Meet the Global Beauty Instructors: Karuna Chani

As the owner of KC Makeup Inc., Karuna is world-renowned for her ability to merge eastern cultural elements with western beauty trends. Brides seek out her expertise for the perfect contemporary bridal look on their special day. Working all over the globe, Karuna has been featured in Vogue India, Atelier, Cosmopolitan Indonesia, Wedding Affair Magazine, and her roster of celebrity clients includes Priyanka Chopra, Kanika Kapoor, Shahana Goswami, and Amrita Singh, among others.

In Karuna’s Global Beauty Workshop, you’ll learn how to work with all shades of olive and medium skin tones. Her workshop includes South Asian and Middle Eastern looks, and she provides a gorgeous Indian bride, glamorous Bollywood makeup look, Persian kohl lined eyes and foundation tips for olive skin tones.

Watch the video below to learn about how Karuna started her career as a professional makeup artist!

What sparked your passion for makeup artistry?

I am a color-driven person, and I draw inspiration from how colors work in unison. For me, it is less about looking to clothing or someone’s face for inspiration and more about layering and blending colors together. Having studied fashion at Parsons, I constantly aspire to add new dimensions to classic looks and I strive to add interesting shades and hues to otherwise purely classic looks.

How did you get into makeup industry?

Many people don’t know this about me, but I went to school for Fashion Design at Parsons in NYC. I started interning at fashion shows while in school at Parson, and working backstage, I was immediately enamored by the idea of creating glamorous makeup looks while networking with people in the fashion industry. I instantly knew that beauty was the field I wanted to be in, and began taking the necessary steps to transition out of fashion design, into beauty.

There’s a very intimate connection between fashion and makeup, isn’t there?

Absolutely. My everyday mantra is: fashion and beauty go hand-in-hand. You don’t want makeup to compete with your clothes!

To prepare myself before I meet new clients, I need to know what the client will be wearing, from her shoes, to her outfit to her jewelry. It is then that I can visualize a makeup concept, as makeup and fashion create a story together. When you are working with someone, you need to understand their vision and a crucial part of that is ensuring the makeup complements the rest of the ensemble.

On Working with Clients

There is something therapeutic and amazing about creating an unforgettable makeup experience for someone. It’s a ritual where there’s a trust between two people and I’m able to create something truly unique for my client. She’s able to walk away from my makeup chair, not only with a beautiful exterior but also an inner confidence shining through. After all, life is about feeling confident in your own skin!

On Creating Beauty

I take the word “artist” in “makeup artist” very seriously. Why? Because as a professional makeup artist, it is my job to create beauty. Some may believe that this profession is superficial, but I see what happens to my client’s demeanor by simply adding a red lip or smoky eye. Their back straightens, eyes brighten, a smile that wasn’t there before peeks through; a whole new persona begins to emerge. That to me is beauty, and what continues to inspire me about “Creating Beauty.”

Learn more about what techniques Karuna will teach you in QC’s new Global Beauty Workshop!