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B Side
Traditionally, the B side refers to the flip side of a record. The A side contains the more front-facing hits—the singles—but on the B side, you can get in a bit deeper with the artist. And quite honestly, there’s no better metaphor we can think of for the creative team behind a beauty look. They pull the references, scour the archives, and paint the picture you see on the big screen. The celebrity, model, or actor is the single with the most airtime. But the glam team? They’re the producers, conductors, friends, and family members. For lack of a less ubiquitous phrase, they make it work.
It has always been our mission to shine a light on the BTS of beauty, as the artistry of hair and makeup is an intricate, detailed exploration that lies at the cross section of aesthetics and culture. Why? Because the origin of a look is just as important as the look itself. The backstory deserves its hard-earned glory.
This time around, we’re introducing you to makeup artist Natasha Gross, the mastermind behind the makeup look for Byrdie’s 16th issue—The Spring Issue—featuring Serena Williams. Below, join us in taking a peek behind the curtain.
On the inspiration for the makeup look…
“We used everything from Serena’s WYN Beauty line. She wanted to go for a natural look, so we just enhanced her beauty.”
On working with Serena…
“Serena is so fun! We are always laughing during our glam sessions. It never feels like work when I’m working with her.”
On her early years and starting her career in beauty…
“I grew up in Lynwood, California. I was never really into makeup or doing makeup growing up. My sister—who does hair—suggested I get into makeup. 17 years later, I’m grateful I took her advice.
“During [those early years], we didn’t have the social platforms we do now. I think it was only MySpace, and Facebook had just launched. You had to work really hard to make a name for yourself. I started working at the Laura Mercier counter, and after five long years, I decided to pursue my freelance career. Fast-forward 13 years and I’m living my dream as a celebrity makeup artist. I’ve met some great people doing what I do.”
On her career highlights…
“It has to be doing the Met [Gala] back in 2021 with Serena. [It was] every artist’s dream.”
On what beauty means to her and how it’s empowered her throughout her life…
“Beauty is confidence; someone who is unafraid to be themselves. I love it when I see a woman with a unique style. It could be the boldest wing liner or magenta lipstick or blonde eyebrows. Uniqueness is beauty to me.”
On her mentors and icons…
“I admire any self-made woman in this industry. Hearing CEOs talk about their failures and fears before starting their companies and careers is so inspiring because almost every entrepreneur has experienced that.”
Advice for those coming up in the industry…
“Have a plan and a goal when you come into this industry. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Overall, just be a nice person. Let your personality shine through in every room you step into. You never know who’s watching.”
