Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Junko Kioka has always had a passion for makeup and creating. By the age of five, she had begun experimenting with makeup, using her sister as a subject. Junko and her sister were both pleased with the results. Their mother, however, was less than overjoyed at the loss of her most prized makeup products. Her scolding’s temporarily turned Junko away from makeup, but not from the fashion world. She attended a small university and graduated in 1996 with a degree in Kimono Sewing. It did not take Junko long to reconnect with her passion for makeup. She realized that life is short, and it didn’t make sense to do something if she wasn’t obsessed with it. Junko enrolled in a hair and makeup school in Osaka and began working as a Personal Hair and Makeup Assistant in 1999. This initial job had her working test shoots weekly for more than a year. Along with refining her skills as a Makeup Artist, these constant shoots taught her valuable lighting skills. Following the successful completion of this job, Junko became a freelance artist in Osaka. In Osaka, Junko worked jobs for commercial advertisements, editorials, and fashion shows. Not content to remain in a regional market, she then decided to move to New York City in search of more challenging work in 2005. Since then, she has worked on a diverse and large number of projects, continuing her focus on advertisements, editorials, and shows. Junko has always believed that beautiful skin is central to a successful job. When she works with the skin, makeup serves to enhance and not to hide. At the same time, Junko has become adept at manipulating shades of color and lighting to emphasize varied emotions and personalities in the models she works with.

Editorial: Vogue Brazil, Nylon, Paper, Cream, Theme, Corduroy, Fiercive, Planted, King and Untitled Magazines. Designers: Isaora, Linus, Shelly Steffee, Madison Harding, Victor Osborne, Doo.ri and Laura Dawson.

Ryan Bourquin
646-221-1725
ryan@creativemanagementnyc.com