Aucoin was born and grew up in Louisiana to parents Isidore Adrian Aucoin and Thelma Suzanne Melancon, who adopted him as an infant. He had three siblings. Sisters Carla and Kim who he would frequently do make-up for growing up and a brother Keith.
Being male and interested in make-up caused hard ship for Aucoin growing up in the south of america during the 1970's. During highschool bullying became so bad that Aucoin eventually left school prior to graduation.
In 1982 after enrolling in beauty school Aucoin moved from Lafayette ,where women were uncomfortable with a man doing their make-up, to Baton Rouge in the hopes of starting a career in make-up. However prejudice was still very much alive in Baton Rouge and after being assaulted by a security guard and fearing for his life Aucoin moved again to New York.
Aucoin's career went from strenghth to strenghth while living in New York. After working on test models unpaid to build his portfolio he was discovered by vougue. Over the next year and a half Aucoin worked daily with vougue photographer Steve Meisel.
in 1984 Revlon then collaborated with Aucoin to create their 'Nakeds' line. The first line based purley on skintones. This line was groundbreaking and an opposition to other cosmetics available at the time. Prior to this there were make-up lines for white women and others for black women. Aucoin work to design foundations for all skin tones ans created foundations with a yellow undertone whereas before undertones had always been pink and peach.
A year before his death in 2001 Aucoin launched his own brand 'Kevyn Aucoin Beauty'. This line contains products that use 'his motto that it was far more important to help a woman feel beautiful no matter what, and that make-up was just his tool for helping her discover herself'.
He has also written two bestselling books 'making faces' and 'face forward'.
Kevyn Aucoin was one of the most sought after make-up artists during his time often being booked for months in advanced and being able to request up to $6000 per day. His influence is still prevalent in the fashion industry today. He also inpires the make-up artists of today Pat McGrath and Charlotte Tilbury.
Kevin Aucoin Making Faces
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