His make-up products are loved by women all over the world, but who are the women he loves? The make-up artist, photographer and founder of Nars talks us through his personal icons
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On the women he loves
THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED MY LIFE:
I’m incredibly influenced by my mother (below). She woke me
up to a sense of beauty in a woman; she is a natural beauty who looks good bare-faced, then with make-up she looks even more beautiful. Really, she
was my...
THE MOST INVALUABLE PIECE
OF ADVICE I CAN SHARE:
Use make-up as a weapon, rather than allow yourself to become a prisoner of it. It’s a fun accessory; so
don’t let it be a case of, ‘I can’t leave the house without make-up on.’
HOW I FEEL ABOUT
MAKE-UP:
I love it. But I also love the idea that a woman is strong
enough to face the world sometimes with no make-up. It’s about showing strength.
I’m definitely a modern feminist; I’m all for equality between men and women.
THE WOMAN WHO PUSHES BOUNDARIES: [Founder of Comme
des Garçons] Rei Kawakubo. She’s not in
my life at all, but I respect what she’s doing. Her clothes are totally unwearable and she is still in the market, which is quite amazing.
I love shooting them.
ON THE IMPORTANCE
OF MAKE-UP:
It’s obvious, but it’s to make you look and feel good. You can face the world with strength and
confidence. Unless it’s bad make-up!
ON WHAT AGE MEANS FOR BEAUTY: I love working with older
people who have learned from life and have something to say, but I also like working with cool young kids, too. When you create make-up, you create it
for everybody.
THE WOMAN WHO MAKES ME FEEL BRAVE:
My grandmothers, because they loved me so much and took such good care of me. They were always telling me to go forward and do what I wanted. They were really enthusiastic
about my career.
THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED MY
CAREER:
Stylist and fashion editor Polly Allen Mellen, who first encouraged me to
move to the US.