MAKEUP ARTISTS TO KNOW: TAI CEME
TAI CEME
Tai Ceme is a Haitian makeup artist and founder of Tai-Lite, a clean skin loving makeup brand. With a background in styling and editorial, Tai discovered her natural gift for makeup by chance and has been passionate and devoted to her craft ever since. With bold and vibrant makeup looks that command your attention and an emphasis on natural skincare, the future of Tai’s makeup empire is full of endless possibilities.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you're from.
TAI CEME: Well, I am Haitian and I grew up in Massachusetts. I spent my younger years in a predominantly West Indian neighborhood in Boston. Then my family moved to a suburb about 30min away from the city, we were one of the only black families in the town and the only Haitian family at the time. This was definitely a culture shock for me and it is when I started to really understand what it meant to be black in America. Directly after high school, I moved to New York to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, which was about 8 years ago now. Since being here I can honestly say I found myself and have felt more at home here than anywhere else. I am now 25, a full-time Makeup Artist and the founder of the skincare based makeup brand Tai-Lite.
SHEER: At what point did you realize makeup was a passion for you and a craft you wanted to pursue professionally?
TC: It's funny because I really had no intention to become a makeup artist, I fell into it. In 2016 after going to school and feeling lost I began to explore all different parts of the industry. I had always been a fashion kid growing up so I thought I would really like styling. I ended up meeting someone who was interested in letting me style an upcoming shoot. I was super excited and I had asked an old connection from college if they would be interested in doing the makeup. Last-minute the makeup artist fell through and I ended up having to do the makeup myself. I had explored makeup before, on myself, and a few friends but that day was the first time I had done it in a professional setting. I LOVED it and it felt so natural to me, I have been a makeup artist ever since.
“I feel like the deeper I got into my career the more I would naturally attract the right partnerships. Success in this industry for me has been from a lot of the personal connections I make as well as referrals. So my personal life tends to combine with my professional life quite a bit in that sense. The majority of the jobs I work are with people that I know, love, and have built professional/personal relationships with over the years. This really is a blessing that I thank God for. ”
SHEER: In what ways do you believe your culture and upbringing influence your work?
TC: This question really made me think so thank you!
Growing up I didn't feel like creativity was encouraged so for a long time I didn't know where I got it from. I was always really into fashion (which was something my entire family was into) and was kind of a jack of all trades when it came to the arts but I thought it was just little hobbies I took up out of boredom. It wasn’t until a few years into my craft that I started to connect this to my childhood. My mother is a hair stylist and has always been really into interior design. I see her in me more and more everyday.
SHEER: You've worked with Vogue Italia, Hybebae, and Dreamville to name a few. How do you decide which platforms/brands align with your creative vision and what do you look for in a client before choosing to partner with them?
TC: I feel like the deeper I got into my career the more I would naturally attract the right partnerships. Success in this industry for me has been from a lot of the personal connections I make as well as referrals. So my personal life tends to combine with my professional life quite a bit in that sense. The majority of the jobs I work are with people that I know, love, and have built professional/personal relationships with over the years. This really is a blessing that I thank God for.
SHEER: What inspired you to launch Tai-Lite cosmetics and tell us a little bit about what the launch process was like for you?
TC: Tai-Lite started off as a hobby. When I first started experimenting with makeup I was looking for pigments that would show up on my skin. I couldn't find highlighters that were colorful and suitable for dark skin so I started researching ways to make it. For two years I made highlighters for fun with no real intent behind it. People would always ask me what I was wearing and my friends would try to encourage me to sell the highlighters but I was still in the beginner stages of my career and I simply wasn't ready.
As my career as a makeup artist grew I started getting more and more into clean beauty and the importance of it. I realize that the concept of clean beauty had been around for quite some time, just not geared to or marketed towards the black community. That alone made me want to revisit my hobby and turn it into what is now known as Tai-Lite.
The launch process was hectic and beautiful all wrapped in one. Hectic in the sense of I am a perfectionist. I never wanted Tai-Lite to seem amateur in any way so I worked really hard to make sure everything was up to the standards that I had for myself. I wanted to create a story with the brand so it was very important that I told that story from the beginning through the images, the content, location, packaging, and of course the product. I had the most fun making the decoration pieces for the launch. My best friends were with me and helped me make my vision a reality.
Going into the launch I was very nervous. There is something extremely vulnerable about making something with your bare hands and sharing it with the world. I was known for doing makeup but not making it, so it was a whole different experience. I was anxious and wanted everything to be perfect. All and all everything turned out beautifully and I felt very supported.
“As my career as a makeup artist grew, I started getting more and more into clean beauty and the importance of it. I realize that the concept of clean beauty had been around for quite some time, just not geared to or marketed towards the black community. That alone made me want to revisit my hobby and turn it into what is now known as Tai-Lite. ”
SHEER: How do you pick the ingredients in your products?
TC: The process of picking ingredients is the most important part of my brand. I always go with ingredients that have the most skincare benefits, after all, Tai-Lite is an extension of your skincare. The ingredients being clean and skin-loving is everything. I also try to find ingredients that are universally great for the majority of skin types. That way I can ensure that my products can be used by everyone! From there it's trial and error to see which ingredients work well together. This could take days or months depending on what I am trying to make.
SHEER: What would you say is the greatest challenge you face while juggling the business and creative roles of both a beauty entrepreneur and a makeup artist? How do you establish distinct processes/boundaries for each?
TC: The biggest challenge I face is knowing when to turn my creative brain off and my business brain on. I love that I have an artist approach to business. I think it shows in my brand but there are times when I have to take myself out of that headspace and think of things from a business/ revenue perspective. When it comes to Tai-Lite I can honestly say I am learning as I go. In the beginning, I didn't give too much thought to how I was going to separate the two, and overtime I am now understanding that when I am in MUA mood I am just focusing on that and when I am working on Tai-Lite I am just doing that. The flexible schedule of being a makeup artist helps me to have full days where I can focus on Tai-Lite. Also being that my brand peaked during quarantine I was able to focus on it only for months. During that time I took a marketing and social media class and did research to sharpen my skills.
SHEER: What advice do you have for women of color trying to break into the beauty industry, whether as a makeup artist or an entrepreneur?
TC: As a Makeup Artist, my advice would be to not be afraid to reach out to people that you want to work wit. Putting yourself out there may seem scary but it's so beneficial in this industry.
As a business owner, I would say is it's okay to learn as you go but make sure you're doing as much research as possible THE TIME IS NOW. Start now with what you know and what you have whether it's for makeup or starting your own business.
SHEER: What do you envision for the future of Tai-Lite cosmetics?
TC: I see so many beautiful things in Tai-Lite’s future. We are bringing something new and fresh to the world of makeup/skincare. I envision Tai-Lite being a global company where you can find all things beauty, body, and skincare. Bringing that editorial feel to everything we do will always be at the forefront as well as always telling a story through our products, packaging, and campaigns.