Meet Tina Scariano | Musician – Makeup Artist – Podcast Host
We had the good fortune of connecting with Tina Scariano and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Tina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Growing up, my dad always told me to “find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I started my first business at age 10 creating decorated glass bottles filled with various candies and selling them at craft fairs. Since then, I’ve had nearly every job you could imagine from flipping burgers at a hockey rink concession stand to performing Let It Go as Elsa in Frozen the musical on Disney Cruise Line. I’ve constantly chased that high of creating something that people love and want to consume – whether that be bottles of candy or my own one woman show. About 4 years ago I was performing off-broadway while juggling 3 other survival jobs and barely making ends meet. I was always working for someone else, on someone else’s schedule, for money that hardly allowed me to afford to split an apartment with 4 roommates. While in the dressing room one night before the show, one of the gals in the cast asked me if I would do her makeup since she loved how I did my own for the show. When I finished she said “you know – you should do this professionally” and I thought “I have no qualifications! No training! I have no idea what I’m doing I just love this!” A little background: My mom was a makeup artist so this art form had always been present in my upbringing and I was always doing my friends hair and makeup for school dances and special events. So this was something I enjoyed and knew how to do. But it had NEVER crossed my mind that someone would PAY me to do their makeup! Next thing I knew I had registered myself in a makeup artist certification program and TScariano Makeup was born. Creating that business on my own then led me to other artistic opportunities and eventually I was able to let go of all my “survival jobs” and live off of an income of only artistic endeavors. In addition to TScariano Makeup, I am the co-founder of the Obsessed with the Best Podcast and I am debuting my new solo show “Feels Like Home” – a throwback concert – this July. I am now my own boss, make my own schedule, and set my own rules. I’ve definitely found the job(s) I love – and Dad was right- it doesn’t even feel like work.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It has taken me a long time to get to where I am today professionally. And while I am extremely proud of my successes, I don’t feel I’m done. I am an innately curious person and I’m always looking to expand and learn. And on my toughest days – when I’m plagued with imposter syndrome – laying on the floor of my apartment staring at the ceiling – and thinking “what am I doing with my life?” – I make a list of all the things I’ve accomplished. I take a mental trip through how far I’ve come from passing canapés until midnight at a corporate Christmas party to teaching preschoolers yoga and music theory to babysitting into my 30’s to cashing that first payment after my first makeup job to now booking rehearsal spaces for a show that I built from scratch in the middle of a pandemic.
It has certainly been a journey building my “brand”. My co-host Alex and I talk about this often on our podcast, how (especially in theatre) we are told to “pick a lane” and excel at just one thing. But I think any millennial can tell you, that’s nearly impossible these days. In order to survive NYC you have to be good at EVERYTHING! And we like to celebrate that in our podcast Obsessed with the Best with Alex and Tina. Alex and I are NYC-based creative multi-hyphenates who are “almost experts” in everything beauty, wellness, and inspirational women. Every Wednesday we dive into our favorite new products and trends, and share the stories of incredible ladies who’ve gone into business for themselves. Recent guests include India Oxenberg (NXIVM survivor and creator of the STARZ documentary “Seduced”) and Shakina Nayfack (star of NBC’s “Connecting” & Hulu’s “Difficult People”). You can catch us on Apple or Spotify!
Out of all my artistic endeavors I have to say I am most proud of the show I’ve created over the last year. “Feels Like Home” is a 70’s folk rock show celebrating the queens of rock – Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell and more! The show recently had a very successful NY debut weekend at the John W. Engeman theatre in Northport, LI and then at The Greenroom 42 in midtown NYC where the broadway world review was titled “Tina Scariano hits a FEELS LIKE HOME run!” More show dates to be announced soon!
Link to Broadway World Article: https://www.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be ANYWHERE without the incredible support and mentorship of so many friends, family members and colleagues – the list of people behind my success is miles long. But the top spot on that list will always belong to my Mom. Susan Scariano is my biggest cheerleader and is front and center at every one of my milestones. Her faith in me has never wavered and she is the main pillar of my success.
Website: tinascariano.com
Instagram: @teenziano @tscarianomakeup @obsessedwiththebestpod
Facebook: Tina Scariano
Other: Listen to Obsessed with the Best w/Alex and Tina: Apple – http://bit.ly/obsessedwiththebestpodapple
Spotify –http://bit.ly/obsessedwiththebestpodspotify
Image Credits
Michael Kushner Photography Shani Hadjian Photography KBarber Photography
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