Gucci Westman: Consciously Crafted Beauty

Gucci Westman is a renowned makeup artist whose work has graced faces of beauties like Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Gwenyth Paltrow, and Jessica Biel. Her philosophy has always been to brighten the natural beauty in her subjects.

Over twenty years of wisdom has culminated in the debut of her very own “no makeup” makeup brand: Westman Atelier. When applied, the products are almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The collection also incorporates skin-care benefits into makeup while following Westman’s signature natural-living philosophy. Their melty textures will give you a “second-skin” finish and a breathtaking glow.

Westman believes there is a place in the luxury world for nontoxic color cosmetics that also include active ingredients. Her long-held commitment to transparency made her choose only “clean, consciously-formulated” ingredients.

In this exclusive interview with BWB, Gucci Westman shared more about her new brand and the secrets to achieving the ultimate natural look.

Tell us more about your no-makeup makeup philosophy.

For me, makeup is more about enhancing a woman’s beauty as opposed to transforming her. As a makeup artist, the skin is really at the beginning and end of everything I do. As a result, there are so many things I expect from my products. I want them to be quick and easy to use, while also feeling weightless and comfortable on the skin. Above all, I want people to trust the performance of my products – that is important.

You are committed to more holistic living – how has this impacted your Westman Atelier line?

I live an ‘80/20 lifestyle’ – staying as healthy as possible without missing out on all the fun. When it comes to my products, I practice an ethos that is all about being as clean as possible without compromising quality beauty benefits. I also don’t compromise on the performance or texture, it still has to feel luxurious.

How did you balance natural and the synthetic ingredients to achieve such perfect formulations?

When I started working on the products, I quickly discovered that I could neither create the desired texture, nor attain the ideal product performance if things were 100% natural. That was a huge learning process for me; I realized that rather than focusing on creating an ‘all natural’ or ‘all organic’ line, I needed define my own lane and feel confident that I was using the cleanest, kindest ingredients without compromising on efficacy or luxury. When the best decision was to use a natural, plant-derived ingredient in my product, I did. When it was necessary to use a synthetic ingredient that was Westman Atelier compliant, I did.

Before and after makeup, what are your rules for achieving great skin?

I love exfoliating before putting on makeup because it gives a more luminous texture to the skin. Use either a moisturizing cream, or one that you can mix in with your oil. This will leave your skin feeling nicely hydrated.

If we had to start with 2 products from your line, what would these be?

They would be the Vital Skin Foundation Stick and the Super Loaded Tinted Highlight, but you really need all of the products. They are the perfect beginning to your canvas.

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What are your go-to beauty and fashion essentials?

For beauty, my own products have become my essentials. My fashion essentials right now are my Chanel bag, Celine Sweater, boyfriend jeans, Row blazer and Gucci blue velvet loafers.

You are considered as one of the greatest makeup artists of today. Can you share one memorable moment of your career with our readers?

My first Vogue cover with Britney Spears. I couldn’t believe it was happening.