Honoring a Legend: Kimara Ahnert’s Beauty Legacy Lives On
Textured powder blue walls, a metallic silver ceiling, art deco furniture — walking into the Kimara Ahnert Studio feels like stepping into a Parisian salon. The attention to detail, the carefully placed art — it's all exactly as Kimara designed it decades ago. An enticing display of the new spring collection catches the eye as you take in the space– lip butters, blushes and shadows in shades of mauve and berry pink dominating the color palette.
When the studio opened in 1997, it had one goal: to create a high-quality, customized, personal experience rooted in the belief that every woman deserves to feel beautiful and truly confident. Kimara believed that beauty should enhance your features, not cover them up – a philosophy that is evident in the new spring collection.
Throughout her 30-year career as a makeup artist and business owner, Kimara worked with celebrities, developed her own makeup line, and built a beloved studio on Madison Ave. But at the heart of her legacy is something quieter - her role as a mentor to the artists who came up around her.
"Kimara was such a special person for us. She was our mentor. She really is someone who tossed the rope back for new artists - especially post-pandemic, when none of us had any certainty in where our careers were going. She gave us a home base to operate out of, an established clientele of over 30 years, and opportunities I never would have gotten elsewhere," explained Selena Graham, Assistant Studio Director, Creative Director, and Makeup Artist.
Kimara lost her battle to cancer in July 2025, leaving a profound absence in the lives of those she mentored. But the love, the expertise, and the standard she set live on in the studio she built.
"Her standards are just so high. She exuded this quiet confidence, this really reassuring luxury experience,” Selena recalled. “You never have to question what you're gonna get here - no matter who you're having a service with, it's always going to be the most suited to you. It's always going to make you feel at home, put together, just like the best version of yourself. She really knew how to pick her staff. We are all a team. We're really trying to protect and share the legacy of Kimara with the people who deserve to hear it,” she added.
As I sat down in the blush makeup chair, I was greeted by large trifold mirrors lit up with bright light bulbs like an old Hollywood glam session. Like a blank canvas, Selena got to work. She swept powder over my cheeks adding definition and patted cream to add color. With the precision of an artist and the confidence of a pro, her brushes moving vigorously, dusting the skin like a fairy with her wand.
“Do you like glitter?” Selena asked.
“Do you even have to ask?!”
“I got you,” she replied. A glittery warm brown shadow pressed into the creases of each eye, bringing out my ocean blue.
A deep berry lip butter finished off the look. The perfect balance between bold and effortless, exuding confidence and prestige.
Although Kimara Ahnert isn’t there to keep creating, her studio lives on through the people who are passionate about keeping her legacy alive. “Her legacy is this space. It's her clientele, it's us, it's her products — and we're just gonna keep it going as long as we can. I'm lucky enough to be trusted with the future of the studio, its creative direction, and developing new product,” Selena reflected.
