The Queen of Glam

The Queen of Glam runs beauty services out of two locations: a New York studio in Mount Vernon, which operates under the name Backstage Beauty & Cosmetix, and an Atlanta-area studio in Sandy Springs, Georgia, which operates as The Plug Beauty Collective. The business is tied to hair and makeup artist Kiam Barrese, who is based between New York and Atlanta.

Services are grouped into hair, makeup and styling. Hair work runs from precision cuts to full transformations. Makeup covers red carpet, editorial, bridal and everyday looks. Styling is aimed at TV, film, photo shoots and special events, which reflects the production background behind the business.

The salon also creates Backstage Cosmetix, a professional-grade makeup collection that debuted in 2010 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. The range offers a color corrector palette, lip gloss, custom brushes, and foundations with heavy coverage available in a wide selection of shades. According to the salon, the products have been used on runways, film sets and in salons for more than ten years. In 2011, the line served as the official makeup sponsor of Philly Fashion Week.

The site also sells The Blueprint, a book of lessons from 30 years in the beauty industry, at an introductory price of $19, down from $24.99. It can be bought through Beacons, Payhip or Gumroad stores. Google reviews across both locations are listed at an average of 5.0 stars, and StyleSeat shows a 4.9 rating from 178 reviews.