Adam De Cruz spills the beans on his life as a make-up artist, his achievement with A.D.C. Beauty and more.
The journey toward being an international make-up artist has been one leap of faith, hard work, and serendipitous encounters for Adam De Cruz. This son of Sarawak is known for his work with respected publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Elle, and of course, Harper’s Bazaar. All this hard-won accomplishments are thanks to his perseverance.
“I think the biggest challenge was that there was no manual or specific guidance on how I could develop my career. No one sat me down and listed all the things I needed to do or who I needed to get in contact with,” he laments.
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Think back to the time when pop stars like Boy George, The Romantics, and Duran Duran exuded an androgynous aesthete that inspired the whole world – that’s when De Cruz started showing interest in make-up. His whole life changed when he moved to London at 18. His nights out on the town, at parties and in nightclubs, were revelations of sorts when he noticed both girls and boys experimenting with make-up.
His interest in makeup led to him assisting make-up artists on the sets of music videos and TV breakfast shows. Soon enough, he climbed the ladder to work with notable make-up artists such as Val Garland and Pat McGrath. “Assisting Val Garland and Pat McGrath was the moment I realised I was home. This is what I’ve wanted to do with my life and that’s how I started. They gave me my career,” he said. De Cruz has even toured with R&B singer Alicia Keys, and directed the makeup department on talent show The X Factor from 2004 to 2009, noting the latter as one of the proudest moments in his career.
Already a beauty industry staple, De Cruz took it up a notch by adding entrepreneur to his list of accolades. In September 2019, he launched A.D.C. Beauty at Harvey Nichols with just one product – the A.D.C. 01 High Performance Moisturiser. A.D.C Beauty is a simple, effective, and natural brand suitable for all skin types.
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De Cruz said, “I work with skin every day. So, my make-up ethos is all about gorgeous skin. I felt I needed a product that could allow everyone to use fewer products, but also let the skin look its best. So, that’s why I started with the moisturiser.”
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Known for its plant-based and organic ingredients, the moisturiser is power-packed with ingredients like mangosteen, seaweed, and gotu kala. “I remember having a mangosteen tree down the hill from where I lived, and we would shake the branches to get the fruit. And, then we would use the yellow flesh to rub all over our face to make the skin look better,” he reminisced. Full of benefits, the A.D.C. 01 High Performance Moisturiser is now being sold at Dover Street Market Paris – a big milestone for De Cruz.
When asked about his next big step, De Cruz said that he’s looking to release more products under his brand that’s all-natural and sustainable. He says: “Every time you’ve done something new in your life or career, the goal list changes for you and that’s when you change as an artist too. But, I’m very proud of how far I’ve come.”
When asked what’s the biggest advice he can give to anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps, he says: “Always pay attention to the gift you’ve been given and respect it.”
