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There aren’t many people who can get to say that they have touched the faces of royalty, but Rokael Lizama can. The makeup artist, who has worked with people like Beyoncé, Tyla, and Kim Kardashian, didn’t necessarily set out with the intention of getting into this field, but he was a natural-born creative.
“I wasn’t completely certain of my career path when I was younger,” Lizama tells PS. “I just knew I loved a little bit of everything to do with art.” Still, his affinity for fashion and beauty bled into every part of his life. “I was constantly doodling in class and re-creating music videos with my sisters,” he says.
Though some teachers questioned whether or not he would ever take his interest seriously, it wasn’t until he went to high school that one of them decided to help him pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer. “She was helping me look for scholarships and apply. but I ultimately didn’t end up going because fashion school is extremely expensive,” Lizama says. The makeup artist, who describes himself as spiritual, believes that the dream deferred was God ultimately leading him to where he is now.
“A neighbor of mine ended up getting into that fashion program, and I went to beauty school,” Lizama says. “I ran into his mother and she told me that he worked at T.V. Guide, and they were always looking for makeup artists.” Just like that, he started working on some of the biggest names in television.
Lizama says he was fated to work with Beyoncé. “I was first working with LaLa Anthony, and she had a book signing that Kelly Rowland attended,” he says. “Kelly loved her makeup so much that she wanted me to do hers. She then recommended me to Miss Tina, who ultimately was the one who introduced me to Beyoncé.” The duo started working together for small events, like dinners and off-hand appearances, but Lizama’s breakout moment came in 2023 during the star’s Renaissance tour. During one show, it was raining so badly that people thought it would end up canceled. Not only did Beyoncé still perform, but her makeup stayed perfectly intact, thanks to the One Size setting spray that Lizama used to set her face. The rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, recommendations from Lizama have become worth their weight in gold. So ahead, he shares a few of his favorite beauty products that he can’t live without.
