BellaSugar

Before and After: How to Wear Makeup For the Perfect Picture

Allie Merriam — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:03:23 PST

I've sometimes wished a professional makeup artist was on hand for a consultation before my photo was taken. The opportunity for that to actually happen arose this week, when Revlon's Global Artistic Director Gucci Westman volunteered her makeover services. Gucci, who's worked with the likes of Cameron Diaz and Kim Kardashian, walked me through the steps she used to get my visage ready for the camera. She shared some beauty tips - and revealed how she's prepping to survive another Fashion Week - just before a portrait session with photographer Michael Fine began.

I presented Gucci with a relatively bare face, which you can see at right.

To read Gucci's tips, and to see the results of her hard work, just read on.

Nude Lips (and Missing Pants) at Rag & Bone

Annie Tomlin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:22:47 PDT

As is the case every season, Revlon Global Artistic Director Gucci Westman created a makeup look for Rag & Bone. It's a show dear to her heart, since she's not just a makeup maestro, but is also married to the line's codesigner David Neville. Backstage, she said that she initially toyed with doing a strong lip look for the Spring 2012 show, but ultimately went with a nearly nude lipstick instead. "I just wanted it to be super easy," she said, adding that the neutral makeup palette didn't compete with the clothes. (Get the look with Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks in Demure and Silver City Pink.) And it's clear that Westman is a fan of the collection. She confessed to falling in love with a pair of Rag & Bone trousers, then taking them home - and unbeknownst to her, they happened to be destined for the runway. "David called me in a panic yesterday," she admitted. "Busted! How embarrassing is that?" In the end, all was well: pants were returned, the models looked fresh, and Rag & Bone looks destined to continue its string of enthusiastically received collections.

A Fresh Date-Night Look: Smoky Eyes and Red Lipstick

Annie Tomlin — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:00:22 PST

Is Robert Palmer having an effect on fashion runways? Both Temperley and Stephen Burrows featured bright red lipstick - and what's more, this matte hue flatters a range of skin tones. Temperley's models, at left, sported a smoky purple eye along with Revlon Just Bitten lip stain ($9) and Revlon matte lipstick in Really Red ($8). Stephen Burrows's look featured gray shadow on the eyes, using Iman lipstick in Red Luxury ($9) to bring attention to lips. Might as well face it: it's a new look to love.

There's Only One Way to Get Fashion's Night Pout

BellaSugar — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:04:02 PDT

To complement Rag & Bone's Lawrence of Arabia-inspired collection, makeup artist Gucci Westman developed a soft nude hue of Revlon ColorBurst lipstick. That's nothing out of the ordinary, except that the shade, Fashion's Night Pout, is now officially one of the most difficult lipsticks to track down. That's because it was available only at Rag & Bone during Fashion's Night Out, where a $50 donation to the nonprofit Jenesse Center earned women a mini-makeover, a photo with Halle Berry, and the lipstick. If you didn't score a lipstick during FNO, there may be one other way to pick up this straight-from-the-runway shade: watch Revlon's Facebook page, where a few of these goodies will be given away throughout the month.

It's Sexy Sixties Style at Diane von Furstenberg

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:31:39 PDT

Think runway makeup is all about expensive brands? Think again. At the Diane von Furstenberg show, lead makeup artist Gucci Westman used Revlon on top models like Jessica Stam and Coco Rocha. Westman has recently been named Global Artistic Director for the brand, and I've gotta say, she's already making me think differently about drugstore makeup.

Case in point: this '60s-inspired Veruschka-on-a-safari look. Models wore khaki tones punched up with a shot of bold color - in this case, a flash of yellow on shimmering black eyes. (For day-to-day wear, leave the yellow aside and instead use matte eye shadow; Westman used Revlon matte eye shadow in Rich Sable, Peach Sorbet, and Vintage Lace.) The mod lip color isn't lipstick; it's the Peach Sorbet eye shadow mixed with white Matte Lux eyeliner.

So will we see a Gucci Westman makeup collection from Revlon anytime soon? "Eventually," Westman said, adding that she's already giving input on products being made now. "Everybody is excited to bring back that iconic woman - like the Charlie girl, but a modern take on that." For now, though, I'm off to figure out how to make this whole eye-products-on-the-lips thing work off the runway.

View 5 Photos ›

Source

Who's Your Favorite Celebrity Makeup Artist?

BellaSugar — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:00:10 PDT

Celebrity makeup artists can command upwards of $10,000 a day for their services. Multiply that by all the days in the year, plus double-duty when it comes time for awards seasons, and you've got yourself one outrageous salary. All of these artists have loyal celebrity clients that request their company across the globe, wherever it is they may be working. Can you guess who some of their famous-faced clients are? I think that Paul Starr is a genius, and I love the natural effect that Nick Barose achieves. Who is your favorite celebrity makeup artist?

Source

Beauty Byte: Gucci Westman's New Gig

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:04:18 PDT

Makeup mastermind Gucci Westman rose to fame as the international artistic director of Lancôme. After leaving that position earlier this year, she's been busy with photo shoots and fashion shows. Now, she's announced her new position - and it's huge for you drugstore divas.

We already know that Revlon hasn't been doing so well lately, but now Gucci is the brand's new global artistic director. Quite a score for Revlon, in my opinion. She told Fashion Week Daily:

There's never been more pressure to deliver better product for less money. Based on my experience with Lancôme, which was really, really, great; I learned a lot about how a global prestige brand works. I realized that with Revlon, it's working with more a mass brand and a completely new consumer, but the woman still wants something she'll be happy to pull out of her handbag.

As artistic director, Gucci will develop new products, work alongside Revlon spokesmodels such as Halle Berry, and participate in Revlon's philanthropic efforts. After seeing Gucci's work (some pictured below), I have no doubt she'll refresh and revive this brand. Cannot. Wait.

View 6 Photos ›

Source

Backstage Beauty: Behnaz Sarafpour

BellaSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:00:03 PST

Gucci Westman has been one busy woman this week. I've seen her at Miss Sixty, Rag & Bone, and then at Behnaz Sarafpour, where she worked with MAC. Here she is applying makeup to Canadian model Lisa Cant, who is almost always the first model to arrive at a show. Punctual, that one.

Gucci's team colored models' eyes with gray, yellow, or purple shades - all of which popped on their otherwise nude faces. The makeup artists used brushes to apply the color, of course, but they also used airbrushes to spray it directly on eyelashes. And in the case of the purple eyes, they got creative by smudging MAC lipstick in Violetta around eyes. Unfortunately, that particular shade of cream makeup is available only to makeup artists, but if you'd like to know which products were used for this show's yellow eye, this guide from MAC has the details.

Backstage Beauty: Rag & Bone

BellaSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:00:09 PST

The hair and makeup at Friday's Rag & Bone show worked 100% seamlessly with the clothing. That makes sense, since lead makeup artist Gucci Westman is married to one of the designers of the line. Like the clothing that came down the runway, the makeup used gray, black, and blue tones to create an edgy cool-girl look.

"It's a Blade Runner '40s girl," Gucci explained as she dabbed navy eye shadow on model Coco Rocha. "The collection is very monochromatic and futuristic, so we wanted something a little more futuristic and unexpected in the makeup. The girl still looks gorgeous-it's always important that she looks sexy and cool."

View 12 Photos ›

Source and Source

Backstage Beauty: Miss Sixty

BellaSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:44 PST

Oh, the stories I have to tell you about the Miss Sixty show. But before going any further, would you look at this gorgeous red hair? In a sea of blonde, black, and brown, this model's mane grabbed my attention. I loved it, but then again, the hair in general was so pretty. Neil Moodie of Bumble & bumble created the '70s-influenced look, and I snagged a minute with him before the show. "We wanted to keep the hair a little more simple because in the collection, there's a lot going on," he explained. "It's '70s, but not literal. It needs to be a little more subtle."

I also talked with Gucci Westman, the lead makeup artist who was working with MAC for the show. While she applied deep blue eye shadow to Jessica Stam, she explained the inspiration for the look. "It's a sort of a cross between Joan Jett and bohemian, with a little bit of Endora," she said. As she did with her work for Rag & Bone a few days prior, she used a rich blue as the base for eyes. "I'm feeling the blue," she said.

View 7 Photos ›

To read about my Top Model sightings at the show, read more. In the tent itself, I had a great view of noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker and runway coach J. Alexander. Even better is that when the remixed medley of '70s songs switched to "Immigrant Song," Nigel started tapping his fingers to the beat. And before you knew it, he was tapping his toes. And then Miss J got into it, too. What can you say? A little Led Zep never hurt anybody. Bianca from last cycle was also at the show-her head's still shaved, and it looks great-and her behavior was, dare I say it, ladylike. Go figure. Source