“I AM ALWAYS ATTRACTED TO INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER!”

James Boehmer, Global Artistic Director-Shiseido Makeup, discusses the power of makeup and why it is his source of happiness, with RACHNA VIRDI.

- RACHNA VIRDI.

James Boehmer has a method in his makeup. Nothing can beat the precision with which his makeup brushes, dipped in colourful hues, do an aesthetic dance and land with amazing strokes on the face! He has always loved beauty and fashion, and the art of transformation.

As a young boy growing up in St Louis in Missouri, USA, his first stint with beauty was his mother’s skincare regime. He would also flip his moms’ high-fashion magazines and the visuals and images introduced him to the outside world. That, combined with the glamour of pop culture and disco, made him explore the importance of skin and textures.

Years later while studying fine art and costume design in Columbia College in Chicago, he came closer to the art of makeup while working on a film wardrobe, hair and makeup. He loved it and would do his own makeup or his friends’, and also started assisting makeup artists. He had a knack for mWakeup but wasn’t sure if makeup was his calling. That’s when a producer also roped him for commercials or TV or film work. Slowly, James identified that makeup helped him focus and gave him a goal and objective. Having zeroed in on makeup as a profession, he dropped out of college to learn the nuances and become a professional makeup artist.

Having grown from strength to strength, James is a veteran in the world of makeup today. From assisting makeup artists to being the key makeup artist backstage for designers at fashion week shows to creating runway looks to associating with reputed makeup brands and finally taking up his current role of Global Artistic Director with Shiseido Makeup, his resume looks super impressive.

We got the makeup expert to walk us through his extensive makeup journey, his connection with makeup, the power of makeup, and much more.