If “beauty is a form of genius,” as Oscar Wilde observed, is Paul Starr Hollywood’s Einstein? Over the course of a twenty-year career in film, print and music video, Starr has stenciled, smoothed and appliquéd his way into the first rank of Hollywood celebrity makeup artists, boasting a clientele—Salma, Angelina, Madonna, Lindsay, Renee, Cameron, Pam, Scarlett, Britney, Meg, Jada, Ellen, Iman—that would warrant a dozen red carpet premieres.
In an age when celebrity image has become closely tied to bankability, Starr looks to be the heir apparent to the makeup guru of the ‘90s, the late Kevyn Aucoin.
Starr’s new book is a two-hundred page pedestal to his muses, a series of tributes in interview form to forty of his star clients. The volume is thickened out by a rich display of his work by photographers such as Leibovitz, Rolston, LaChapelle and Demarchelier.
ON HIS WOMEN…
There’s a great line in your book from Joni Mitchell: “Happiness is the best facelift.” “I like working with women of substance. They give as much to you as you give to them. It’s a wonderful exchange.”
Today, Joni and you are pals. “Meeting Joni was just one of those moments. She’s so honest and introspective, and I’d been such a fan. She touched my heart for years. But for five years, all I heard was ‘Joni does her own makeup’. Then we hit it off one day at a shoot, and we’ve been close ever since.”
Are there any stars you haven’t worked with? “I’d like to work with Gwynneth Paltrow. She’s such a classic American beauty.”
ON THE BEAUTY BIZ…
Is makeup an art? “In the early 80s, makeup was still considered an art form. I came out of art school with so many interests. Makeup is a marriage of sculpture and watercolour.”
You eschewed the fashion world for music video. “The beginnings of rock video were like the beginnings of Hollywood. It was a wonderful playing ground for a young artist. We did such fun and outrageous things.
“But the industry has radically changed. The catwalk has collided with the red carpet, and now the fashion and showbiz worlds are inseparable. There has been a real merger that didn’t exist when I was doing rock videos with David Bowie and Madonna.”
How has celebrity changed? “The packaged image becomes much more important when a star has arrived. Star image is more closely tuned today. It’s all about their career arc. Once the look is established, it’s a formula for recognition. There is very little room for conceptual work.
“Interview Magazine came out when I was in school and it was a revelation artistically. You don’t get a glimpse of the showbiz world like that anymore. Today’s celebrity press is more about surface. You don’t get insight into the people.”
ON MAKEUP TIPS…
“Once they find a look that works for them, many women believe that’s it. Women can get stuck in a rut. So experiment! It’s just makeup, it’s not rocket science. That’s why nature has seasons: for change. Women have a privilege to be colourful that men don’t.
“I’m a big skin person. Make the investment: Get regular facials, drink a lot of water, watch diet and exercise. Makeup is an accessory but your face is a canvas.”
