Cardi B’s Longtime Makeup Artist Describes The Ways The Rapper Can Be 'Picky'
By now, you’ve heard of Erika La' Pearl. If not, let us introduce you to the mastermind behind Cardi B’s most iconic makeup moments.
Beginning her career as a wedding makeup artist, Erika quickly became known as the go-to MUA for celebrities in Atlanta, including Love and Hip-Hop mogul Mona Scott-Young and Xscape member Tamika Scott.
Now the Puerto Rican beauty expert is "beating" face exclusively for Cardi B.
Fun Fact: Erika's relationship with Cardi began over three years ago when the rapper's publicist contacted her in hopes of working on a cosmetics line together. Instead, Erika asked to do Cardi's makeup, and the rest is her-story.
BET Digital recently caught up with Erika at BeautyCon LA, where she told us what it’s like to be Cardi’s makeup artist and why she refuses to book any other celebrity clients.
“I choose not to work with everybody else, because she [Cardi B] alone is like 10 people in one to me,” Erika told BET. “Plus, I like to have more me-time so when she does, you know, like chill, it's a vacation for me [laughs]. So I'm going somewhere, you know.”
We know that’s few and far between, since Cardi rarely takes a break making her money moves! So what is it like to work with the “Money” rapper, who almost never takes a day off?
According to the Erika, “she's amazing to work with! She's so sweet,” but don’t get it twisted, Cardi knows exactly what she wants, and getting her to sit down in the makeup chair has its complications.
"Have patience,” Erika responded when we asked what she learned from working with Cardi. “She's picky a little bit, you know, with her eyes sometimes. And speed, I gotta be fast because sometimes it takes [her] a long time to sit down. So I, you know, move swiftly, but like I said, she's sweet.”
Never missing a beat with Cardi’s beauty during her live performances and awards shows, we were dying to know if will we ever be able to get her expertise on beating a face to the gawds. She told us although her shyness holds her back from teaching a class, she’s mustering up the nerve to give us a little education.
As for the next generation of MUAs looking to sprinkle the world with beauty bronzers and highlighters, she offered some sound advice.
“Be patient,” says Erika. “[Also] hard work and practice will pay off in the future. It took me a long time because I started before Instagram, but now that Instagram is around, social media is a lot quicker. Just have patience.”
Seems like sound advice to us! We look forward to seeing what’s next for the woman responsible for Cardi’s iconic beauty looks!
