One of the city’s top celebrity makeup artists has launched a new app to teach you how to give face like the stars.
There are tons of makeup artists out there. How does one get to be a celebrity makeup artist?
It’s the practice. I work with lots of celebrities and I got there because, obviously, I think I was good (laughs). Someone can recommend you, but you have to keep up.
Who was your first celebrity?
Celine Dion. I was working on the CBC Olympic Games and that’s how we got acquainted. My ex-husband used to coach her on her English, and when she hosted her first Junos in 1995, he wrote her script and I worked on her image. That’s how everything started.
So be honest: Are they really better looking than the rest of us, or is it just good craftsmanship?
It’s not that they are better looking, but there are more people looking after them. It’s their job to look good, and they’re very aware of that so they really take care of themselves. They exercise, eat well, they have lots of people pampering them. I’m sure everybody with the same regime would look a couple of years younger.
Is there a simple thing we can do ourselves to at least approximate that?
Exfoliation. I see lots of buildup from makeup. Use brown sugar at home with your favourite cleanser and scrub your face before you go to bed. You don’t have to buy an expensive product. The sugar will melt so the granules won’t be too harsh and scrape your face. Plus, it’s natural.
You recently launched a new app. What’s the idea behind it?
Because I also teach makeup, I realized there are lots of people who want to be educated but don’t have the resources. My staff and I talked to 200 girls between 13-25 and we asked them what they would like to know. Our app has techniques, lots of tutorials, and still photography.
What’s the response been like?
The application was launched on Jan. 8. We haven’t even been out for a month and we’re getting up to 2,000 hits a day. And it’s international, not just in Canada.
Do you think the reality of today is that you can’t just be an artist, you also have to be an entrepreneur?
Definitely.
