The cogs turn. The latex skin peels. The camera flashes.

Another successful look has been accomplished and posted by Katharine Laage on her Instagram. 

“I had made the gears beforehand and made my skin look like it was ripped off,” Katherine said. “It was one of the coolest moments because it was like everything I was working so hard on it and it came together and it was perfect.”

Katharine has accomplished many different makeup looks since watching Glam&Gore’s, also known as Lauren Mychal’s, tutorials on YouTube. Mychal was the first person to really inspire Katharine and proved the spark of excitement that she needed to begin her first makeup project.

“Now, I do my own thing, but I learned about the basic tools and skills from watching tutorials,” Katharine said.

Her favorite type of look is horror and special effects makeup.

“Horror is my favorite by far,” Katharine said, “I like to freak out my family and experiment with different types of horror.”

As of now, Laage has plans to study marine biology and/or archeology at a university in Hawaii. Even with those plans, her dream is still to turn her hobby into a future career.

“Right now, it’s just a hobby. If I got an opportunity to make it something more, then I would definitely take that chance,” Katharine said, I would want to become a makeup artist for movies. If that doesn’t work out, I would want to be a museum curator.”

Katharine loves using her face as her canvas to create her awe inspiring art, but it comes with a pretty high price.

“I buy most of my stuff online because there are not many makeup shops to buy the things that I need,” Katharine said. “I have about $600 worth of makeup in my collection because of the nice pallets and an expensive airbrush. I only buy things when I really need them.”

While Katharine does love her horror looks, she also loves to do regular, everyday makeup with a very colorful eyelid. The colors she uses blend together to form anything between the brightest of sunsets and the deepest of oceans.

“My favorite part is anything to do with the eyes because I think the eyes are the gateway to the soul,” Katharine said. “You have to make sure that the gate looks all nice and pretty.”

To her, makeup is all about self expression. It gives a person the ability to show what kind of person they are in a subtle or not so subtle way.

“Makeup gives you the power to be whoever you want to be and feel however you want to feel,” Katharine said.

If Katharine had anything to say to someone who wishes to start the adventurous journey that is makeup, it would be to follow their own path.

“Do whatever you feel like doing. Do it safely but also be creative,” Katharine said. “If you’re doing horror or special effects, just know that latex is the foundation for everything, and blood makes everything look better.”