Bowman applies makeup to one of his many clients. (Photos courtesy of Black Radiance)

by Len Lear

When Jacen Bowman, now 35, was growing up in East Oak Lane, his mother, Patricia Gordon, owned a daycare center called Almost Home Daycare Services and “later developed a passion for helping children in the foster care system,” he said. “She now is the top foster care recruiter in the city of Philadelphia and works for Delta Community Supports in Glenside.

“(But) she did have friends who sold Avon products, and trust me, when she wasn’t looking, I would always go into her room and use her foundation. She actually caught me one day because I fell asleep with it on, and it ruined my pillowcases. She yelled, 'Jacen, I know you're not wearing my makeup.' She wasn’t mad I had it on, but she was more mad that I helped myself to her things. She didn’t like sharing, and now that I’m a makeup artist, she always steals my stuff. Funny how things come full circle.” (Jacen laughs.)

Although Jacen liked to try on his mom's makeup, a rather unusual activity for a young boy, his occupational goal was more traditional. He wanted to be a journalist, like his dad, Cecil R. Bowman Jr., who did college radio while attending Penn State University and later worked for PBS.

But Jacen dropped out of Delaware State University while on a full academic scholarship after graduation (at age 16) from George Washington High School. He then worked at the Gap on South Street and Nordstrom in King of Prussia but then made a wrong turn on the highway of life, shoplifting more than once and spending a few months in jail in 2007.

When asked where he served time, Jacen replied, “I would rather keep this interview more on the positive side vs. that being the headline ... I'd just rather not get into the specifics of what prison I was at.”

What's compelling and even inspirational about Jacen's story, though, is what came next. Instead of complaining, indulging in self-pity and blaming other people, Jacen made a U-turn to get on the road to success and fulfillment. Since he was interested in makeup even as a kid, Jacen went to the Paul Mitchell Beauty Academy in Ambler and then was hired as an assistant makeup artist at Macy's in Center City.

But Jacen was too talented and independent-minded to work for someone else, so he struck out on his own in 2013 with Shades of Jacen, which soon had customers and fans all over the area, including Black Radiance, which features Jacen in YouTube videos and which showcases his work in in-store ad campaigns in Walmart, Target and Walgreen's.

How on earth did Jacen make such great contacts with top designers? “I’ve always promoted and introduced myself,” he said. “I would attend Fashion Week and any event I possibly could, just so they could see my face. I have a very infectious personality, so I knew if they met me first, they would give me a chance to work with them. And 80 percent of the time I was absolutely right.”

A Black Radiance marketing executive, Lana Gregg, who is from Abington originally, began following Bowman on social media and loved his work. “When she first contacted me about doing the tutorial video with Black Radiance, I want to believe it was love at first sight. She along with the entire Black Radiance team became my family. They trusted me to create these looks for their 2018 campaign. I always wanted to have a collection with Black Radiance or another drug store brand. Hopefully, one day that will become a reality … but for the time being, I absolutely love working with Black Radiance. The brand represents black and brown people to the fullest.”

Jacen, who now has a remarkable 47,000 followers on Instagram, was asked about a remark by Calvin Klein that “it takes makeup to look natural?” His comment: “I always think that everyone should wear makeup, despite gender and sexuality. Makeup makes you look your natural best. Your skin is the largest living organism on your body. It’s the first thing people see when they meet you. Why would you not look your best at all times? For most, makeup helps you look your best when applied correctly.”

What is the hardest thing Jacen has ever done? “Forgiving myself for some of my growing pains. I’m not perfect, though we all strive for perfection ... We often never forgive ourselves for some of our choices we made in life, but we have to remember that those choices are what we wanted in that moment. Those choices led us to where we are today.”

Jacen has worked with several celebrities, but the one he would most like to work with is Naomi Campbell. “When that day finally comes,” he said, “I know me and Naomi are going to have a good time. In my head she’s my big sister, so I know that whole glam experience will be epic!”

If Jacen could meet and converse with anyone on earth, who would it be? “One would be Oprah. She built an empire from the ground up. She did it when the odds were against her. She is a survivor; she took risks; she set trends and remained grounded through it all. And ‪Beyoncé. Who wouldn’t want to converse with ‪Beyoncé I mean, come on, it's ‪BEYONCÉ!” (He laughs.)

For more information, visit shadesofjacen.com.