French Makeup Artist Yacine Diallo on Finding Confidence

French makeup artist Yacine Diallo, whose clients include Aurora James and Chanel, had a passion for fashion and beauty from a young age. But long before she felt the pull of eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks, Diallo pursued a career in music PR. While on set with the musicians she worked with, the Paris-based artist eventually realized her true calling lay elsewhere. “On set, I was able to get a closer look at backstage beauty,” says Diallo, who graduated from France’s prestigious Ecole Française des Attachés de Presse with a degree in PR and marketing.

Following her first beauty job at a MAC counter, Diallo went on to work as an assistant to makeup artists for brands and on movie sets before breaking out on her own. “I didn’t have a linear career journey. I’ve been lucky to meet people who have helped me and led me to my next steps in life. Everything I’ve done up until this point has certainly helped me to be a better makeup artist,” she reflects. “At the end of the day, I’ve learned it’s not just about how you apply pretty eyeliners, anyway. You have to connect with people. And that’s something I will never get tired of.”

Below, Diallo opens up on everything from motherhood to her tried-and-true  routine and her biggest confidence lessons.

“Being French isn’t a monolith for just being brunette and having bangs and red lips.”

By Lena Herrmann
By Lena Herrmann

“...the level of confidence that I have right now is very recent… This time in life has shown me what I’m capable of.”

By Lena Herrmann

“...even though I grew up mainly in France and Africa, I remember always looking to America for inspiration.”

By Lena Herrmann
By Lena Herrmann

“When my skin feels good, I'm feeling good.”

By Lena Herrmann

Do Your Makeup With Yacine Diallo

For Yacine Diallo, being a makeup artist is about more than just how you apply pretty liners. “It’s about connecting with people,” she says. Between working with major clients such as Aurora James and Chanel and mothering her son, Diallo finds time for self-care via facials, massages and a relaxing playlist.

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