Kmes Tabelual’s body of work screams effortless, editorial, colorful, too-cool-for-you. It’s the trendy aesthetic conjured up in haut monde Gen Z corners of the internet that have conventional media conglomerates desperate to recreate.
Kmes, who operates as @islandermua, is the makeup artist you want to book for your next occasion, especially if you want to stand out.
His Instagram feed features a fair amount of impeccably blended1 soft glam looks. But it’s in the bold where Kmes really shines.
Glossy lips, graphic eyeliner and sharp lines. One of the latest looks he dropped on Instagram was ✨mesmerizing.✨ A faint, immaculate “bleached” brow gives way to a seamless neutral gradient of champagne and gray and black on the lid, lightened up with a splash of hot pink2 in the inner corner. Using every inch of lid landscape in this look, Kmes extended the outer corner with a dramatic, tapered cat-eye and lines so sharp it should have come with a warning label.
A glowy highlight, glistening terracotta lips, full lashes and space buns make the look absolutely t r a n s c e n d e n t a l.
Kmes’ makeup artistry journey goes back about four years. Initially inspired by Patrickstarrr and MannyMUA, Kmes decided to create an Instagram account just for his makeup looks.
He picked the handle @islandermua, in part because people had trouble pronouncing or remembering his name, “Kmes.”
“I had to rethink a better name that was easy and somewhat catchy to remember. I eventually chose ‘islandermua’ and at the time no one used that name and its hashtag #islandermua so it was an ideal choice,” the 21-year-old said.
Kmes’ first post on his @islandermua account is a flat lay of products and is captioned simply: #islandermua. He snagged the handle and planted the hashtag, the Instagram equivalent to embedding a footprint and a flag on the moon.
Since then, Kmes’ follower count, his makeup skills, and his clientele have only grown.
Kmes is now living in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i.
“I am born and raised in Palau. I would consider myself from Ngchesar, but also from Melekeok and Ngaraard,” he said.
When Kmes turned to makeup to help with his acne scars, he found it boosted his confidence but it also turned into a life-altering catalyst.
“Along this journey I had the opportunity to meet with many working makeup artists in Hawai’i and just from meeting them, seeing their work and accomplishments I just knew I had to become a makeup artist,” he said.
Kmes said he enjoys the creativity that comes with this craft. He’s able to explore different colors and shapes on different faces.
“At the same time, getting to know my clients and people I work on…can be such an intimate process while trying to a create look you or your client envisioned,” he said.
He booked his first makeup artist job for a classmate for the Merrie Monarch Festival, a Hawaiian cultural festival in Hilo.
“That same week, I had one of the biggest and pivotal gigs in my freelancing experience. I had the pleasure to do makeup for a local Hawaiian designer for the Merrie Monarch Festival 2019 fashion show,” Kmes said.
He recalled feeling nervous. He was tasked with doing makeup for more than 20 models—men and women. Designers and models entrusted him with a major aspect of the show.
“This was an important moment as it was an opportunity for me to put myself out there, and although I had just volunteered to be part of the show I got paid for my work,” Kmes said. “Since then it’s been about three years of doing freelance makeup mostly in Hilo, and summers back home in Palau.”
Kmes said he draws inspiration from his Palauan culture as much as he can in his creations. He said he always proudly presents himself as a Palauan, Micronesian, and Pacific Islander to others.
“Being in Hawai’i, it is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and races,” Kmes said. “Many times people are unfamiliar with where I am from thus it’s an opportune educational moment to bring awareness of my home and people.”
Kmes continues to share his work and hopes to keep pursuing this passion. He is working on growing his clientele.
“I profusely enjoy doing creative projects with all kinds of people and I hope to be able to keep doing this as I go on…My goal in the long-term is to go into makeup full-time,” he said. “I believe the utilization of my social media platform will be a crucial part of it.”
While Instagram is where Kmes uploads most of his creations, he also posts on YouTube, Twitter and TikTok, also as @islandermua.
Be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel and follow him on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Find more on his website islandermua.com.
Thank you, Kmes, for taking the time to answer my questions! I am so, so inspired by your makeup looks and talent!
P.S. Kmes cites Colleen Hobson as his favorite Micronesian makeup artist. Which is amazing because Colleen also named Kmes as one of her recommended Micronesian makeup artists to follow. (Read about Colleen here on The Husk!)
Thank you for reading. Write to you again soon.
Cheers,
Jasmine
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As someone whose only eyeshadow skill is to convert every color into a mud powder, I am supremely impressed by anyone who can blend eyeshadow. Please try blending eyeshadow and then look at Islandermua’s Instagram feed and tell me Kmes isn’t a magician. JUST TELL ME HE ISN’T A MAGICIAN.
I kid you not, this exact shade of pink unlocked a hidden memory for me. I was reminded of Susie Q’s dress in the 1996 movie about a dead teenager starring Amy Jo Johnson, who also played the Pink Power Ranger. Put a finger down if your aspiration at one point in life was to be the Pink Power Ranger.