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Creating Bold, Extravagant Looks with Makeup Artist Ryan Burke

To see more of Ryan’s looks, follow @ryburk on Instagram.

The first time Ryan Burke (@ryburk) set foot in a night club he was on his way to developing a new career path. “I started getting into nightlife and dressing up, and I used photography as a way to connect with other people who performed or dressed up,” says the New York–based makeup artist and photographer. Never formally trained, Ryan, who studied computer science, learned how to apply makeup through experimentation, online videos and lots of practice. There’s no rhyme or reason to his inspiration — once Ryan gets an idea or picks a mood he wants to express, he runs with it.

For Halloween, he’ll be rocking a “stars and stripes” look for one party and “twisted bride” for another. “I want to be fake-stabbed on the dance floor, with blood and red glitter all over me,” Ryan says, laughing. “I don’t know if I can get away with that.”