Toni Pastrano: Friendship, makeup, and being a man in the beauty community

Interviewed by Mahina Adams

The team and I at Glaze Zine had the honor to interview Toni Pastrano, an Austin-based creative with an eye for makeup and fashion. In his free time, Toni can be found exploring the great outdoors, acrylic painting, and trying out fun eyeliner looks, all while being a student at the University of Texas at Austin! Here is his story:

When and how were you introduced to the world of fashion and makeup? 

I was introduced to it when I came to college three years ago. One of my friends I got really close with over the years was really into makeup and so I learned a lot of my skills from her. She first taught me how to work with eyeshadow and I realized after a couple of times how fun it was. After that, on social media, I started to follow a bunch of makeup pages to get more into it and to see what those makeup artists were doing. This helped me get really into eyeliner as well, especially Suva liners. After that is when I really got involved in creating actual looks. 

How did you begin to develop your skill? Why did you begin to pursue makeup?

At first, it took a few tries to definitely get going. I just played around a lot with the makeup I had then started to go out shopping with my friends who were able to help me find really good makeup products. It’s all about practice and practice. It helped me to have a friend into it as well and we would do practice sessions together until I could do it on my own. Once I was able to start on my own I jumped right into it and tried doing all the possible makeup looks I thought I could do. I specifically chose to do makeup because you can do anything with it. You can personalize it any way you want and I really love and enjoy how it’s its own art form. I wanted to be able to express myself with that. 

How do you think your aesthetic has changed over time and how would you describe your style?

I used to follow the crowd and dressed like everyone else and was always scared to go outside of the box or be seen as being different. I was not used to standing out until I got to college and learned that I could finally be who I am and express myself fully. I started getting into a whole different kind of wardrobe and right now I really enjoy dressing like the e-boy style. Before, I would never have experimented with clothing like that, especially makeup. I come from a small, conservative town so I wasn’t comfortable with being who I truly was. It’s when I got to Austin I branched out more and could be who I wanted to be. 

Where do you get inspiration for your makeup looks?

A lot of them come from different things I come across in life and especially what I have seen throughout Austin. For example, I have a look inspired by a skating rink I visited one time with my friends. Sometimes I’ll get inspiration from other makeup artists or celebrities I see and try my own way of recreating it. I did a makeup look inspired by Doja Cat and her own beautiful style and I really enjoyed getting inspiration from her.

What is your favorite makeup trend at the moment?

My favorite has to be clown looks. I remember when it first became a trend I instantly loved it and thought it was so cool and creative. I did a look inspired by the trend and it turned out so awesome. There are so many things you can do with that kind of style and I love how everyone’s look is different and new and fits their own aesthetic.

What do you enjoy most about the makeup community?

I love how welcoming and heartwarming everyone is. It’s easy to make friends and you can make them super fast. Everyone has open arms and is always willing to give you tips and advice. If I ever needed help on a certain skill, I knew my friends would be there for me. 

Do you have any other hobbies besides makeup? How else do you like to express your creativity? 

I like painting a lot and I think it’s similar to drawing on your face. Drawing on your face is like another canvas and I enjoy the similarities of the two art forms. I’m really into acrylic paint!

Do you have any advice for fellow creatives who want to get into makeup, especially men in the beauty community?

For sure, just go for it. If you want to get into it don’t give up. At first, I wanted to give up because I would mess up on looks and not get it right but I just kept pushing myself which is the most important thing. Once you start pushing yourself, you’ll get to the point where you’re more comfortable doing makeup looks. It’s so rewarding being able to do something correctly. To men that want to get into the beauty community, don’t pay attention to what others might think. Don’t let them deteriorate who you want to be and ignore any hate that comes your way. Be who you are fully!

Toni can be followed on Instagram @itme.toni and on twitter @loverboyut