25 Years, No Rules, No Regrets — with Max May

Send us Fan MailThis week I sat down with Sydney makeup artist Max May. Nearly 30 years in the industry, self-taught, Armani Australia ambassador, Charlotte Tilbury Glow Squad, and one of the first artists in this country to build a blog and digital presence when the industry told him it would ruin his career.In this episode we cover:How Max got started — growing up in the country, moving to Sydney, falling into hairdressing by accident and discovering makeup on setWhy he never did formal training and why he still thinks assisting is the best way to learn this industryWhat it was actually like to assist in those early days — it was tough, the industry was different, and he got on a bus to pick up dog poop for the person he worked underHis years doing fashion weeks in Paris, New York and MilanBeing the Australian Armani ambassador and what that role actually looked likeDirecting fashion shows in Australia for ten years straightWorking with Jennifer Hawkins, Laura Bingle, Sarah Murdoch, Cheyenne Tozzi, Miranda Kerr and Mel B on The Masked SingerWhy he finds editorial more creatively satisfying than TVBeing one of the first Australian makeup artists to go digital — he lost work and friends over it and did it anywayHis social media formula: how many times he posts a week and what the algorithm actually wants right nowWhy he has zero interest in TikTok and is not sorry about itHis thoughts on AI and staying relevant in a changing industryFull list of products mentioned over on The Makeup Insider. Max May The Hair Edit Waitlist Follow TMI on IG Follow Vanessa on IGThe Makeup Insider Blog The Makeup Insider TikTok