Meet Ali Scharf, the makeup artist behind Chappell Roan's signature looks

Ali Scharf has risen to fame by painting some of the most famous faces in the music game.

A selfie of Ali Scharf

Ali Scharf is becoming the biggest name in the pop music makeup game. With high-profile clientele such as Chappell Roan, King Princess, Hayley Kiyoko and more, Ali Scharf is painting the faces of the brightest stars out there.

After moving to New York from Los Angeles to study music business at NYU, she had originally planned to produce music herself.

When asked by Dazed Beauty about how she got into makeup, she responded: “I taught myself from watching beauty gurus and lifestyle girls on YouTube.”

The artist quickly changed her career, saying: “I got my first full-time job in music PR about a year after I graduated and I hated it so much – I quit it after two weeks and decided to do makeup full time. Everything happens for a reason.”

Sporting cherry red hair, thin brows, and porcelain blue eye shadow, the influence of ’80s and ’90s makeup shows up in her own style. 

 

 

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She has been named in the USA Dazed100 for 2024, an achievement that she welcomed with an Instagram post, saying: “makeup has allowed me to feel myself my entire life, to visually manifest an internal identity. the process of building a career out of that has been fulfilling in every possible way. i am so incredibly privileged to make people feel beautiful for a living. thank you for the endless support.”

Scharf has expressed that her main goal in being a makeup artist is to bring the musician’s ideas and vision to life. She credits Chappell Roan for pushing her creative boundaries, telling popsugar that “doing her makeup has basically rewired my brain.”

Scharf began working with the pop singer because of a friend, who was also the musician’s tour manager. As she has been with Chappell through her rise to fame, she played a big part in the singer’s unique image.

 

 

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Between glittery glam and matte bruising, the artist’s creative talents know no limits. With makeup that stays on through history-making performances at Lollapalooza, Netflix Christmas specials with Sabrina Carpenter and many red carpets, Scharf’s reliability is evident. 

Bold eyeshadow and glossy lips have become Chappell’s signature for her daily performance wear, with a few feathers and diamonds thrown in every few appearances.

The romantic and slightly vintage look is a staple, but what about a bruised skater look? While Chappell sported a baggy green tee and JNCO shorts, her makeup showed a smokey eye, forehead scratches and a hickey.

 

 

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While touring with Chappell as her makeup artist, she thanked the pop star via Instagram by saying; “Thank you for everything.” The iconic duo of Chappell Roan and Ali Scharf is bound to go down in beauty history.

 

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