ABOUT
JOHN WILGER
John was always interested in art and fashion while growing up; however, in rural Illinois, he felt like a career in the arts was unattainable. Excelling in science, John instead pursued a degree in Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the intent to go to medical school. John worked in the Orthopedic Surgery Lab at the University where his skills in data analysis and finite attention to detail emerged.Upon graduation, John was recruited by a major business corporation, and eventually transferred to NYC. After working in a corporate environment, he realized his passions were unfulfilled, and felt pulled toward a creative field. It was not until the pandemic hit that John decided to make a life change. John realized there was a unique opportunity to blend his scientific background with his creative skills. He made a connection between makeup artistry and his background in analytical thinking.
John is now an established makeup artist in New York City. He graduated from New York Makeup Academy and got his start in the industry assisting renowned makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic. John was the Lead Artist at Makeup by Mario before taking the leap to pursue his freelance career. He regularly works both New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, and his work has been featured in fashion and beauty campaigns and in magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, WWD, and Glamour.
John’s makeup artistry style is a clean, contemporary vision of beauty. He likes to create from both light and dark aesthetics and pulls from masculine and feminine energies to create an artistic balance that is unique to each face. His makeup skills span beauty, editorial, and fashion. John’s passion for artistry, coupled with his science background and commitment to serving others, make him a unique standout in the industry.