Kat Von D

7 surprising facts about Kat Von D that got her to where she is today

Psst. The beauty boss has won a Guinness World Record.
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Since launching her own makeup line in 2008, Kat Von D has built a beauty empire from the ground up. Her ink-black eyeliners and red-hot studded lipsticks have become a favourite among beauty junkies. But the brand's piece de resistance, is undoubtedly the Lock It Foundation which fans maintain offers unrivalled long-wearing coverage.

It stands to reason that the launch of her second foray into bases has sparked mass hysteria – Von D recently unveiled her first medium coverage offering, the True Portrait Foundation, £28, which launched this month.

To celebrate the milestone, we take a look at her career from tattoo artist to beauty mogul (taking in a few surprising facts along the way).

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She started tattooing at 14 years-old

She has a reputation of being someone who doesn't play by the rules, and that's been true since an early age. Kat dropped out of school when she was only 16 and joined the LA tattoo parlour, Sin City Tattoo.

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At only 14-years-old she gave a friend a skull tattoo, using only a tattoo machine which she created out of a cassette player motor and a guitar string. OMG, right?!

She has a Guinness World Record

It's been over a decade, since Kat took the Guinness World Record for the most tattoos completed in one day in 2008. How many, you ask? FOUR HUNDRED! A line of hundreds of people formed outside the LA tattoo parlour as she inked people on a first-come-first-served basis at a cost of only $20 (£14).

She's not a fan of tattooed makeup

Your micro-bladed eyebrows? Kat is not a fan. The makeup mogul told Into The Gloss: "For some people, it takes two weeks to get their cosmetic tattooing license, which does not sound right for the person who is putting a needle and permanent pigment close to your eye. It's a big risk. And makeup changes! It's ever-changing and seasonal, that's what's so cool and awesome about it."

She's a hardcore vegan

If you follow Kat Von D on social media, you know that other than serving amazing beauty looks and hanging out with her husband, she is an activist for veganism and anti-animal cruelty.

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Kat also has been working on a vegan shoe line for several years. The 28 style collection (launching imminently) will come in sizes US 5-12, and in a range of styles; from platform heels to flats and slip-ons. The shoes are handmade in Italy and although they look like leather, they're totally vegan and cruelty-free.

She designs her line's packaging herself

All the badass packaging from Kat Von D Beauty? All designed by Von D. "The artwork on my packaging was something I painstakingly micro-managed — for example, I treat it like a tattoo, taking into consideration the muscle structure and seeing where the line lands on the existing body," Kat told Pages Digital in an interview.

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We can't say we're surprised! The whole line screams Kat's style.

She doesn't let anyone see her without makeup

Her beauty, her rules, right?! Kat Von D once told The Los Angeles Times: "It's not an insecurity thing".

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"The perk of being a girl is being able to wear makeup and dress up. It's another artistic outlet. And the 45 minutes it takes me to get ready is very therapeutic for me. It's hard to start my day without that."

So if you can't leave your house without doing your brows, know you're not alone.

Her favourite makeup product is eyeliner

Kat Von D's eyeliners are famously known as the brand's signature product. The Tattoo Liner is a Sephora best-seller, and her Lash Liner, is the first-ever longwear liquid vegan formula.

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"If you give me an eyeliner I can create 40 looks with that - whether it's liquid or pencil," she told the Huffington Post "I think that that is definitely my favourite makeup product - I can do my eyebrows, my eyes, my lips and I can do contouring with that shit."

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