Christine Wertman – Make-up, Skin Care, Beauty Tips
Q: Do you think going to school for make-up artistry is important to excel in the business later on?
A: I don’t believe school is for everyone, many famous makeup artists were self taught. It’s about hard work and being humble to start from the bottom and work up to your goals.
Q: What surprises you most about working as a makeup artist?
A: How much self loathing women have for themselves and their features.
Q: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended school or you are a self taught makeup artist?
A: Hello, I started at counter level and was taught to do basic makeup. I then moved to be a coordinator and now am an account executive for a major cosmetics brand. I do artistry and train beauty artists and also handle the administrative results for sales and goals and events. I have been in the industry for 3 years! Many of my skills are trial and error on clients at the counter. I may do up to 50 makeovers in a day!
Q: Did you always wanted to be an artist, or did you stumble upon your talent by chance? Who or what inspired you to become a makeup artist?
A: I played with makeup since I could walk but initially sought out a “safe” career as the makeup industry seemed like a tough arena to break into and I wasn’t sure how to break in. My Moms blue eyeshadow and red lips inspired me to love products, and the rest I stumbled into!
Q: What is your favorite or most exciting aspect about your job?
A: Connecting with the women. Doing makeovers is only half of it, it is connecting, helping someone to see themselves in a better light, inspiring a new attitude and self confidence with makeup is so fun. Women are so beautiful!
Q: Describe your “Classic Approach to Beauty.” how do you define beauty?
A: Beauty cannot be defined, it is a different thing for each of us. Sometimes an old withered face of an 80 year old woman without a stitch of makeup is beautiful to me, sometimes a gorgeous smokey eye is beautiful, sometimes a simple smile is beautiful.
Q: What individual products and brands you’re “addicted” to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
A: Benefit Cosmetics
Q: What are some of the most basic but effective skin care tips in general that you have, that are really important?
A: Don’t overwash or overtreat. A gentle face wash, regular exfoliation and a moisturizer with sunscreen.
Q: What is the biggest skin care dont’s?
A: Don’t try multiple products at once. When I first started in a department store I used my discount and bought things from many lines to try. My skin freaked out because I was introducing a lot of new chemicals and I couldn’t adjust. Few basics are a good start. Buy new things based on what your skin seems to be lacking. Are you dull? Try a brightening scrub, that kind of thing…introduce new items carefully and slowly and
keep it basic.
Q: Have you had an extreme, crazy or bad experience with a skin care product or during a makeup session? If so, what happened?
A: the first time I tried a cheek stain on a client during my first week I used a pea size amount and started blending. It was a mess! The more I blended the bigger the bright red circle got on her cheek and I was horrified as I didn’t know at the time how to fix it. The client was very nice, she laughed and sat patiently while I scurried to find products to help remove it! Whew! These days I use a sheer liquid stain and use 1-2
tiny drops!
Q: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with makeup? What’s the worst thing a woman can do to her skin?
A: Women who try to follow trends usually get it wrong because trends aren’t for everyone. A woman who overtreats or piles on too much makeup really doesn’t do herself justice.
Q: What do you think are best/worst trends in the makeup / skin care industry right now?
A: The best trends are mascara and red lips (classic). The worst are glittery anything. Glitter is for New Years eve and Halloween. A little shimmer highlighter can go a long way but glitter? Not in my makeup bag!
Q: Do teenage girls needs to splurge on high-priced makeup products, or are drugstore items are just as satisfactory?
A: Professional brand makeup from Department store or Sephora I think is best. It is more expensive but more highly tested and better quality. Also along with free help selecting your makeup you get great beauty tips from the sales associates. Many women have a drawer full of products that just sits there and eventually gets pitched because they bought products from drug stores that looked great but aren’t the right fit or color or don’t work. Spending more upfront helps ensure you have a great match!
Q: What feature(s) do you love to accentuate?
A: Lashes!
Q: What are your steps for the perfect, flawless, natural look?
A: light concealer only where needed, tinted moisturizer or powder, mascara, sheer blush and gloss or pretty lipstick! Shadows are great if you have time for a quick sweep of classic brown or gray, otherwise skip it.
Q: What is a really quick way to change a day look to a special occasion or nighttime face?
A: Not much difference, if light and soft look good in day, they will look good at night. Keep it simple no need to change just because the time changed! Also If you want something special, go to the makeup counter and ask the professionals to apply your makeup so you can try something new and find out how to replicate that look at home!
Q: What are the differences between applying makeup on models and on real women?
A: They have the same skin “flaws” like dark circles and blemishes so there is not much difference. Different high definition makeup is used for photos.
Q: In terms of eyeliner, if you had to choose between a pencil, liquid, or creme/gel based, which one would you choose? Why?
A: I love cream, it is fresh and simple but a pencil is easier for some women. Liquids are messy.
Q: Lip gloss or Lipstick. Which product is best? Why?
A: Mix it up everyday or layer. No hard fast rules, have fun with lips and change it up!
Q: What brand/type of concealer is your favorite for covering up the after effects of a late night out i.e. under-eye circles, blemishes?
A: Benefits Boing or Erase Paste both are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
Q: How about airbrush spray makeup trend? Are these products better or easier to use than standard sponge or finger application? If yes when would you recommend using them?
A: I have yet to try either, I use foundation or powder with a brush.
Q: What do your clients think of you? What are some individual testimonials?
A: My clients always leave feeling as though they made a friend. One day a client came back and said she got the job she was interviewing for and she said it was because she felt more confident after getting new makeup and learning how to look beautiful on the outside but feeling more beautiful on the inside as well. Clients are what makes my world go around so I don’t take a single one of them for granted.
Q: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
A: I am looking into finding my next steps in cosmetics. I would love to do it my whole life and keep finding exciting opportunities. I stay humble and open to learning.
Q: What tips and advice do you have for aspiring makeup artists just starting out?
A: Don’t be afraid. Color comes off, mistakes happen and it is all part of the learning process. Do what is right by the client first, if she loves blue and insists on it, it only matters if she loves It so go for it! Keep learning, and start from the bottom, that way when you are at the top someday you will look back on all the people and experiences that got you there and you will be so grateful to come so far!