Celebrity Makeup Artist A.J. Crimson

Tuesday, 04 January 2011 15:56 Written by  Frances Moffett

Makeup artist A.J. Crimson has worked with the likes of Fergie, Diddy, Estelle, Forest Whitaker and Hilary Duff (just to name a few), and for someone who hadn’t even planned on this career track, that isn’t half bad.

aj2I have been working as a makeup artist for about seven years now,” Crimson said. “It’s funny because I never set out to make this a career—it just snowballed into one! I'm very happy it did. I have been allowed to experience so many great things because of it!”

The Detroit native said that he decided to embark upon the beauty industry because of the need he had to express himself.

“It was just curiosity and a need to get something out of my head and make it tangible,” he said. “Vision yells out to be heard. I guess makeup was the only way to really express that vision.”

Crimson got his start in the entertainment and beauty industries years ago when he started working as an assistant to a record label executive, eventually moving on to management. Then, he said, “Styling makeup was just the natural progression. My other ventures are extensions of my past experience and my present life.”

One of Crimson’s other ventures includes his lip gloss line Kissable Couture, with partner Keisha Nash Whitaker. “Kissable Couture is the lip gloss you have always wanted. It’s not sticky; it doesn’t leave that icky residue in the corners of the lips. It’s beautiful and smooth—soft as butter! It is truly a must have!”

Although business is good right now for him, Crimson said that there are some challenges being in this industry. “[One of the biggest challenges is] economics!” he admitted. “You have to love this and have fun doing it. Because it can be the best of time and the worst of times and the check will never be the same in either. So when you get in, save your money. That's important.”

Crimson said that to make it in this industry, you have to make sure you and your product stands out. “I think it’s up to the individuals to really make sure that the product they are putting out is worth recognizing. It’s all production value and quality. When they are not in sync, it just doesn't get noticed.”

 

Find Kissable Couture lip gloss at KissableCouture.com and soon Beauty.com. Follow A.J. Crimson on Twitter: @ajcrimson, and check out his website at ajcrimson.com.

Frances Moffett

Frances Moffett

GMO Editor-At-Large Frances Moffett is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism. She has worked with GMO since its inception. With a love for journalism and all things writing, she is currently pursuing her master’s degree in public relations and advertising from DePaul University. Frances is also an editor at the country’s largest association management company and has written for a variety of publications, including Jet magazine, The Chicago Defender and The Chicago Reporter.

Frances can be contacted at Frances@glossmagazineonline.com

Follow her on Twitter: @FrancesMMM

Website: www.glossmagazineonline.com