Grace Jones’ Makeup Collaborator Terry Barber Thinks Beauty Should be Wrong
While trends can certainly be dated, it’s tricky to call anything outdated these days as the fashion cycle constantly brings back the most popular looks from previous decades. With influences from the Mod ‘60s, carefree ‘70s, electric ‘80s, and frosted ‘90s all finding a place in current beauty trends, Gen Z and young people just beginning to experiment with makeup have a wealth of inspiration to reference. While these trends are often described as “nostalgic,” seasoned makeup artist Terry Barber doesn’t agree.
As someone who got his start in the beauty industry in the ‘80s and began working at Mac Cosmetics in the early ‘90s, where he is a Director of Makeup Artistry today, Barber can be considered an authority on the subject. Working with the likes of Grace Jones, George Michael, and other music icons, in addition to creating a vast portfolio of runway, commercial, and editorial work, Barber had a hand in shaping the cosmetic conscience of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The latter has especially experienced a revival in recent years, from the return of brown lipstick to the resurgence of pastel eyeshadow.
But as young makeup artists like Sam Visser channel a noughties aesthetic and members of Gen Z seek to copy ‘90s-inspired makeup that they see on TikTok and Instagram, they aren’t doing so with wistfulness from their own memories—instead, they are grasping at something they never quite had in the first place. "I get the sense that Gen Z is feeling a bit shortchanged by the last few decades," Barber tells L'OFFICIEL. "They’re like, hold on, you had grunge and we have the Kardashians? What's going on?"
What made the end of the 20th century such a hotbed for memorable beauty, according to Barber, was the popularity of different subcultures. "In the ‘80s and ‘90s, it's like the idea of being alternative came into the mainstream," the makeup artist says. "Just look at music programs. You’d have a punk song in the charts, next to it is an R&B record, everything was in a huge melting pot." From New Wave to Nirvana, those on the fringes were thrust in the spotlight, along with their experimental sartorial tastes. This resulted in makeup artists also embracing a no holds barred approach to makeup. "It was about wanting to break rules, wanting to not work to a kind of set template, not giving a shit whether something fails or not," Barber remembers. “Everything was so wrong and brilliant at the same time.”
According to the artist, it’s the desire to be in the right that holds back creativity. “I think that may be the fear of a generation—that daring to be wrong is going to divide opinion, and therefore you lose popularity or followers,” he says. “But I think it’s the wrong that has always created style.”
Barber “despairs” that there’s a monolithic ideal of beauty today, shaped by celebrities that promote a singular groomed and perfected image. “Makeup dealt with identity rather than a template of perception,” the artist reflects. “Now, it’s been decided for you, and you have to abide by it or don’t bother. There’s a lack of experimentation, a lack of deconstructing things, pulling things apart, creating accidents, making your share of mistakes.”
It’s these imperfections and alternative views of beauty that Barber likes to highlight in his own work. On Instagram, Barber juxtaposes his high fashion makeup looks with everyday objects, from chocolate bars to toilet paper rolls. With these uncanny references, the artist remarks on how makeup can be seedy, moody, or just downright filthy. One choice caption on a post picturing a composite of smudged, kohl-rimmed eyes and a burnt match simply says, “ANGST. This is not anti-beauty, it’s just life.”
For the young generation now mimicking rockstar liner or chocolately ‘90s lips, Barber thinks its less about making a social statement. In other words, it’s more about capturing the spirit of the past, rather than harboring nostalgia for what those makeup looks actually represented. He just hopes that they don’t lose the emotion behind makeup. “It can bring a sense of belonging, a sense of belief,” Barber says. “Makeup can tap into different emotions, rather than just looking perfect for other people’s benefit.”
