Beauty Industry Up-and-Comers to Know Now

If you want to know who’s big in beauty right now, you could follow anyone who sparks your interest on Instagram, then follow everyone that person follows. And so on and so forth, until you end up following Kevin Bacon — and getting really, really annoyed with your Instagram feed.

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Instead, let us do the legwork for you. We’ve rounded up the hair, makeup, fragrance, nails, and skin-care superstars who’ve been hitting their stride over the past year. From the dude who started the rainbow-hair trend to the best manicurist working today, to the two women who brought K-beauty to the U.S., click ahead for the peeps you should be watching in the beauty sphere.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RIAWNA CAPRI.

Riawna Capri, Hairstylist
Find Her At: Nine Zero One Salon

What are you known for?
“Overall, the words I’d use would be natural, sun-kissed hair color, and effortless textured haircuts. And perfectly effed up, disheveled updos. I still cut, color, and style, which also makes me a little bit different. I’m all about the whole picture.”

How did you get into beauty?
“When I was in third grade, I wrote in my journal, When I grow up, I want to be a hairstylist for movie stars. No idea how I even knew that was a thing, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. After high school, my parents wanted me to go to college. Instead, I went to beauty school in Vegas. Eleven years ago, I got a job at Fred Segal, where they didn’t make me pick between being a stylist and a colorist, which was really important to me. Then, in 2009, I opened my own salon in L.A., Nine Zero One. The rest has been a whirlwind.”

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What was your big break?
“A few years ago, Julianne Hough trusted me to chop her hair off — that was a pretty big moment and helped start the whole short-hair trend. Not long after — the first time I worked with Jennifer Lawrence — I gave her a pixie, which was a huge deal. But I wasn’t allowed to talk about it.”

What are the highlights of the past year for you?
“Nine Zero One moved to a new location on Melrose Place, and we opened a new style bar, Nine Zero One Too, in the old location. I became a spokesperson for CLEAR, a brand I really love and believe in. I started Beauty Coach, a beauty website, and the Beauty Coach tour, where we go to other cities and teach stylists how to be beauty coaches. I launched a shower-filter company, Raindrops. I’m doing red carpet. I’m doing Julianne’s hair for Dancing with the Stars. I did the Victoria’s Secret [Fashion] Show. I guess it has been a pretty huge year.”

What makes your work different from that of your peers?
“I don’t just give someone a haircut. It’s about their personality — are they quiet and shy, or loud and gregarious? Do they have a great sense of humor? What’s their job? What’s their confidence level? All of those things go into the cut, color, and style you give someone. I really like looking at the whole picture when I work with my clients, and I hope and think that shows.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SARAH LEE AND CHRISTINE CHANG.

Sarah Lee & Christine Chang, Founders Of Glow Recipe
Find Them At: Glowrecipe.com

What is Glow Recipe known for?
“First of all, it’s the first and only natural Korean beauty site, combining these two emerging and rapidly growing segments. Secondly, we provide our partner brands support with branding for the U.S. market, which includes product positioning, marketing, and even translation, which requires a surprising amount of subtlety! There are many other companies and sites that simply import Korean beauty products. In our opinion, there’s a real difference between selling a brand and building a brand.”

How did you get into beauty?
Sarah: “I was born in Seoul, Korea, and joined the Seoul office of L’Oréal after graduating from college. My first role was a makeup artist at the Giorgio Armani Cosmetics counter, where I collaborated closely with the headquarters in Paris to create concepts, products, and looks customized for the Asian and Korean markets instead of implementing those that were more Parisian or European-appropriate. A little over eight years ago, L’Oréal transferred me to New York, where I met Christine."

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Christine: "I grew up in the U.S., Korea, and Australia. Over 10 years ago, I started working with L’Oréal in Korea, becoming part of the team that spearheaded the turnaround of the Kiehl’s brand from just one store to one of the top players in the Korean market. After graduate studies at Columbia [University], I started working at L’Oréal’s NYC headquarters.”

What are the highlights of the past year for you?
“We started Glow Recipe officially in November 2014, and we just turned 1! It’s been incredibly motivating to see the traction of brands under the Glow Recipe umbrella, such as Whamisa and LJH. They’re not the biggest brands in Korea but we recognized their quality, clean ingredient lists, and high innovation, and identified them as having incredible potential in the U.S. Today, these brands have attracted interest from retailers like Sephora and Ulta. Many of our brands are actually reverse-marketing their U.S. popularity in Korea!”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUNG VANNGO.

Hung Vanngo, Makeup Artist
Find Him At: The Wall Group

What he’s known for: In the world of makeup, Vanngo is attempting the impossible: turning out sexy, paparazzi-ready looks for his red carpet clientele (think Selena Gomez, Camilla Belle, and Kate Bosworth) and pushing the envelope with provoking, head-turning editorial work for a host of magazines here and abroad. It’s a duality not many makeup artists can juggle, but Vanngo does so with refreshing ease and zest.

How did you get into beauty?
“I came from Vietnam and was a refugee in Thailand. I came to Calgary in high school and originally wanted to be a hairstylist, but I have a strong mind and a strong will, and eventually got frustrated and dropped out. I realized that in my heart, I really wanted to do makeup, so I started to contact local modeling agencies and offering my services for testing models. I moved to Toronto, and was freelancing full-time, doing a lot of magazines, and eventually got a really good book and a working visa for the U.S. I moved here in 2006, and to some extent, started over again."

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What are the highlights of the past year for you?
"Last year was the busiest of my life. I did a total of 67 covers. One was Australian Vogue with Gisele Bündchen and Patrick Demarchelier, which was definitely a highlight. I also got my first September Allure cover, which is on every makeup artist’s career bucket list.”

What makes your work different from that of your peers?
“I think people like the way I do skin. I love achieving flawless skin without [it] looking like there’s tons of makeup. It’s that classic ‘no-makeup makeup.’ But to be honest, I’m not doing something that others can’t. When it comes to my work, I’m focused, super-disciplined, and I really, really love what I do. I think that ends up showing. Clients love working with people who are both passionate and professional about their job.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TACARRA SUTTON.

Tacarra “Spifster” Sutton, Nail Artist
Find Her At: StyleSeat.com

What are you known for?
“Skinny, almost unbelievable straight lines and sharp angles, plus an organic sense of pairing unlike colors in design. There’s a certain clean precision to my work unlike any other, and I do it without specialty tools. I work with one brush, always. I love people, too, and I love sending out positive vibes. Nothing better than to be surrounded by refreshing art and dope energy.”

How did you get into beauty?
“Spifster Nails began in Hyde [Park, Chicago], from my parents’ apartment. Nails were a way for me to stop biting my nails, and with my graphic design background, it wasn’t long before I started experimenting with designs on myself, then soon on others. I gained a following in less than a year, dropped out of community college, went to nail school, and started at my first salon in 2010."

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What’s next for you?
"Decospiff, my first personal home-decor line. I’ve been silently working on the line for about a year. It was incredibly rewarding coming home from a tiring day at the salon, checking my mail, and receiving my first printed shower curtain, designed by me. Check out spifster.com for the first sneaks into the line that’ll be up and running by the holidays.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DANIELA ANDRIER.

Daniela Andrier, Perfumer
Find Her At: Givaudan, where she has created fragrances for Bottega Veneta, Prada, Bvlgari, Gucci, and YSL.

What are you known for?
“I’m known for being a translator; for translating colors, shapes, and names into a perfume, and for following the silent path of my intuition. I believe perfumes should not only sell well, but inspire a sense of beauty and emotions linked to our memories and aesthetics.”

How did you get into beauty?
“I was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and moved to Paris when I was 15. I studied philosophy at the Sorbonne until I learned that being a perfumer was a profession. I instantly knew this was my future. With that inner trust, there is no hesitation. I started with an internship at Chanel, followed by another at Robertet, and then got lucky enough to enter the famous Givaudan Perfumery School, in Grasse, a company I still work for today.”

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What are the highlights of the past year for you?
“Last year was one of my most productive years, ever. More than 20 fragrances that I worked on came to the market, including Miu Miu’s first fragrance, which launched in August, and a collection of 10 fragrances for Prada: Olfactories, a pared-down, unisex range inspired by pop stars and movies, not flowers and spices. Instead of being stressed out or clueless throughout it all, I’ve been fulfilled with an endless, joyful energy.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DANIEL MOON.

Daniel Moon, Colorist
Find Him At: Andy Lecompte Salon

What he’s known for: Before every sixth-grader in America had a color streak in their hair, Danny Moon was giving the A-list believable cotton-candy pink and cloud-blue streaks and dips. He was the genius behind Nicole Richie’s soft purple, Kylie Jenner’s rich turquoise, and Madonna’s hot magenta. Basically, he single-handedly made rainbow hair Hollywood, not Hot Topic.

How did you get into beauty?
“I was born and raised in East Los Angeles. After four years in the Marines, I was in Okinawa, Japan, receiving photos from my girlfriend of her and her babes going to beauty school. My tour of duty was almost finished, and my eyes were opened up to my next venture: hair. No more buzz cuts, no more uniforms.”

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What are the highlights of the past year for you?
“Last year was a good year. I launched a colored glitter gel, Major Moonshine, which was picked up by Free People and used in Jem and the Holograms. And I continued to work with amazing and inspiring celebrity clients, like Madonna, Katy Perry, Kylie Jenner, Grimes, Hayley Kiyoko, and Halsey. Each one is the queen of their universe.”

What makes your work different from that of your peers?
“My work is different because it is created through my eyes, with my experience, growing pains, and appreciation for both the beautiful and the unique. Hair is in a good place right now. You can be pink one day and blond the next day. Try it; it feels good!”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DINEH MOHAJER.

Dineh Mohajer, Founder Of Smith & Cult & Hard Candy
Find Her At: Smithandcult.com

What are you known for?
“It’s difficult to pinpoint one reason why our products resonate with consumers, but every aspect of the brand — packaging, branding, identity, logo, color selection, responsible formulations, shade names, diary entries, artwork, website, videos — is simply reflective of things I love. For example, the dented and dinged-up caps were derived from my love for certain fine art and represent how the imperfectness of beauty is beautiful. Smith & Cult’s packaging is my interpretative adaption of art pieces that speak to me.”

How did you get into beauty?
“I grew up in a quiet suburb of Detroit with Middle Eastern parents. When I was 18, I moved to L.A. to be pre-med at USC. Four years into college and midway through my med-school apps, I found myself on the hunt for a pastel, baby-blue nail polish out of a random desire to coordinate my toes with a pair of Marc Jacobs sandals. At my dinky little nail salon, I found a half used-up bottle of some cheapie nail brand’s shocking blue and mixed it with Essie’s Pure White. This later became Hard Candy’s Sky shade. It dawned on me that selling a range of pastels to small boutiques, like Fred Segal, could be an effective method of distraction from my pre-med pressures. I found myself, almost violently, thrust into the beauty industry. (The brand sold to LVMH in 1999.)”

What are the highlights of the past year for you?
“Smith & Cult started in the summer of 2014, and we just launched a lip-lacquer collection. It’s been thrilling and surreal to witness Smith & Cult being embraced by celebrities, style icons, social media darlings, and beauty junkies in a relatively short amount of time. (Kim Kardashian named Dark Like Me as one of her favorite things, Eva Chen rocked Kundalini Hustle.)”

If you had to pick, what would your favorite shade be?
“My favorite shade, today, is Stockholm Syndrome, an opaque elephant-gray that’s got some taupe in there, too.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUCIA PICA.

Lucia Pica, Chanel Global Makeup & Color Designer
Find Her At: Artpartner.com

What she’s known for: In 2013, Peter Philips resigned as creative director of Chanel makeup, where he made “It” nail polish as desirable as “It” bags. It took almost two full years for the French fashion house to replace him, which means that when it did, the beauty world took note. The pick: Italian-born, London-based makeup artist Lucia Pica, who assumed the role in January. (Her first collection hits in late 2016.)

Who she is: The editorial star is a high-fashion darling, with dozens of international ad campaigns and Vogue covers padding her book. She also did Keira Knightley’s Coco Mademoiselle ads, meaning she knows a thing or two about smoldering makeup. And one look at her Instagram — a neon light at Art Basel, a cobalt ping-pong table, a rainbow bento box — will tell you three things about her vision: Color. Color. Color. “Whatever I look at, I see makeup,” she told Vogue. We can’t wait to be along for the ride.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BARBARA DONNINELLI.

Barbara Donninelli, Artist
Find Her At: Barbaradonninelli.com

What she’s known for: Donninelli makes beautiful, whimsical GIFs featuring luxury beauty products and fragrances for brands like The Body Shop, Rodin Olio Lusso, Bath & Body Works, and Bergdorf Goodman. You cannot look at her gently opening poppy and bottle of Rodin oil without feeling strangely buoyant and inspired.

How did you get into beauty?
“I was born and raised in Ancona, a seaside town on the Adriatic coast in Italy, and then moved to London to study fashion. After assisting fashion and fine art photographers, I got a few commissions. I soon realized that my interest was mainly in cosmetics, accessories, and jewelry. Cosmetics in particular are incredibly versatile and inspiring. The colors, the packaging, and the textures provide me with endless ideas.”

What have been your career highlights?
“I did a big project for Vogue China’s 10th-anniversary issue. Brands like Sisley and Dior produced a special-edition product, and paper artist Makerie Studio created an enchanted paper world inspired by traditional Chinese wallpapers. We shot a still-life story, and created moving stills for the magazine’s iPad version. The project came out beautifully.”

How would you describe your work?
“Colorful, quirky, creative, optimistic, surreal, pop, girly still-life photographs, animated GIFs, and animations. I’m often told that my clients respond to the colorful and optimistic feel of my photographs. I think the fact that I also offer a moving version of the still photographs — GIFs or animated stills — might be something a bit unusual in the still-life world.”

By Hannah Morrill

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