Meet the Aussie hair & makeup artist that all your favourite influencers and models trust

From Steph Claire Smith to Rozalia Russian

Content Producer / August 27 2024

Is there any better feeling than having a perfect fresh, flawless and glowing glam look? How about having it done by a professional who knows exactly what they're doing? Yep, we'll take that everyday, in fact, surely that's got to be a part of the budget, right? Well, maybe not. But we know exactly who we'd want to do our glam looks if we could. 

Meet Holly Harnwell, the Aussie Hair and Makeup Artist that's garnered huge success and needs to be celebrated for her incredible work...

Holly Harnwell's Influencer Work

@makeupbyhollyharnwell

@makeupbyhollyharnwell

@makeupbyhollyharnwell

Holly Harnwell's Beauty Journey

Harnwell had her heart set on a makeup artistry career from a young age. And she was willing and ready to go out and make it happen. From the get-go her vision was clear: she wanted to be the magic behind photoshoots, so getting "into the fashion and commercial space" was the way to go. 

After training at the Academy of Makeup, she was able to go out and book jobs, building her confidence (and portfolio), which gave her a foot in the freelancer door. With all her hard work paying off, landed her first major client. None other than Cotton On.

Showing up with what she now looks back on as a "very embarrassing looking kit" and a can-do attitude, she gave it her absolute all. And they were impressed. Her effortless glowy, natural and flawless skin was key to getting her name passed around the industry, which is when she "began doing shoots for brands such as Target, David jones, Myer, Just jeans, Portmans, Forever New, FILA and many more". She quickly became the name on all the art director's lips (and lists), which of course, naturally lead to Harnwell being a) fully-booked and b) highly sought-after by models and influencers alike. 

In fact, she's worked with the likes of Rozalia Russian, Steph Claire Smith, Brooke Hogan and Jordan Simek, with every look more stunning than the last. If you get a chance to get your beat done by Harnwell, we suggest jumping at the opportunity. But influencers, models and photoshoots aren't everything. She also volunteers with the Look Good, Feel Better Foundation, which helps people going through cancer treatment to feel beautiful in the everyday. Harnwell "teach(es) women how to do their makeup so that they can feel better whilst going through the struggles of cancer treatment".

The Must-Have Makeup Products Holly Harnwell Swears By

So what are some of Harnwell's secrets and signatures? When working on shoots and creating glam looks for influencers, she advises that you need two things. 1. Longevity and 2. A glossy glow. And these three must-have beauty products are the ones that Harnwell swears by to give her clients a longwearing, dewy radiance. 

First up, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($115 at Sephora). Harnwell loves how the light to medium coverage formula "glides on the skin flawlessly" providing a "natural glow to the skin". Of course, to go with the glowy natural coverage you're still going to need to have a little concealer. Harnwell's all time fave? M.A.C Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer ($57 at Adore Beauty); it's the concealer that she "always finds (herself) coming back to" thanks to its "longevity and smooth skin finish". 

And lastly Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick ($80 at MECCA), which "adds a beautiful juicy glow to the skin". But unlike some highlighters you're not left with a 'shimmery' finish. Harnwell loves that it adds a "healthy glow to the skin". And isn't that what we're all seeking?

Main Image Credit: @makeupbyhollyharnwell

Want to hear more makeup artist secrets? They spill them all to us here...

Emma Allcock began her career in the world of fashion and beauty in 2015, interning for various PR fashion houses. Naturally her love for style soon extended to beauty, and Emma landed firmly in the beauty and wellness world thanks to an internship-turned-role at local Australian fragrance brand Maison Blanche. One thing that remained consistent whether unpacking accessories or creating social content? Her commitment to an always-perfect manicure. Luckily, she’s since turned her talents to helping her readers achieve the same, writing about all things beauty and wellness. Emma is now a Content Producer for BEAUTYcrew, with her words and recommendations also appearing across beautyheaven. Emma loves the process of diving deep into the world of testing (and writing) about everything from haircare to fragrance. When she’s not slathering her skin in something new, she’s going for an early morning stroll to catch a stunning sunrise (coffee in hand, of course), because life’s all about that wellness balance after all.