-product junkie. My garage is full of creams, serums, foundations, powders, lipsticks and palettes. Some of it I’m gifted, but much of it I buy myself. Curiosity has always been my driver. I want to know what’s out there, what’s working. I want to touch it, work with it and see how it performs on skin. Some products that I swore by 10 years ago would never make it into my kit now. Technology and ingredients improve, formulations adapt and expectations shift. Lighting and cameras have changed too, and there is a demand for skin that looks like skin, not like makeup.
Embracing Change
You have to evolve in this job. That’s what I love about it; it’s definitely never boring. I love a beautiful model and I love being part of creating a beautiful image. I’m still obsessed with making sure the skin looks the best I possibly can make it.
People ask me if being surrounded by perfect faces makes me feel insecure, but it doesn’t. Maybe when I was younger I may have compared my face or my body. But age and experience have given me confidence.
You can be working with the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen, but her insecurities can still be there. Sometimes you can touch a person, and it starts to come out. In many ways, I don’t feel uncomfortable because these people rely on me so much in that moment.
Becoming A Mother
Motherhood has taught me resilience, too. My daughter is now 23, my son is 15. In the early years, it was a constant juggle of shoots, travel and looking after the children. My parents helped me in those years and were always so supportive of my career. We have found a new rhythm now. My husband has stepped into the role of stay-at-home parent – I supported him for years and now he is happy to support me.
It has helped me push my career forward. I’ve already worked in six countries this year alone. I get to travel, to work, to do what I love, then come home to a family that loves and supports me.
Going Pink
I’ve had pink hair for 14 years now. After I had my son, I started going grey. I thought, “Why not bleach it? Why not have a little fun?” At first the pink was just playful, but then the colour started to become part of me. It softened my complexion, distracted from my vitiligo, and gave me an edge. Honestly, it also made me feel a bit cool.
Over the years, the pink has become part of my identity. Sometimes I wonder if I should go blonde again or let the greys grow out, but then I look in the mirror, see the pink and think, no, this is me.
Living With Vitiligo
My vitiligo arrived after my first pregnancy. I already had Hashimoto’s, a thyroid condition, and pregnancy triggered another autoimmune reaction. That trauma created these tiny white patches all over my body.
Vitiligo is when the melanin in your skin stops producing, so your normal skin colour starts to lose the pigment. Over time, it spreads. My hands are now completely white. Other parts of my body are mottled; interestingly, the patterns on my legs and arms are almost identical.
It was a shock at first. With this disease you just don’t know how it will progress. Looking in the mirror, I just saw all this discoloration and unevenness. But I realised it wasn’t going to kill me. It wasn’t dangerous. It was just part of me.
I started to accept it. Then I began to embrace it. People even tell me it suits me, which used to make me laugh. It’s unique and a point of difference, almost like a tattoo.
Loving The Skin We’re In
I do have to be cautious. I wear SPF every day and can’t use harsh actives. Instead, I focus on glow. I use LED, microcurrent, massage, good skincare and an at-home laser that helps my skin look healthy. I can’t restore the pigment, but I can make my skin look alive – that works for me.
The key is to listen to your own skin, find ingredients to answer your concerns, and be diligent. And prep is everything. I never prep two models the same way. Skin is individual. It deserves to be treated that way.
Looking back, I’m grateful I studied skin therapy. It’s the best foundation I could have had. Understanding skin at its core, knowing how to treat it, how it behaves – that knowledge has shaped everything I do.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
