James Cooper was the beauty genius of his time

The Filipino artist trusted by Hollywood stars and local icons.

What do Farrah Fawcett, Cher, Sylvester Stallone, Maricel Soriano, Sharon Cuneta, and Dawn Zulueta have in common?

At one point, they all trusted the same Filipino artist—James Cooper.

Before beauty influencers, celebrity glam teams, and makeup tutorials became the norm, Cooper was already working at the highest level of the industry. He was the pioneering Filipino hair and makeup artist who broke into Hollywood, brought Beverly Hills glamour back to Manila, and transformed the local beauty industry with techniques that were years ahead of their time.

In the 1970s, Cooper became the first Filipino beauty expert to establish himself in Hollywood. Working alongside renowned Beverly Hills hairstylist Jose Eber, he styled some of the biggest stars of the era, including Farrah Fawcett, Cher, Jamie Lee Curtis, Victoria Principal, Barbara Carrera, Maud Adams, and Sylvester Stallone during the production of the 1983 film “Staying Alive.”

His success overseas was remarkable, but his greatest legacy began when he returned home.

Back in the Philippines in the mid-1980s, Cooper introduced professional airbrush makeup to the local entertainment industry. Long before high-definition cameras demanded flawless complexions, he was already using airbrush technology to create smoother, lighter, and more natural-looking makeup for film and television. What is now standard practice on movie sets and bridal studios was once a revolutionary technique brought in by Cooper.

He also launched James Cooper Cosmetics, a Los Angeles-formulated makeup line designed for Filipino consumers. It gave local makeup artists access to Hollywood-quality products while helping raise professional standards across the country’s growing beauty industry.

Soon, the country’s brightest stars entrusted their faces to him. Maricel Soriano became his most closely associated client, while Sharon Cuneta, Dawn Zulueta, Lorna Tolentino, and Alice Dixson were among the many actresses who relied on his artistry. Through his work, Cooper helped define the glamorous look of Philippine cinema and television during the late 1980s and beyond.

His influence extended far beyond celebrities. Throughout his five-decade career, Cooper mentored aspiring makeup artists, sharing techniques he had learned in Beverly Hills and encouraging them to approach beauty as both science and art. Many of today’s professionals trace part of their foundation to the standards he helped establish.

James Cooper passed away on May 29, 2022, at the age of 73 after suffering a heart attack while preparing participants for a Santacruzan in San Pablo City, Laguna. Tributes poured in from actors, colleagues, and friends whose careers—and confidence—he had helped shape.

Today, flawless airbrushed makeup, sculpted contours, and Hollywood-inspired glamour have become commonplace in the Philippines. Yet few remember that many of those innovations first arrived through one Filipino who proved that world-class artistry could come from Manila.

Before the Philippines embraced Hollywood beauty, Hollywood had already embraced James Cooper.

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