Exclusive! Meet Kat Von D's New Team of Makeup Artist "Badasses"

Instagram account: @iamleah

Home base: Huntington Beach, CA

Makeup artistry experience: 15+ years. When Leah started, it wasn't as easy to get discovered, and she frequently found herself working for free to get her name out there. But that grind paid off: she's worked behind the scenes of Tom Ford campaigns and Beyoncé music videos and even assisted her "life-long makeup hero," Francesca Tolot.

Artistry skill she's known for: Both Leah and Kat agree that her most impressive talent is that of perfecting her clients' skin. "Having had freckles all my life, no one better understands how challenging [achieving a] flawless complexion can be!" Leah quipped.

Favorite Kat Von D Beauty product: The Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette ($48). Leah said that she'll never travel without one: "I have one in my kit, one in my personal makeup bag, and one in my glovebox, because you never know!"

Her source of inspiration: "Music has always been my biggest inspiration," she shared. As a longtime fan of post-punk bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, she's admired their strong forms of self-expression. "That freedom was a huge inspiration for me to get into makeup and still is."

Why she was selected for the Kat Von D Beauty Artistry Collective: "Kat has known me long enough to know that makeup isn’t just a job for me — it’s my life," said Leah. (She is a friend of Kat's and the only artist the makeup mogul knew personally before starting the Collective.)

"I got my hands dirty and worked my ass off for this," Leah added. "Having been chosen to be a part of the Collective makes me so glad I never gave up on my dreams, and I hope that inspires others to do the same."

Instagram account: @sstrazzere

Home base: Salem, MA (or as Steffanie calls it, "Witch City")

Makeup artistry experience: 13 years. After working in retail and then in education, she realized she wanted to focus more on artistry and less on sales. "I decided to focus on freelancing," Steffanie explained. It was then that she could dedicate time to fulfilling projects, including working backstage at New York Fashion Week.

Artistry skill she's known for: Steffanie's passion for product development has lead her to whip up her very own formulas like a "mad scientist." When it comes to her finished works, you'll notice unusual composition and color placement, with a focus on dark and romantic looks.

Kat disclosed that while she's quite fond of Steffanie's gothic aesthetic, she really admires how Strazzere can make anything look romantic, even if it's "something of dark nature."

Favorite Kat Von D Beauty product: The entire Everlasting Liquid Lipstick collection ($20). Even Steffanie's 93-year-old grandmother wears them!

Her source of inspiration: Like many in her cohort, Steffanie sees inspiration everywhere, especially in small details. This includes the eyes of her cat, Goblin, which recently motivated her to create a metallic ombré lip look.

Why she was selected for the Kat Von D Beauty Artistry Collective: "Besides my excellent dance moves," she joked, "I believe that Kat felt I had a lot to bring to the table . . . she values my passion for artistry and the equal amount of passion I have to share it with the rest of the world."

Instagram account: @juscallmetara

Home base: Brea, CA

Makeup artistry experience: 13+ years. Tara's career runs the gamut of retail and education to running a bridal beauty business and working on photo shoots and award shows (including working with Beyoncé's team for the MTV VMAs).

Artistry skill she's known for: "I’ve managed to gain a reputation for my advanced eyeliner techniques that range from dramatic wings, graffiti-inspired, retro-style, to editorial," Tara said. "But in general, I’d like to think my style can be best described as 'controlled chaos.'"

Kat agreed. "I love her art background, as far as what inspires her and where she comes from," she said. "Her selection of colors and her raw aesthetic . . . that’s something that really moves me as someone who’s viewing the art."

Favorite Kat Von D Beauty product: Tara is also obsessed with the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks ($20 each). "I absolutely love using these bad boys as eyeliner," she confessed.

Her source of inspiration: Graffiti, texture, nature, and emotions are all driving characteristics of Tara's work. She also named makeup artists like Pat McGrath and Alex Box as talents she admires, saying, "These people inspire me to become better, push me outside of my comfort zone, and challenge me as a creator, educator, and overall human being."

Why she was selected for the Kat Von D Beauty Artistry Collective: Tara believes that her entire career has led up to this moment. "All the struggles and the triumphs, too — they fueled me to work harder, to do better, and to not quit," she said. "It’s all prepared me for this."

She went on, "I’m excited to represent all those hard-working artists out there who have ever wondered, 'When is it going to be my turn?' Let me tell you: there is a light at the end of those tunnels, and when you finally get your shot, it’s going to be better than anything you ever even imagined! This is MY TURN, and I’m proud to say that I have earned it."

Instagram account: @kelseyannaf

Home base: Born in Sydney, Australia, raised in the Czech Republic, and currently residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Makeup artistry experience: Kelsey is a relative newcomer to the industry, with just four years of experience under her belt. "I first started experimenting with makeup during my last year of high school," she revealed. After attending a makeup artistry program and a special effects class, she pursued her true passion: working on set. She does so alongside her idol and mentor Jon Hennessey under the artist agency NOBASURA.

Artistry skill she's known for: "I’m best known for the unexpected, whether it's texture, placement, shape, color, or material," Kelsey shared.

"She’s the youngest, but she blows our minds on a constant basis," said Kat of Kelsey. "She was the last person that I reached out to. I told the other girls about her joining and they all freaked out!"

Favorite Kat Von D Beauty product: The Alchemist Holographic Palette ($32). "It is definitely my new true love!" the artist gushed. "The semitranslucent quality allows me to adapt and transform whatever I apply them on."

Her source of inspiration: "A majority of my inspiration comes from my art background," said Kelsey, which includes color palettes and elements of nature, paintings, music, film, and performance art.

Why she was selected for the Kat Von D Beauty Artistry Collective: Kat had been following Kelsey on Instagram for a while before asking her to join the Collective. "I think she recognized something unique in each of us artists that comes together so well as a whole," Kelsey said.