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Villalobos also used wigs to create the blonde bouffants for Kerry Washington in The School for Good and Evil. “The wig took six weeks to make, and part of that is the [blonde] color, which took an additional week,” she said, noting that she chose that particular style to reflect the storyline of the character. “I wanted [Professor] Dovey to be lighter and fun because she’s from the good school, not the evil school. I also wanted to show texture in her hair.”

The film was shot in Ireland, and Villalobos remarked on how diverse the hair and makeup crew was: “When Kerry and I got to Ireland and I saw the beautiful styles and diverse nationalities. I was so happy to be part of this.” Villalobos, who has worked with Washington on multiple projects over the years, expressed how actors and producers are key to helping create a diverse team behind the scenes. “Kerry and Marlon [Wayans], those two actors are also producers and they advocate for diverse sets.”

When the film credits are all locked, an actor must tour the film with red carpet events around the world. That’s where makeup artists like Jessica Smalls come in. She works with Janelle Monae, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Lashana Lynch to create looks for the red carpet, another type of specialized skill. “I never try a new product on the red carpet,” she said. “I know how everything reacts to weather and light. I don’t use liquid lipstick. I use lip liner as a base, then lipstick. It’s key to having long-lasting makeup on the red carpet.”