Kaplan’s worked with the likes of Paris Hilton, Natasha Beddingfield, and Tinsley Mortimer, among others.
Here, Sarah Howard asks him her three favorite beauty-related questions.
Sarah Howard: How did you break into the make-up industry?
Jasen Kaplan: I started working at the Chanel counter in the Paramus Park Mall in New Jersey when I was 16. I was a “spritzer” selling Allure.
The counter manager asked me to do her make-up! I was too scared to say no, so I did it for her. She had no idea I wasn’t a make-up artist, and asked me to come in on weekends to do makeovers.
When I told her I’d never done such a thing, she sent me to the Chanel Beauty Workshop, and I loved it! I was promoted to national make-up artist after five months. When NARS arrived at the counter at Saks in Short Hills, I fell in love.
JK: My favorite look was Cyndi Lauper for the amFAR gala – because she is known for being “rocked out” and bright.
I made Cyndi look glamorous, fresh, and young.
Sarah Howard’s blog is at www.beautybanter.com.