On Aug. 22, the Giorgio Armani cosmetics event “Born Backstage” was held outside of Dillard’s in the Mall of Louisiana. Tim Quinn, a celebrity makeup artist who works for Armani, demonstrated this season’s makeup trends with his team of shoppers. Quinn shared his makeup tips with The Daily Reveille.
The Daily Reveille: Was makeup design your original career path?
Tim Quinn: No, not at all. I was an economics major.
TDR: What first sparked your interest in the makeup industry?
TQ: Well, basically, when I went to Italy. So post-college, after my stint as a stockbroker, I went to Italy, mainly to model, but then I spent all this time backstage and that’s kind of where my fascination began of transforming people.
TDR: What marked your “big break”?
TQ: Pretty much the launch of Armani when they brought me to New York. I mean, I was already kind of doing makeup. I was doing some stuff in Hollywood for more editorial [projects]. But in the world of who I’ve become since, it was the launch of Armani cosmetics 14 years ago.
TDR: What was your favorite event or show of all time?
TQ: The Vanity Fair party of the year, totally. It’s all of Hollywood… everything you’d ever want all in one place.
TDR: What was your biggest learning experience?
TQ: That was my whole cancer experience — so going through this debilitating treatment for a year where you lose your whole identity made me much more open to the power of makeup and transforming. [It’s] also just enjoying life in a different way.
TDR: Do you have a favorite celebrity client or a few?
TQ: Totally Glenn Close, absolutely. I mean, I’ve worked with her for probably 14 years. Also … Amber Heard, who I’ve worked with for quite some time. I adore her. I’ve been through many things with her.
TDR: What’s the most glamorous part of your job? What’s the most stressful part?
TQ: The most glamorous part is doing all these events and parties and red carpets and being in this mix. As much as it’s work, the stressful part is getting there, the traveling, the getting stuck in airports. Especially with Mr. Armani, who’s a perfectionist … I mean, I was on my way to China the first time with him probably, 10 years ago, and my flight got cancelled. I was in Detroit … I thought I was going to lose my mind! So I found a whole new way to get to Milan through a different place and landed just in time.
TDR: What are some makeup trends you label as timeless?
TQ: Totally the red lip, the classic beautiful skin. A soft smoky eye, not overdone. The cat eye is always just a very simple drawn eye. Those are really classic looks.
TDR: What are some new makeup trends girls should know about?
TQ: This [event] is showing women how to wear color in a more modern way so it’s not opaque, it’s more water tone. Getting into color again for fall because we come off of everybody’s bronze and nude lipgloss. … It’s how to wear reds and berries … getting away from the coral a little.”
TDR: What advice do you have for on-the-go college girls?
TQ: Keep it simple. I think one of the things that people get trapped in is, I always tell girls, get yourself a little uniform of a makeup look that works for you and kind of stick with that as your go-to. Because I think if you have something that you can do and you can do in five minutes that just perfects you is far better than having 32 lip glosses and every shadow that comes out. That gets overwhelming.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Haskell Whittington

Professional makeup artist Tim Quinn and one of his assistants, freelancing makeup artist Amy Thornton, working together to apply makeup to one of the customers at their booths on Saturday Aug. 22, 2015, in the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.