Their Makeup? It Only <i> Looks </i> Expensive
Ever wonder what cosmetics enhance actress Kim Basinger’s sensual lips, singer-actress Grace Jones’ chiseled cheek bones or talk-show host Joan Rivers’ long, long lashes?
Surprisingly, it isn’t always luxury or designer products. Most celebs are primed for appearences on TV and in films by professional makeup artists. And these experts agree that the price of cosmetics does not necessarily equate with quality.
“Expensive cosmetics look nice inside the box, but just because they are expensive they’re not necessarily good,” says Rex, a makeup artist with the Timothy Priano booking agency in New York City. Rex has painted super-models Isabella Rossellini, Paulina and Iman. Designer Donna Karan hires him each season to make up her entire entourage of models at the New York press show.
Rex’s biggest upcoming assignment--readying Ivana Trump for a shoot in Harper’s Bazaar--doesn’t mean he’ll substitute prestige products for his bargain favorites.
“She’ll get the Maybelline like everyone else,” he quips, as he raves about the company’s Great Lash mascara, which sells for about $3 at Target stores.
Great Lash is also the choice of Wayne Massarelli of Los Angeles’ HMS Bookings, whose client list includes Joan Rivers and Jane Fonda. Massarelli says the bulk of his products are made exclusively for professionals by Christian Dior. But Massarelli fills in with blush and eye pencils by La Femme, which he buys at Columbia Cosmetics, a beauty supply shop at Sunset and Gower. The pencils run about $2.50 and blushes range in price from $2.30 to $2.75.
La Femme makes “a lot of natural, matte colors--and in fashion and TV, the trend is toward flat, warm colors,” Massarelli says.
Makeup artist Tara Posey also favors La Femme blushes. Posey has made up the faces of Janet Jackson, Natalie Cole and Jasmine Guy, among others. She also likes the cheap chic achieved with Maybelline Eyebrow pencils, which sell for $1.64 for a two-pack at Thrifty Drug Stores.
“They don’t melt as fast, so they don’t smear as much,” she says.
Darrell Redleaf of L.A.’s Celestine-Cloutier booking agency has made up Grace Jones, Sally Kellerman and Pia Zadora, among others. His favorite lipstick: Wet ‘n’ Wild, which sells for as little as 99 cents.
“I particularly like the intense, steamy colors,” says Redleaf. When he can’t find the exact color he wants, Redleaf opts for lip pencils made by Flori Roberts mixed with Carmex lip balm, which sells for about 89 cents at drug and discount stores.
“I think with a pencil and Carmex you can get a matte yet moist looking lip stain,” he says.
Like so many of his colleagues, Redleaf uses Great Lash mascara. Though Redleaf doesn’t use many inexpensive foundations, he has used Almay foundations from time to time, which sell for about $4 at J.C. Penney stores. But when it comes to foundation, most makeup artists (Redleaf included) agree that makeup mavens are better off pinching pennies on color products and investing in a pricier base.
“It’s pretty hard to skimp on foundation; they are often too pink or too powdery,” Redleaf says.
