It can be ‘barely there’ or transform someone’s appearance entirely. And in the hands of the finest practitioners, it can transform a face or body into an entirely different fantasy land. We’re talking about makeup, of course.
Makeup is empowering. It’s a means of experimentation, reinvention, provocation, disguise, and protection. Yet, how much do we know about this relatively young industry and the creative radicals at its center?
Our new book Blush: Contemporary Makeup Artists is the first global survey to celebrate the bold, radical, and inspiring work of more than 75 international makeup artists working today. Each of them has been nominated by industry experts – from magazine editors and stylists to curators and art directors.
The makeup artists in our new book come from 35 different countries and are a mix of established names such as Lisa Eldridge, Charlotte Tilbury, and Sir John as well as emerging talent like Sean Brady, Raisa Flowers, and Oh Seong Seok.
While the commercial beauty market is booming, a multi-billion-dollar business that’s only set to grow even bigger, with make-up brands such as Fenty Beauty and Glossier boasting tens of millions of Instagram followers, these are the artists who are all pushing the boundaries of what makeup can be.
Makeup is emerging as one of the most exciting and creative industries in the world today. So expect to find glitter and rhinestones in the book. Classic red lipstick? Of course. But there are also toothpicks and orchids and half-bitten sour cherries. In the world of makeup, bobbie pins become enormous spidery lashes and teeth are painted to resemble chipped Delftware.
In the pages of Blush: Contemporary Makeup Artists you’ll also find work by the likes of superstar fashion photographers Tim Walker, Nick Knight, Carlin Jacobs, Harley Weir, and Paolo Roversi, alongside an engaging and informative introduction by Professor of Fashion History and Theory at Central Saint Martins, Alistair O’Neill.
The book not only offers endless inspiration on a personal level but also showcases the work of a previously overlooked but quietly booming industry like never before.
Take a closer look at Blush: Contemporary Makeup Artists.
