This Makeup Artist’s Amazing Transformations Have A Powerful Message

Who doesn’t love a good makeover? So when we saw the unbelievable transformations of YouTuber and self-taught makeup artist Jordan Hanz into some of our favorite characters, we just had to share. Like Clark Kent in a phone booth, Hanz — who first caught our attention via an InStyle report — goes from YouTuber to Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn, Pokémon’s Jigglypuff, and Snapchat’s best filters in a matter of minutes.

While the results she posts to Instagram are shockingly realistic — some even look like actual cartoons — Hanz says she’s interested in the bigger picture. Like many transformation-focused makeup artists, she posts tutorials for each look to her YouTube channel. But she also weaves storytelling into the fold.

In response to #FreeKesha, the 25-year-old Cape Cod-based artist created a look rooted in strength. “My favorite makeup look isn't so much about the makeup, but the message behind it,” she says. “My 'Animal Inside' Kesha look was a video about the effects of mental, physical, and emotional abuse.” In another makeup tutorial, she addresses the derogatory labels women often get.

Hanz, who studied fine arts in school in hopes of becoming a portrait painter, has created a dizzying amount of characters since first posting to YouTube in November 2014. Ahead, some of our favorites — and the artist's take on what inspired them.