ESUM 2023 Luminary Ivan Betancourt

ESUM Cosmetics has chosen to highlight Ivan Betancourt, the makeup and hair mogul, as one of our 2023 luminaries. A luminary is someone who leads by example and actively works to elevate our industry day in and day out. We’ve had the pleasure of watching Ivan grow his career throughout the years, cheering him on from the sidelines as he gains his well-deserved notoriety and success.

I have had the privilege of working with you for many years right out of cosmetology school. I have seen you grow & develop your brand into a multi-genre artist of hair & makeup. How is it going in LA?

 

Life and work in LA is as fast as you would imagine! It’s a Mecca for the beauty industry and aesthetics. With so much creative energy, there isn’t much time to be idle. Thankfully the city gives back as much as it demands.

Any recent life lessons that helped you grow to the next?

 

The demands of this career can make you feel like you’re at it alone. If you are lucky enough to have a fellow industry cheerleader or two on your side, hold on to them and mutually support them. You can go far alone, but you’ll go farther together.

How did you begin as a makeup artist?

 

I began playing with makeup as a teen. I’d stop at my local Borders books to look at the editorials in Zink! I’d copy the makeup I saw on the pages on myself and critique how I could improve. As the years went on I landed at MAC where I got to flesh out my skill set. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, experimented with styles, and started doing photo shoots with local talent. It was a great time to define and refine my aesthetic before venturing on my own.

 

Do you have a signature makeup artistry style?

 

I’m inspired by the most avant-garde aesthetics, yet I still call my makeup delivery classic beauty. Clean lines, diffused shades, and a combination of textures. Skin is always the most important to me. With clean skin, I can keep the look soft or add an editorial focus feature.

What advice do you have for someone starting out today?

 

You have to advocate for yourself. In an industry with so many voices and talents, you must believe in the value you have and what you can add to the environments you step into. With that being said, always observe the work around you with inspired curiosity. This will keep you grounded, respectful of your craft, and provide answers to techniques that puzzle you along the way.

You have been an advocate & friend of ESUM since we launched our first brush collection in 2011. What is your go-to ESUM product? Why?

 

The brand has grown so much and every addition becomes my new favorite. If I have to choose, my consistent holy grails are the ESUM W35, W36, S33, and T11 brushes, the ESUM Pinky Puffs, and Pro Finishing Sponges.

You are such an inspiration with your commitment to your well-being. How do you keep the balance with a career that’s constantly on the go?

 

We forget how physically taxing this career can be, the toll it takes to get all the beautiful images the rest of the world sees. You have one body and you must listen to it before it makes you listen in uncomfortable ways. Aside from my strength training routine, I have a mind/body technique that helps warn me of anything I should give my attention to. I mentally “check in” with different parts of my body to feel and “listen” to signals I’ve brushed over or put off because of the urgency of work. I’ve done this for the past few years and it has helped me shift the way I maneuver my body while working.

Beyond your career, you are a passionate individual about many things - share a bit about your spiritual work.

 

I’m a firm believer that you are not just your career identity. My spiritual practice is as equally important and has helped soothe, protect, and guide me along my path. My practice revolves around dedication and re-connection to my ancestors and the wisdom of their spiritual practices. Through the use of candle magick, tarot, and other modalities I’m able to offer clarity, empowerment, and reconnection on the path forward.

What has been one of your pinch-me moments, thus far, in your career? 

 

There have been so many that come out of nowhere. They haven’t come from a celebrity or star-struck crossing. My pinch-me moments are more personal. The most recent one happened while working on location. I had to move my car and ended up high on a hill. I turned around and got a view of the downtown LA skyline from a vantage point I’d never seen. It stopped me in my tracks. I took that moment to speak to my younger self who dreamt every night of making a life in the city. I got to tell him “We’re here, kid.”

And last question, what is the one ESUM palette that will become a staple in your makeup kit?

 

Hands down, the Balance palette. I knew it will become my new workhorse palette and it has secured the spot as my go-to.