Kabuki on Makeup Artistry & Perfect Halloween Glam

KABUKI: THE POWER OF
TRANSFORMATION

You might call it magic, but we call him Kabuki. Emerging in the 90s as one of the original Club Kids, Kabuki gained underground acclaim for his theatrical, high-octane looks within the New York scene. He’s since translated this to a successful career, creating showstopping beauty looks for editorials, runway shows and, lucky for us, the latest cover of M·A·Czine. We caught up with the legendary makeup artist to talk all things artistry, transformation, and how to get the best Halloween makeup.

Shop THE LOOK

BY VICKI LIANG, 10.14.26

WELCOME TO THE CLUB

Even before his Club Kid acclaim, Kabuki’s relationship with makeup was linked to self-expression, representing an extension of his inner artist from a young age. “I loved drawing,” he tells M·A·Czine. “Wearing makeup, you could become your alter ego and have superpowers. It’s like doing a drawing but living the drawing.”

If anyone knows about the power of transformation, it’s Kabuki. Born in England, he lived in Florida before relocating to New York at age 19. Immersing himself in the city’s thriving club scene, Kabuki created his drag persona Kabuki Starshine, the basis for his fantastical beauty looks. Glamorous and otherworldly, these looks soon caught the attention of the fashion world, officially launching Kabuki’s career as a prolific makeup artist.

“MAKEUP IS AN ART. IT’S AN ART
YOU CAN EMBODY YOURSELF.”

— KABUKI

The transformative possibilities of makeup continue to captivate Kabuki. “Makeup is an art. It’s an art you can embody yourself,” he says. “There’s so many different ways that you can do makeup now. There’s a whole world online, and you can really explore your ideas. Your relationship with your physicality, just what your persona is – you can change it.”

THE MAN BEHIND THE MAGIC

Even after years of expertise, Kabuki still approaches each look with fresh eyes. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, but it always feels like the first time. I’m always excited and nervous,” he tells M·A·Czine. “Makeup is all about the elements. So many elements are unpredictable, but that’s what also makes it exciting. It’s kind of like a stage show or live theatre or making a movie. There’s something spontaneous about it, even if you plan it.”

A long-time collaborator, Kabuki has a history with the brand stretching back to his early days in New York. “M·A·C has been part of my life for so long – it's enabled me to do so many things. I remember [the brand] was a really big presence with the club scene when I was dressing up.”

In 2017, Kabuki went from applying M·A·C makeup to creating it, releasing a collection called ‘Kabuki Magic’which featured eyeshadows, lashes, and lipsticks. Named after David Bowie songs and Joan Crawford movies, each hue was designed to be bold and experimental. “This was ‘This Modern Age,’” he says, pulling out a Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in a striking, stone-grey shade. “See, M·A·C will do this for you.”

“I THINK HALLOWEEN IS THE
PERfECT TIME TO REALLY
EXPLORE SOMETHING THAT
YOU’D BE AFRAID TO DO IN REAL
LIFE.”

— KABUKI

“I THINK HALLOWEEN IS THE
PERfECT TIME TO REALLY
EXPLORE SOMETHING THAT
YOU’D BE AFRAID TO DO IN REAL
LIFE.”

— KABUKI

THE KABUKI GUIDE TO HALLOWEEN

One word to describe this cover of M·A·Czine? “Options,” Kabuki declares. “The makeup I created today was a sampling of possibilities for the future […] it shows you all the different things you can do with the same face.”

As a master of transformation, Kabuki is a pro at Halloween glam – an art he’s honed over years of applying makeup to himself and others. For him, Halloween provides a channel for expressing the unknown sides of ourselves.

“I think Halloween is the perfect time to really explore something that you’d be afraid to do in real life,” he says. “My advice if you’re nervous but want to do something bold for Halloween – just do a test run. It’s better to take the time when you have it to just dip your toe in the water.”

Of course, there’s only one way to know when a look is complete. More than a single swipe of shadow or a touch of gloss, it’s a feeling. “Oh, you know,” Kabuki says. “The whole room knows.”

SHOP THE LOOK

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Back in the day, M·A·Czine was our creative playground. It was where we experimented and brought some of our most daring ideas to life. At M·A·C, we have everything you need to play with your look and express yourself, from minimal to maximal. As the world shifts and bold, confident makeup makes its return, it seems like the perfect time to bring it back.

So welcome to M·A·Czine – let’s embrace this new chapter and create the future of beauty together. It’s time to have fun with makeup again.

— NICOLA FORMICHETTI, M·A·C GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR