About The Artist

JOHN STAPLETON

“Street smart and a bit rough around the edges,” says John Stapleton to describe Fashion Week in his hometown of New York. It’s a fitting description for his approach to makeup too. Now living in LA, his style lies somewhere between the two coasts. “I suppose I'm somewhere in the middle,” he explains. “Complicated, semi-precious and slowly oxidizing. I like clean lines and an X factor when it comes to makeup, but I also like an effortless element thrown in. Think complicated eyeliner and lash with a simple unstructured gloss.” Here, he shares some of his fondest memories as a M·A·C Senior Artist while giving us the lowdown on the products he couldn’t work without.

Coast to Coast

“LA is funny. Women like to buy makeup and never wear any! The look on the street can be bronzed and sexy or natural and soft. People take chances with lip colour from time to time, usually at night. New York, however, is all about the eye. For the ultimate high-glam look use the 210 Precise Eye Liner Brush and Blacktrack Fluidline. Coat lashes with Zoomfast Black Lash, drag your 210 along the lash line and wing out the end. For a softer look use Smolder Eye Kohl, inside the eye and all the way around. Make it intense.”

Red Alert

“The product I fell in love with from the M·A·C range was VIVA GLAM I. I first saw RuPaul wearing it. It’s still the best brick red lipstick on the market and 100 percent of the proceeds help people with AIDS. I’ve had the privilege of working with many sweet people during my time at M·A·C. One of my favourite shoots was a magazine cover with Kelly Osbourne. She'd just come off DWTS and looked awesome! We used HD Airbrush Formula, Blacktrack Fluidline, 7 Lash and various lip colours. Kelly's blossoming made that a memorable time for me. I've enjoyed her journey and feel privileged to have been a part of it.”

Shell Shock

“For me Cream Colour Base in Shell is the most valuable and versatile product in the whole M·A·C range. It goes on eyes, cheeks and lips. You can't beat that gorgeous glow all in one compact. Use it along with Strobe Cream on the shoulders. My last tip would be: never underestimate the importance of good brushes! I use the 188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush for moisturizer, foundation and blush, the 252 Large Shader Brush for fast application of eye shadow, and the 224 Tapered Blending Brush for blending.”