Beauty Byte: Shu Uemura, Legendary Makeup Artist, Is Dead at 79

January 8, 2008

Sad news: Shu Uemura, the Japanese makeup artist who built one of the world's largest cosmetics brands, died of pneumonia on Dec. 29. As a sick and bedridden teenager, he discovered his talent with makeup. From there, he went to Hollywood in 1955, getting his big break when Shirley MacLaine's makeup artist fell ill. Uemura stepped in for the filming of My Geisha, and his transformation of MacLaine won him numerous celebrity fans. In 1960, he began creating his own line of products. The rest, as they say, is history.

Source

Shu Uemura Beauty Byte

39 Comments

absolutebria 5 years

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

creamytofu 5 years

Thats so sad to hear. :( There is no other that can compare to his Eyelasher curler.

carlabunnie 5 years

Awwww! So sad!

TFS 5 years

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :'( :'( :'( :'(

mswindang 5 years

gasp! i love shu uemura!!!

Oheloai 5 years

I have an unreal set of Shu's makeup brushes and swear these are the best!! R.I.P, condolences to family members.

sugar_me_sweet 5 years

i, too, love his eye lash curler. now i know shu was a man not a woman.

wickidgrrl 5 years

how sad...one of the greats in the beauty world.

csc4209 5 years

Condolences. =( I also agree about the eyelash curler. It is a miracle worker.

rourke13 5 years

The best eyelash curler ever! RIP and thank god for his talent. Sorry that not all his products are great, but at least his talent was....

lula29 5 years

The best fragrance I ever purchased was Shu Uemura. I was so sad when then discontinued it. So sad . . .

Black Velveteen 5 years

Sadness indeed.

emalove 5 years

That's very sad.

leeluvfashion 5 years

So sad....

GiggleSugar 5 years

I looove Shu Uemura! From curling my lashes, to glossing my lips, to helping me take off my makeup with oil...Sad to hear he died.

colormesticky 5 years

Very sad, but I never liked the brand. Of all name brands, theirs is one of the worst for your skin. It's not made in the US so there are no controls on mercury levels, so if you're sensitive there's a decent chance of an allergic reaction.