Gucci Westman is one of the world’s top makeup artists with more experience and notable celebrity, magazine and fashion collaborations under her belt than we can list. So when seeking makeup and beauty advice there are very few gurus to trust quite like Westman.
In 2018, the makeup expert launched her namesake clean cosmetics brand, Westman Atelier, which quickly found its way into the makeup bags of top celebrities, beauty editors and all makeup lovers worldwide.
For this issue, we sat down with Ms. Westman to find out more about her personal experience, professional journey, get exclusive expert advice and debunk a couple of beauty myths we’re all so used to hearing!
How did you start off in the world of makeup and how did you become so passionate about it?
Growing up in Sweden, my mom was strict about makeup—which only made me more obsessed with it. I loved painting as a teenager, and, eventually, I started doing my friends’ makeup in the back of the bus on the way to school. In my early twenties, I worked as an au pair in Switzerland. The mother in the family was a fashion journalist, and she would bring me to the shows in Paris. That was a revelation. I was completely taken with the romance and beauty of the runway. As part of her job, she received boxes of new makeup from Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent… but she didn’t wear much makeup herself, so she gave it to me. That was the beginning. Later, I went to makeup school in Paris. I thought ‘Ok, at least if this doesn’t work out, I’ll be fluent in French.
Where do you find the inspiration for your looks?
I started my career in Los Angeles as a makeup artist for films like Being John Malkovich and Buffalo 66. I’ve always been inspired by the idea of creating a character or a story behind a look, which later defined my editorial career working with fashion editors like Grace Coddington for Vogue. Even now, I love to play around with the image of a woman when I’m creating a product. Our Eye Pods palette in Rendez-vous, for instance, channeled a little bit of Veruschka in those iconic 60s’ Avedon pictures.
If you were rushing out the door, and could only apply one beauty product before you go, which one would it be?
That’s a hard one! I guess I’d have to say my Bonne Brow pencil – I over plucked in my twenties and my brows never really grew back. Now, I comb through with a dry spoolie brush and then use an ashy black pencil to fill in the ends with little hair-like strokes. It has the subtlest but also the most transformative effect on my face. I feel naked without it.
What is the most important beauty advice you can give?
Other than being confident in who you are, I’d say that skin quality can’t be overestimated. Be consistent with your skincare. If you spend that extra time to prep your canvas, everything you apply afterward will look flawless.
What is your favorite makeup product from the collection?
I have rosacea, so I never know what my skin is going to do on a given day. It can be frustrating. Initially, I developed Vital Skin foundation for myself – I wanted to create the cleanest, most nourishing, and skin-soothing formula. Something that did more than just cover. I wanted it to actually be correct. And I wanted it to have the most beautiful, believable finish, where it actually felt nourishing on the skin – more like skincare. Ultimately, I wanted people to say ‘You look amazing,’ not ‘Oh, your foundation looks great.’ Now, I can’t live without it.
What is a makeup myth or misconception you can debunk for us today?
At this particular moment in our culture, with social media being so paramount, the feeling that you need to transform yourself with makeup or Instagram filters has become quite pervasive. Especially for young people who are trying to figure it all out. I find it very powerful to use makeup to enhance who you are, and to find joy in that daily ritual… How can I use things that feel good, or even things that make me feel that much more like myself? I’d love to spend more time thinking about beauty as an act of care and appreciation for oneself.
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A special thank you to Gucci Westman.
