Kevyn Aucoin

Beauty belongs to the brave - Kevyn Aucoin was far ahead of his time and is considered one of, if not the greatest make-up artist of the modern era. There is no doubt that Aucoin's technical skills were unparalleled. But his philosophy and penchant for celebrating individuality are what set him and his art apart. At a time when the beauty industry was considered impersonal, he was the first to personally welcome beauty enthusiasts backstage. He also made his methods accessible to millions in his best-selling books - The Art of Makeup, Making Faces and Face Forward. In 2001, Kevyn Aucoin launched his eponymous brand, which, even after his death, still reflect his artistic expertise and philosophies deeply rooted in the values of empowerment, originality and inclusivity.

Kevyn Aucoin developed many iconic products for contouring, sculpting and highlighting. In the 1990s, he was largely responsible for the sculpted look of many celebrities and top models, including Whitney Houston, Cher, Madonna, Cindy Crawford, Liza Minnelli, Courtney Love, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson and Naomi Campbell. He also used contouring when it was still relatively unknown in pop culture and was mainly used in drag culture and stage make-up.

According to Aucoin, there are no rules when it comes to make-up. Trends come and go, but true beauty is timeless. His skin-care products - e.g. The Foundation Balm, The Sculpting Book and The Contour Duo - are considered bestsellers today.

On a social level, his products and techniques are also considered revolutionary. Already in the 80s, he worked on designing make-up for all skin tones. The idea was to emphasise natural beauty - no matter what its origin - and not to cover it up with numerous layers of products.

He laid the foundation for beauty products that are now considered the norm: Foundations that have a yellow undertone instead of a pink one, as well as brown-based, natural, matte eye shadows, lipsticks and blushes that are free of pastel, or glittery colours.