“In The Chair” spotlights the incredible hairstylists and makeup artists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal beauty and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top glam tips.
“I started when I was five,” makeup artist J. Brandon Correa (also known as Glossboss J) tells ESSENCE, by stepping into his mother’s makeup world. “I came out of the womb with a makeup brush.” Born in Connecticut, the Cape Verdean artist has been in New York since 2003. And, for over 20 years, he’s been making women feel more like themselves.
“My favorite thing about doing makeup is being able to pull out what you feel on the inside,” he says. While many people wear makeup to cover up, “I hate putting masks on people, that’s just not it.” You wouldn’t guess, then, he started his career learning prosthetic makeup in cosmetology school. After attending school, then taking on the role as teacher, he moved back to the city and snagged a job at Laura Mercier at Bloomingdale’s in Soho (where he rose as the top salesperson in the Northeast) before going on to MAC in Times Square and an artistry trainer at Anastasia Beverly Hills.
That was, until he landed a role as national artist at YSL Beauty. Coining the term “sophisticated edge”, his makeup philosophy is sophisticated, yet edgy enough for drinks or clubbing. To the point, “I’m actually writing a whole book,” he says, compiling all the notes he’s taken over the years. “I’m a couple chapters in and in every single chapter I talk about a real instance where I used this sort of technique and what the results were,” he says, whether its perfecting a smoky eye or finding your signature look.
Ahead, Correa tells ESSENCE all about his favorite makeup products, makeup philosophy, and the most valuable lessons he’s learned.
His Favorite Makeup Products
My favorite thing hands down is our gloss. I’m obsessed with it. It’s really, really stunning. But I also love Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat. I really like products that make your skin look lived in, that really kind of emulate you and your energy and your power. With all the brands I’ve worked with, YSL has a lot of hose products where I can put it on you and not be afraid that I’m going to transform you into something completely different, but just know exactly what we’re doing and why. So I just like things that are really real.
His Powder Tips For Dry Skin
What you need to do is find a powder that is hydrating. Powder sounds like the opposite of hydration, so one with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide is going to really help smooth, but keep you hydrated in the right way. When you’re applying the powder, you don’t want to just put it directly on the face. What you want to do is pick it up on the back of your hand, palm of your hand, wherever. You can just tap it in. You want the brush to look almost dusty and dirty and you’re going to press and hold for about five seconds and then that will soften that product.
His Career Highlight
I would say probably one of the coolest things was working with Cree Summer. Ever since I was a kid, I loved her. I got the opportunity to do her makeup when she was going to the White House. A friend of mine, Tracy, does Cree’s makeup all the time. I was like, “Tracy, if you ever need me for anything, holla.” So, she actually reached out and she said, “She’s going to be in DC. She needs a makeup artist. You have to be the one.”
I cried because her energy was so much more than I thought it would be. And it was just a full moment. I watched A Different World growing up and I did her makeup and Jasmine Guy’s makeup at the same time and that was just ridiculous.
A Valuable Lesson He’s Learned
For a long time, I think I was chasing this idea of being a cool celebrity artist type thing and it wasn’t until I realized that my artistry, it helps people transform. It’s not just about doing cool makeup and it’s bigger than me. And so I was like, “Oh, I need to give back in that way.” Ever since, I just understood that my career has changed so much because it’s less about me trying to be this super cool guy.
His Makeup Philosophy
I can really help people and bring something to the world that will leave an impression and will help people achieve the best version of themselves. Whether you’re a professional, whether you’re an amateur, it does not matter because you can pick up something from it and it really is made for everybody, which I think is really, really cool.
His Top Makeup Tip
I like to work in thin layers. I would rather just build it up so I can start to see the beauty revealing itself as opposed to slapping something on. Now, if I was doing an editorial or something like that, that’s a completely different story, but we’re just living our best lives.
