Cate Blanchett looks beautiful in the Silhoutte campaign
Working with Cate, are there any makeup styles that she likes/prefers, or you think suit her best?
I work with Cate all the time, and she’s a very beautiful person. She doesn’t need any makeup at all really. But obviously, with photography, you apply makeup to even out the skintone, and make the eyes pop a bit more, and that’s all we did really with this Silhouette Icon campaign. There’s not very much makeup used at all.
So were you briefed to use minimal/barely there makeup?
Well, Cate just looks great in natural makeup, and this wasn’t about a smokey eye or fuller coverage. That wouldn’t work. It’s not how we work, and it’s not how Peter Lindbergh works. He works in a minimalist fashion, and although this wasn’t minimalist makeup, it was natural makeup. That’s what works in the bright sunshine of LA with the light shining through, and you wouldn’t dream of doing anything else. It’s just about making someone look really good. A small amount of makeup will always enhance the face, and too much just doesn’t work.
Is there a difference between working with people who are wearing glasses, and those that aren’t? Are there any techniques you use to enhance the eyes behind glasses?
No. There aren’t at all! I always say that the glasses come after the makeup. The glasses, if chosen properly, are the perfect addition to your makeup look. So I don’t manipulate the makeup for glasses at all: do your makeup up how you want it to look and then put your glasses on. They should just be an extension of your personality! That’s the benefit of the Silhouette Icon specs; they’re frameless so people can look into you, and see your face, so you should wear whatever makeup and clothing you want to wear.
And from a makeup artist’s perspective, do you manipulate makeup application to accommodate glasses?
Well, the model tends to be chosen as they represent the look or theme the styling team want to achieve, so you work to enhance the face, with either a smokey eye, or a bold lip, or a natural finish, whatever is required and then just add glasses.
Do you prefer any of the different makeup looks paired with glasses.
Not really, it’s whatever you want to wear. If you want a flicky eye: great. Smokey eye: go for it. The question is ‘does your makeup look good without glasses’?
Do you think that glasses draw attention to the eyes, as an ‘accessory’?
I guess they can portray your personality if you go for a Barbara Cartland sort of look, but ideally, they just showcase your face and work to enhance your natural personality.
Are there any key products that you can’t do without?
Oh definitely. I can achieve any makeup look using these products:
YSL BB Cream
Chanel No. 5 beige bronzer for bronzing and contouring
Chanel cream eyeshadow in Eblouis
Illusion D’ombre eyeshadow
Sensai volumising mascara
Suku eyebrow pencil
MAC lipstick in ‘cream in your coffee’
With those 6 products, you can make your look either really heavy or really light. You can change the look by applying shadow up to the brow bone, or applying just up to the socket for example. Whether you apply less product for a more natural look, or build it up for more emphasis, these products are definitely my go-to!
And is there one key product in your professional kit that you would choose?
I couldn’t! Everybody is different, and they need different products because of that.
Cate is the face of the brand new www.silhouette.com campaign
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