Makeup artist Salya Benaza discusses her career, Indonesia’s flourishing creative scene and crafting the perfect summer makeup for Indo-pop sensation no na.
Spread over 18,000 islands and sitting between Melanesia and Asia, Indonesia is home to over three hundred ethnic groups. This diversity offers a unique environment for creativity. In recent years, the archipelago has birthed a group of professionals bringing novel ideas to fashion, beauty, and entertainment and consistently elevating conversations with their integration of culture and heritage.
Makeup artist Salya Benaza is a living example of Indonesia’s creative acuity. For the past seven years, she has worked in the beauty and fashion industry. Her clients span traditional Sundanese brides and local stars. Most recently, Salya was under the spotlight for crafting the beauty looks for Indonesian music sensation no na’s debut.
No Manners Magazine chatted with the Indonesian makeup artist about her career, her country’s thriving creative scene and her best beauty tips.
Career Early Beginnings
Salya Benaza discovered her passion for makeup during her youth. As a child, she found joy experimenting with beauty products in her aunt’s home. During one of her makeup rendezvous, she came across one of her aunt’s makeup palettes and became entranced by the bright pigments. “Every time I visited my aunt’s house, I would run straight to her makeup collection and do makeup for everyone in the house,” she tells No Manners. “Looking back, I realize that, I was more drawn to applying makeup on others rather than on myself. I’ll never forget my journey as a makeup artist began with my aunt’s old eyeshadow palette.”
Salya’s interest in makeup continued well into her teen years and she eventually turned it into a full-time career. In 2018, she stepped into the makeup artistry scene, doing makeup for parties and graduations. During the next couple of years, she honed her craft while juggling a busy college curriculum. Through continued efforts, she carved a reputation in Indonesia’s beauty industry by collaborating with fashion designers, stylists, and photographers for advertisements.
Today, Salya describes her personal style as “Hollywood-inspired.” “It’s defined by sharp contours, striking highlights, and bold eye looks. Every detail is intentional and polished,” she explains. Salya considers makeup artists Mohammed Hindash, Painted by Spencer, and Patrick Ta as her main influences. “Their techniques, creativity, and signature aesthetics have greatly influenced the way I approach makeup — blending precision with artistry,” she adds.
Her Work Is Deeply Tied to Culture
Indonesia’s motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in Diversity), encapsulates the country’s cultural and ethnic pluralism. This philosophy stretches countrywide, also influencing the beauty industry.
A true local, Salya regards this cultural diversity as Indonesia’s biggest strength. Throughout her career, she has witnessed how her community weaves its heritage into makeup and beauty. So whether she is working with bridal parties or pop culture muses, Salya remains mindful of her clients’ cultural backgrounds. “Indonesia is diverse not only in language and traditions but also in beauty practices, especially when it comes to makeup. Each region in Indonesia has its own distinct makeup style,” she says.
The diversity is especially noticeable when she works with bridal clients. In this domain, Salya gets to honor each region’s culture. “Indonesian brides don’t follow a one-style-fits-all approach. Instead, makeup and attire are customized based on cultural background and regional identity,” Salya explains. Sudanese brides, for example, wear the iconic Siger headpiece, while Javanese brides feature the elegant Paes (forehead detail) and Minangkabau brides from West Sumatra are adorned with the towering and intricate Suntiang (West Sumatran headdress).
“Each of these styles comes with its own makeup characteristics, techniques, and symbolic meanings,” the artist adds. “This deep connection between makeup and cultural identity is what makes Indonesian beauty truly unique. It’s not just about looking beautiful; it’s about honoring tradition, telling a story, and carrying heritage with pride.”
Celebrating Skin Diversity
Reflecting on the evolution of makeup trends in Indonesia, Salya notes changes in the last 10 years. In the early 2010s, the beauty scene welcomed thin eyebrows, dramatic smoky eyeshadow and nude lipstick. The makeup artist remembers that decade as a period that allowed people to experiment with bold makeup techniques.
However, she also appreciates that current trends have popularized a skin-focused look. “Today, many people prefer a more natural look. Every day dewy skin, glowing blush and soft, bushy brows have become the go-to aesthetic. This shift reflects a growing appreciation for effortless beauty,” she says.
The change also aligns with Indonesian beauty heritage, which, as per Salya, is deeply rooted in the celebration of skin. “Most Indonesians have light to medium brown skin tones, often with yellow or olive undertones,” she says. “As someone who lives in a tropical country, I truly value our naturally radiant brown skin. In my makeup work, my goal is to enhance and honor this skin tone, not alter it. I aim to create complexion looks that highlight the beauty of our undertones, staying true to who we are while achieving a flawless, glowing finish. To me, makeup should not cover identity; it should reflect it.”
How to Get No Na’s Sunkissed Glam
Aligning to this mindset, Salya highlighted the beauty of Indonesian women with the makeup looks she crafted for pop group no na’s debut. In the lead single “shoot,” for example, the quartet danced against outdoors beachy backdrops, sporting flawless sun-kissed glam. The music video quickly went viral, attracting attention to the group’s summer-ready glam.
The secret for achieving remarkable heat-proof makeup, Salya shares, is a light product application. “Less is more. Applying fewer layers helps prevent makeup from becoming patchy or cracking in the heat.” Additionally, the makeup artist makes sure her outdoor shoot kit carries sunscreen and material for touch-ups. “I always start with sunscreen to protect the skin from UV exposure, especially under strong sunlight. I also make sure to bring a touch-up kit and a portable fan to keep the face cool.”
But how can people recreate no na’s iconic glam this summer? “The key lies in the right balance of bronzer, highlighter, and blush,” says Salya. She recommends starting by creating a faux, sunburnt glow.
For this step, Salya blends a generous amount of bronzer on the forehead, cheeks, and jawline — areas where the sunlight naturally hits. Then, she creates a “just came from the beach” flush with peach or coral-toned blush. Salya advises matching the warm-toned blush to your undertone to achieve the most natural appearance. Lastly, the artist highlights the cupid’s bow, cheekbones, and the bridge of the nose. Salya tries to have a strategic hand when executing this last step because highlighters can look overdone (especially under professional lighting).
“When done correctly, this look gives a glowing, healthy finish that’s perfect for both day and night,” she says. “The secret is in blending and picking the right tones for your complexion.”
Glam Tips from Salya Benaza
Over her seven-year career, Salya has collected a handful of tips for creating a flawless makeup application. One of her kit’s must-haves and a “game-changer” in the job are baked powders. “They’re not overly powdery or matte, which means they don’t flatten the skin’s natural texture,” she says. “Instead, they offer a smooth, luminous finish that works beautifully under studio lighting or flash photography.” Baked powders also work to set liquid makeup in humid weather, explains Salya.
Lashes and Graphic Liner
In addition to baked powders, accentuating the eyes is essential to crafting memorable makeup looks. Salya often focuses on the lashes and eyeliner. “Whether it’s a soft glam or a full dramatic beat, lashes always play a major role in enhancing the final result,” she shares.
As for the eyeliner, the early days of Salya’s career matched the beginnings of the graphic liner renaissance, so the technique has become second nature to her. When achieving a crisp graphic liner look, she opts for gel eyeliners with an ultra-fine tip brush. And in case you can’t sketch the eyes with slow and steady hands like a makeup pro, her recommendation is to treat concealers like an eraser to clean up eyeliner excess. “If you need to sharpen the edges, use a small, flat brush with a bit of concealer to clean up the lines. It’s a simple trick that makes a huge difference.”
Sweat-Proof Makeup
Surviving Indonesian summers has trained Salya to make her clients’ makeup sweatproof. Her end goal is that clients leave her chair with a sun-kissed glam that will stay fresh all day long. To achieve this, she creates a matte base makeup routine so natural oils won’t break up the makeup throughout the day. Her go-to trifecta consists of a mattifying primer, foundation, and powder. Then, she adds luminosity to specific areas of the face without compromising the longevity of the base makeup.
Since she has spent long days on set, Salya has also perfected how to touch up makeup during the hotter months. “Handle sweat carefully,” she advises. “Instead of wiping your face with a tissue (which can lift your makeup), first dry the sweat gently, then press a damp beauty sponge or clean hand onto the skin to reblend and refresh the base without removing it.”
Quick Reminder: Don’t Give Up and Keep Creating
Throughout her career, Salya has primarily worked on domestic campaigns and events. With one of her recent projects reaching worldwide audiences, she feels honored and reminded that every small step is part of a bigger picture.
Honing your skill set isn’t a linear process either and, as Salya, reminds us, it doesn’t happen overnight. No matter the field, the artist emphasizes, “Practice makes perfect.” “In the early days of my makeup journey, I often questioned myself, unsure of my style, uncertain of my results, and battling with insecurities about whether I was good enough. But over time, something shifted,” she says. “I began to see makeup not just as a skill, but as an art form, a way to express, create, and connect. Slowly, I found clarity in what I wanted to pursue and what kind of artist I wanted to become.”
Sharing advice for new generations of creatives, Salya encourages them not to give up on their dreams. If she let her passion dim, she wouldn’t be “living in a dream” seven years later. “Whether you’re a fellow artist, someone passionate about beauty, or just someone flipping through this article, remember, every small step you take matters. Keep learning, keep creating, and don’t be afraid to dream big. You never know how far it can take you.”
Check out Salya Benaza’s work on her social media channels.
