#chadhayduk

Chad Hayduk -  Co-Founder and Creative Director of Three Custom Color Specialists |  www.threecustom.com

What inspires you right now? (and why) I am inspired by color in my travels.  The travel bug hit me at a very early age and am in awe of other cultures and their uses of color in art, architecture, food, fashion, history, nature and everyday life.   I am very thankful have to learned a lot from every single place I have visited and the colors that I observed swirl in my head and help me with my creations.  Lately, I have been inspired by off-beat color combinations and how light affects new shimmers that are being introduced.  

Who are three of the biggest influences in your career? (and how have they effected your career) My three biggest influences are:

Roy Karrell, the founder of Visage Beaute Cosmetics.  He gave me my start in the beauty business at the age of 17 at Bergdorf Goodman custom blending, saw I had a talent and eye for color and pushed me to succeed.

Tom Brumberger, SPFX makeup artist.  When I was interested in getting into film and video, he showed me that I was capable of things I never dreamed I could do and to perservere and problem solve.

Both of these men are sadly not with us any longer, but I feel their presence every single day with all that I do.  I can't thank them enough for the impact they have had on my career.

My "Hugo-Man of 1000 Face's Doll!  I always wanted a "Barbie Head" as a kid, but this was the closest I could get.  I practiced my prosthetic and beauty makeup on him (sometimes mixing both!) at the age of 8 and I never looked back.

Can you tell us about a defining moment in your career? One that made you realize this was what you were going to do with the rest of your life.   I think in the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to do makeup- again, back to my Hugo- Man of 1000 Faces Doll.  My first real crack at it was doing makeup for all my school plays.  I didn't know what I was doing, but as they say... practice makes perfect.  I was in a play in the second grade where I played a frog.  I got to paint myself green.  I wish to this day, I had a picture! This set everything in motion for me.  It just snowballed from there.

What advice would you give to a makeup artist or hair stylist starting out in the industry? To succeed in any career, you need to have passion and drive as well as talent. If your heart isn't in it, then this industry might not be for you. Absorb everything that you can- be a sponge; the more knowledge you have, the better off you will be.  Learn from your mistakes- I encourage you to PLAY.  Remember.. its makeup- it comes off!  

What is more important to you the work (a makeup artist or hair stylists artistic skill) or the artist (the person themselves - personality, professionalism) Honestly, I think its both.  They work in tandem to make a successful artist and business person.  Without one, you can't possible have the other! 

What is the key to a successful work-life balance? We all work like dogs, but you MUST make time for yourself...for your health and well-being  You need to step back and reflect.  Whether that be taking a vacation, getting enough sleep or spending time with loved ones/friends.  I own my own business and I often feel as if I am being pulled in all directions.  I have to remember to breathe and focus in order to get done what needs to be done. I also am not only married to my business but also my business partner.  We depend on each other in so many ways and I can always count on him to get me in line.  Thank you, Scott!

What are you most excited about right now? I am excited about all the excitement that this crazy journey called makeup has become.  It was a very small business when I started  30 years ago- there weren't that many of us!   With the world being such a small place,  the international interest in our field has made our industry more accessible to all.  I have had the opportunity to work with many of the most amazing people I have met throughout the years that have encouraged and mentored me.  I am in awe of what this industry has become and what will happen next!