Who Is Daniel Martin? New Details On Meghan Markle's Makeup Artist And BFF
He did her makeup for her wedding day.
instagram Tabloids, news stations, and fans can’t seem to get enough of Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and their little one on the way. For a long time, people were raving about how gorgeous Markle looked on her wedding day — her dress, her hair, her makeup were all on point. And when it comes to her makeup, you have one person to thank for that: Daniel Martin.
But who is Daniel Martin? Not only is he a makeup artist, but he’s also the Brand Ambassador to Dior and the Creative Color Consultant for Honest Beauty. And if you had any doubt of his talent, you are seriously mistaken.
It turns out that Martin and Markle have been friends for almost 10 years! In an interview with Fashionista, he revealed his reaction to being asked to do her wedding makeup, saying, “It was exciting to have been asked because I wasn't expecting it, and to also be asked to attend was a whole other thing. It's a blur. It definitely brought my visibility up and it's been really weird, but at the end of the day, we're still great friends. Her profile's on a much more global level, but — it's weird to say — it's still kind of the same.”
It’s great to know that their relationship hasn’t changed much since she became the Duchess of Sussex. But he wasn’t always so successful.
Martin always had an interest in beauty and got his start in makeup and styling working at a MAC counter at Nordstrom in the 1990s. That set his passion in motion and he moved to the East Coast to pursue his career in makeup.
He soon got a job at an Aveda concept salon in Virginia, doing hair and makeup, and ended up working backstage at New York Fashion Week. While working backstage, he met Pat McGrath, a self-made and influential makeup artist from Britain. He began assisting her team.
According to Martin, “That's such a coveted opportunity to get at such a young age. I was definitely low on the totem pole. I just really lucked out. Even to this day, I wonder if she knows who I am. At that point, I was like, I’m just fortunate to even be on her radar. I was also freelancing, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and doing the struggle like everybody else.”
In 2004, Martin began working on his own and attributed networking to his success. He also credits Kerry Diamond, the former beauty director at Harper’s Bazaar, as helping him. He eventually met Chloë Sevigny, and that connection turned into a snowball effect.
The turning point in his career came when he participated in the all-Black issue of Italian Vogue, and even more so after doing Markle’s wedding makeup.
“I had my phone off the whole day of the wedding. But right after, I went from 17,000 [Instagram followers] to 70,000 in one day. It was bonkers. Then I panicked because it brought up so much performance anxiety. That wedding put me in a whole other stratosphere on social media that I can't understand. I'm lucky that I had a career prior. If anything, it's just my profile is up, but I still have the same clients. I still work with the same people. My day-to-day hasn't really changed. I'm just lucky that I have job that I love doing and that I have great friends that I get to work with,” he said.
Martin works with pretty famous faces in Hollywood, including Elisabeth Moss, Bella Hadid, Priyanka Chopra, Saiorse Ronan, and Nina Dobrev, and aside from styling them, it seems like Martin and Markle are very close friends. Martin recently sharing a photo from Markle’s baby shower, posting a photo of the party favors and adorable cookies, though nothing actually revealed the gender of the baby.
Martin had had a long career in the industry, but it looks like he’s only just begun to peak. What sets him apart his his humble and laid-back attitude, hard work ethic, and genuine excitement over any new opportunities coming his way.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.