When red carpet season rolls around, all eyes are on the celebs who graced the big screen, but the real stars during award season are usually behind the camera—or the makeup brush. These 7 makeup artists give good face and game-changing beauty to some of your favorite celebs.
It’s hard not to love Ashunta Sheriff. Her makeup skills defy beauty norms and she’s able to flawlessly capture a personality with pigment and a few brushes. She’s worked with Alicia Keys and countless other artists, but you’re probably most familiar with her work on Empress of the Lyon Dynasty—and EMPIRE—Ms. Cookie Lyon. She’s Taraji P. Henson’s gal pal and go-to artist for all things beauty.
You may not know her face, but you’ve definitely seen her brush strokes; on the faces of Kelly Rowland and LaLa Anthony, just to name a few. Sheika Daley has a client list as long as her beauty knowledge is vast. As an artist to the stars, she believes her work is also about motivation and has been quoted saying, “When we’re working with clients it’s not silent. There’s an energy and a vibe involved in order for them to feel their best when they hit the red carpet. It happens before the brush hits their face. It’s about getting their mind right.”
We hear you, Sheika! Inner beauty always shines through.
Scroll through Renny Vasquez’s phone and you may see a few familiar names like “Brandy,” “Gabrielle Union” and “Serena Williams.” Magazines and red carpets are his specialty. He’s an expert at glowing skin and a flawless contour.
There are makeup artists, and then there are makeup geniuses. Yolanda Frederick is definitely in the genius category. Not only can she give good face, but she’s also an expert when it comes to special FX makeup. Ciara and J. Hud are both clients.
Kerri Hilson, Teyana Taylor and Chanel Iman all rely on Angel Merino for photo shoots and flawless red carpet looks. The man makes blemishes and pores obsolete with the flick of a brush and holds the power of glowing skin in his hands. With 1.1 million followers on Instagram, he’s basically beauty royalty.
You only need one reference from Nick Barose: Lupita Nyong’o. He’s the mastermind behind all of her beauty looks, from red carpets to her fabulous glamping excursions in Africa.
We’re willing to bet that if you have a queen on your client roster, then your makeup skills are pretty solid. Sam Fine is a veteran in the makeup industry who’s worked with everyone from Queen Latifah to Paula Patton. Essentially, he’s your favorite makeup artist’s favorite makeup artist.
