L’Oréal Paris Global Make-Up Artist Harold James On Beauty, Men & The Power Of Social Media

As someone who writes and chronicles everything about men, make-up and even, masculinity, it’s not been any surprise to note how much has the not-so-fair sex evolved and started to care about their own appearance. Grooming, skincare, hair care, the works. A lot of it has to do with social media and the awareness it brings, of course, but a lot can also be credited to men simply waking up and smelling their coffee, I’d say. Which is great – expressing their worth should be on everyone’s agenda, after all.

Quite like L’Oreal Paris’s theme for this year’s recently concluded Le Défilé in Paris that saw almost all of the brand’s ambassadors, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, sashay down the ramp. But before that happened, we sat down with Harold James, L’Oréal Paris Global Make-Up Artist to talk about the big beauty takeaway for everyone, grooming advice for men and why beauty is best when it’s personal, and more.

Edited excerpts below: 

How do you think has people’s self-expression, when it comes to beauty, changed over the years? 

I would say beauty is more personal now. Earlier, it was more about rules and that it should be a certain way. But people want to embrace their individuality and personality, and express who they are. I think it's powerful to say, “I woke up and showed the world who I really am,” without wanting to follow any rules. 

What do you think is going to be, or should be, the big beauty takeaway from this year’s Le Défilé by L’Oréal Paris? 

I think it’s going to be light, glow, fierceness, and smoky eyes. It’s all about expressing yourself in a very bold way. It’s not about apologizing for being who you are. That’s the goal of this show. It’s about having fun and maybe, becoming someone you’re not in your everyday life.

What is your impression of the male beauty customer today, and how do you think he’s evolved over the years? 

I love that question, because you can really feel there is a difference today. What I see around me, and what I hear from my male friends, is that men are more free than they used to be. Earlier, as a man, you were supposed to not wear makeup, have dry skin, dark under-eyes. Today, men are becoming more and more free to take care of themselves. It starts with self-care, in small steps and maybe using some concealer to cover dark circles, or simply taking care of your skin. I can’t wait to see how that evolves in the years ahead. 

One other big change in the world of beauty has been social media. How do you think that has impacted beauty - the way we see it, the trends, everything that’s happening?  

I think it has had an amazing impact because it has really democratized beauty. Thanks to social media, you can see beauty from all over the world. You can see beauty from India, for example. I was in Mumbai in July for the first time. I go to India every year, but usually to places like Rajasthan and Jaipur. Going to Mumbai, I was amazed to see how women take care of themselves, and how men take care of themselves too. There are different ways to embrace your identity. It’s also about identity and culture. Social media has opened the door to the world. But at the same time, the risk is that people may start doing the same thing because they believe that’s how beauty should look. You keep seeing the same picture, the same aesthetic, and start believing that should be the rule. So it’s positive, but at the same time, we should keep our freedom with social media. 

Speaking of men and women following certain things they see on social media, what do you think are some of the mistakes, if I may call them that, people are making in their everyday beauty routines that they maybe shouldn’t do? 

Maybe doing too much. Sometimes, when you’re not really sure, you try to put on too much foundation, too much lipstick, too much concealer. Of course, it’s personal if you feel the need to wear a lot of makeup, that's your choice, and I love makeup. But sometimes you can get the opposite of what you want. By adding too much, you can disappear, when what you really want is to show something. That would be my answer. 

Some advice for men who are starting out on their beauty and grooming journey - what tips and tricks would you share with them? 

I would say start with skincare first. That’s the most important thing. Take care of your skin: moisturize and exfoliate well. For men, that can totally change your face. Exfoliation and hydration are key. For example, there’s a very easy product that I love - it’s like skincare you can use to moisturize your skin in just two seconds. Then, when you feel more comfortable, you can use some concealer. A light concealer is very easy to use and blends naturally into the skin. Then use some powder to mattify the skin, because men tend to have oilier skin. That would be the first step. And then, if you feel very comfortable, you can play with colour and texture.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing in beauty, and why? 

I feel that over the last 10 years, beauty has been a lot about perfection - contouring, lips, and everyone having the same look. More and more, and I really believe this, it’s going to be about individuality. It’s going to be about having beautiful skin, because it’s all about skincare. Skincare is the continuation of your routine and your makeup. Then, with beautiful skin, you can add a very bright lip - a red lip, for example - or a very fierce eyeshadow. But I feel the skin is going to play the main role. It’s all about skin. 

Skincare’s big now! 

Yes, it’s huge. And I don’t see it as something new anymore, because people are so happy to have beautiful skin. By taking care of themselves, they look in the mirror and feel happy seeing clear, healthy skin. Then you want to maintain it. You think, “I worked for it, I paid for it, so I want to see it.”