Are Alix Earle And Patrick Ta The New Celebrity Makeup Dream Team?

By: Javier Mina

11 / 3 / 23

If you walk into any classroom at GW and ask the students if they are familiar with the name Kim Kardashian, you’d be hard-pressed to find one person who isn't—not including the inevitable contrarians who would claim ignorance in some act of alternative rebellion. That’s because Kim Kardashian has inarguably been one of the biggest media personalities of the last couple of decades. She’s broken through countless industries, outlasted several eras, and garnered a level of stardom that affords all those in her periphery a great deal of notoriety of their own. Chief of these being her sisters, whom the famed “momager,” Kris Jenner, turned from six seemingly “talentless” (according to Barbra Walters) California nepo-babies into a multi-billion dollar dynasty. However, Mario Dedivanovic, Kim’s longtime friend and makeup artist, has come into his own in the last several years, becoming a public figure in his own right and establishing a wildly successful makeup line, Makeup by Mario.

Mario is a celebrity makeup artist who has made a name for himself through his work with Kim Kardashian. He is the brain and talent behind her most iconic red carpet makeup looks, and the two together have played a large part in bringing contouring and baking—two makeup techniques that were formerly reserved for professionals and drag artists—to the mainstream market. Their longtime partnership and friendship have been displayed on the hit reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and its successor, Hulu’s “The Kardashians.” Throughout the time that they’ve worked together, Kim has continued to grow in fame and notoriety, and similarly, Mario has become synonymous with excellence in celebrity and red carpet makeup. This set the perfect stage for him to launch his brand, Makeup by Mario, which has been widely acclaimed by consumers, amateurs, and professionals alike. 

Now that we have the background out of the way, it’s important to recall that around the time that Kim Kardashian began to rise to fame in the early to mid-2000s, people weren’t looking for relatability from celebrities. People wanted to see into the lives of the rich and famous and see the unattainable opulence and beauty. Relatability would become idealized many years later, around the days when Emma Chamberlin rose to influence with her “day in the life” style content. As this change was ushered in, the glitz, glam, and over-produced nature of figures like the Kardashians lost their appeal. 

Enter Alix Earle, a thin, blonde, beautiful party girl, and recent University of Miami graduate. She’s everything the market needs. From relatability to transparency, she’s the perfect recipe for the 2020s influencer, the same way that Kim was for the 2000s. She leads an aspirational life while sharing her genuine struggles, from acne and body image to messy rooms and hangovers. As she’s risen to fame, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with several big names in the beauty space, and Patrick Ta is a repeat offender. 

Patrick Ta, the renowned celebrity makeup artist, is known for his signature glowy makeup looks that have become a staple on red carpets around the world. Patrick's approach to beauty is all about enhancing natural features and creating a flawless, radiant complexion. Mario Dedivanovic and Patrick Ta are two of the most influential makeup artists and brand owners in the beauty industry. Both Dedivanovic and Ta are known for their makeup looks that enhance natural features and create a flawless, radiant complexion. They both have a celebrity client roster that includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood, such as Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, and Jennifer Lopez. Dedivanovic and Ta are both incredibly talented artists who have inspired millions of people around the world with their work.

Both Dedivanovic and Ta have also launched their own makeup lines. Mario’s line, Makeup by Mario, is a reflection of his style of makeup artistry and has had phenomenal success among beauty consumers. Patrick's line, Patrick Ta Beauty, is known for its high-quality products and has been praised by beauty influencers and celebrities alike. They are both known for their almost punctilious attention to detail when it comes to product development. Dedivanovic spent years testing and refining products before launching his line, while Ta is known for his meticulous approach to product formulation. They have both become celebrities in their own right, with massive followings on social media platforms like Instagram and the ability to make beauty accessible to everyone. They are praised for their down-to-earth personalities, which was exemplified by their apparent aversion to being in the spotlight themselves until they decided to launch their own lines. Dedivanovic and Ta are both incredibly influential in the beauty industry and have been recognized for their contributions to the field.

Though Alix and Kim have become synonymous with beauty and epitomized the eras in which they came to influence, it’s worth noting that they would not have held the same effect had it not been for the team, notably their makeup artists. 

So, are Alix Earle and Patrick Ta the new Kim Kardashian and Mario Dedivanovic? While they certainly have their own unique styles and approaches to beauty, there are some similarities between the two duos. Like Kardashian and Dedivanovic, Earle and Ta are both known for their ability to create natural, glowing makeup looks that enhance natural features. They are also both incredibly talented artists who have inspired millions of people around the world. At the end of the day, celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Jenifer Aniston were the original influencers, and their likenesses have been used to sell products and lifestyles for decades. It was once believed that just using the same makeup products as these people would somehow transfer some of their desirability to the wearer. We live in different times now, and the consumer in general is regarded as being a bit wiser, but similarities like these make you wonder if times have really changed all that much and if we’re just ushering in a new era of the old order.