Master Cosmetologist · Makeup Artist · Author
Kiam Barrese
30+ years of excellence — from behind the chair to Hollywood sets. Celebrity makeup, flawless hair, and the book that shares it all.
About Kiam
A former 90s hip-hop dancer who pivoted her passion for performance into a powerhouse beauty career, Kiam Barrese — known as The Queen of Glam and The Cut Slayer — is a Master Cosmetologist, Celebrity Makeup Artist, and TV/Film Makeup Department Head with over three decades of experience in the beauty industry.
From the dance floor to the salon chair to Hollywood sets, Kiam has built an empire rooted in artistry, hustle, and an unshakable commitment to excellence. As the founder of Backstage Beauty & Cosmetix, she continues to inspire the next generation of beauty professionals.
Now based between New York and Atlanta, Kiam brings her signature style to clients, sets, and stages — and she's sharing her journey in her debut book, The Blueprint.
Years
Dept. Head
& Atlanta
What I Do
📍NY Flagship: Backstage Beauty & Cosmetix · 550 E 3rd St, Mount Vernon, NY
📍Atlanta: The Plug Beauty Collective · 5801 Roswell Rd Suite K, Sandy Springs, GABook Atlanta →
From precision cuts to complete transformations — The Cut Slayer delivers flawless results every time.
Red carpet, editorial, bridal, or everyday glam — The Queen of Glam creates looks that stop the room.
Full styling for TV, film, photo shoots, and special events. Camera-ready from head to toe.
Process to Finish
On Screen
National brand campaigns, scripted TV & film credits, and special-effects work — the full range of the craft.
IMDbView Full Credits
Chapter 1 · Vertical Micro Drama
Credit
Hair / Makeup Department Head
Front & Center
Media - News Anchor
Key Hair & Makeup
Media - News Anchor
Key Hair & Makeup
Feature · BET+
Makeup Department Head
Feature · Tubi Original
Makeup Department Head
Series · Hulu
Makeup Department
NYT Commercial of the Year 2025
Hair & Makeup Department
ft. Bijan Robinson
Hair & Grooming
NFL Campaign
Hair & Makeup Department
ft. Shaquille O'Neal · Eli Lilly
Makeup Artist
Shaquille O'Neal · TNT Sports
Hair & Makeup Department
National TV Campaign
Hair & Makeup Department
Health & Wellness Brand
Hair & Makeup Department
HBCU Target Campaign
Hair & Makeup
HBCU Campaign · ft. Founder Janell Stephens
Makeup
Mushroom Coffee
Hair & Makeup
Guest Speaker
Featured panelist on the "Knot Just Hair" segment at the Meadowlands Expo Center — sharing three decades of industry insights and keeping it unapologetically real.
The Product Line
Established and launched in New York at the Jacob Javits Center in 2010, Backstage Cosmetix is a professional-grade cosmetics line born behind the scenes on professional sets and in the salon chair — designed by a working artist for working artists, and everyday women who demand the same results.
The official Makeup Sponsor of Philly Fashion Week 2011, Backstage Cosmetix has been trusted on runways, on set, and behind the chair for over a decade.
From the Color Corrector Palette to signature lip glosses, custom brushes, and full-coverage foundations in an inclusive shade range — these are the tools Kiam trusts on set and behind the chair.
"I didn't just build a career — I built a legacy. And now I'm giving you the blueprint to build yours."
Kiam Barrese
New Release
Lessons From 30 Years in the Beauty Industry
A personal roadmap from behind the chair to Hollywood sets. Kiam shares the real stories, hard lessons, and proven strategies that built her 30-year career — no filter, no fluff, just the blueprint.
"Real advice. Real experience. Real results."
Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up, this book gives you the industry secrets that took decades to learn.
Choose Your Store
THE BLUEPRINT · YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
The Blueprint: Lessons From 30 Years in the Beauty Industry — also published as The Blueprint: Breaking Into the Beauty Industry, A 30-Year Industry Insider’s Complete Starter Guide — is a personal roadmap from behind the chair to Hollywood sets. Kiam shares the real stories, hard lessons, and proven strategies that built her 30-year career. No filter, no fluff, just the blueprint.
The Blueprint is the book Kiam wishes she had when she was starting out. A personal roadmap from behind the chair to Hollywood sets — the real stories, hard lessons, and proven strategies behind a 30-year beauty career. As Kiam puts it: "I didn’t just build a career — I built a legacy. And now I’m giving you the blueprint to build yours."
Anyone breaking into the beauty industry, starting over in beauty, or looking to level up a career they already have — cosmetology students, new stylists and makeup artists, salon professionals going self-employed, and career changers who love beauty but don’t know where to start.
Yes — that’s exactly who it’s written for. Kiam knows what a pivot takes, because the beauty industry wasn’t her plan, it was her pivot. She went from dancer to the salon chair to Hollywood sets. As she says in the book: "The beauty industry wasn’t the plan. It was the pivot. Walking away from one identity to build another requires an immense amount of courage."
What 30 years behind the chair actually teaches you — how to build a clientele that stays, how to carry yourself like a professional, how to keep learning so you last, and how to turn skill into a real business and a real legacy. The industry secrets that took decades to learn, told the way Kiam lived them.
It’s written by someone who actually did it — for 30 years. Kiam is a Master Cosmetologist, celebrity makeup artist, and TV/film Hair & Makeup Department Head who has worked everywhere from the salon chair to Hollywood sets. She also built her own line, Backstage Cosmetix, in 2010. This isn’t theory. It’s the roadmap from a woman who lived every step of it.
Kiam Barrese — The Queen of Glam, The Cut Slayer — is a Master Cosmetologist, Celebrity Makeup Artist, and TV/Film Makeup Department Head with over 30 years in the beauty industry. A former 90s hip-hop dancer who pivoted into beauty, she worked at MAC and Lancôme, became a department head on TV and film sets, and founded Backstage Cosmetix. She’s based between New York and Atlanta.
Both. If you’re just starting out, it’s the starter guide Kiam wishes she’d had. If you’re already working, it’s the level-up — the lessons on longevity, professionalism, and building something that lasts. Kiam’s rule in the book: "Continuing education is not optional if longevity is your goal."
No. Kiam’s whole story is a second act — from the dance floor to the salon chair to Hollywood sets — and The Blueprint was written for people starting over, at any age. If you’re looking for inspiration to pivot and the practical steps to do it, this is your book.
Available on Amazon — Kindle $9.99 and paperback $19.99, on one page where you pick your format:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HQQLKHW9
Also available as an ebook for $19 in Kiam’s Beacons shop:
https://shop.beacons.ai/queenofglam
Not yet — an audiobook is in the works, and Kiam plans to narrate it herself. Check back, or follow @queenofglam for the announcement.
Behind the Chair
Three decades of artistry — in the salon, on set, and everywhere in between
Follow @queenofglam and @thecutslayer for more
Client Love
Perfect 5.0★ rating across both locations — straight from Google Reviews
Sandy Springs, GA
Mount Vernon, NY
StyleSeat · 178 Reviews
"After 10 years in Atlanta going from stylist to stylist my search is over — Kiam understands the assignment! Kiam has DEM old hands from Dudley, Marcel, Blue Black color era. The hands that make your hair grow within 6 months from a tapered shaved pixie to a Boxie style. Book an appointment today and you will not have any regrets!"
Jessica B.
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
"Finding a stylist who truly understands short hair is not easy, but Kiam gets it right every time. Her precision, creativity, and attention to detail are unmatched. Every cut looks polished, effortless, and tailored perfectly to you."
Shii_lives T.
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
"Kiam is the absolute best, I found her on Instagram last year and she has been doing my hair ever since. Kiam is passionate about her work and I trust her with my pixie. Moving from NYC to GA I was a bit worried about finding a stylist — Instagram came through for me with Kiam because we locked in for sure."
Just_Phyonne
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
"Kiam is an absolute magician with hair, seriously. I was heading on a family reunion cruise, and I knew I needed to look my best. From the moment I sat in her chair, I knew I was in good hands. She listened to exactly what I wanted, offered great suggestions, and made me feel so comfortable. The final result was flawless!"
Chandra G.
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
"I had an incredible experience with Kiam! Her top-tier service and creative hairstyles are unmatched — edgy, current, and full of that young, hip vibe. From the moment you step into her suite, Kiam's professionalism and warm personality make you feel completely at ease. Highly recommend!"
TIKIYA C.
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
"I absolutely Love my hair. You are definitely the cut slayer. I feel FREE. Cutting my hair gave me this feeling that came over me where I had to stop and just take the moment all in. I look and feel AMAZING. Thank you so much Kiam. 🥰💕"
Bree
📍 Sandy Springs, GA
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