What’s Inside Gucci Westman’s Beauty Bag?
September 16 | 4 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
Gucci Westman is a makeup visionary – more than two decades as a makeup artist, creating sparkling looks for the biggest magazine covers, catwalks and campaigns globally will do it. Then there’s her very elite client list; a rollcall of A-listers such as Anne Hathaway, Julianne Moore, Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow whose faces have become advertisements for Westman’s signature second-skin radiance.
A true trailblazer and trendsetter of the beauty world, Westman’s success has a lot to do with her flair for making skin look like, well, skin. “You want to look like you! It’s all about enhancing your natural beauty rather than a big transformation, while always maintaining the integrity of the skin.”
Her curated and purpose-led makeup brand Westman Atelier, echoes this philosophy with a range of plant-derived formulas (in seriously luxe packaging might we add) designed to let skin shine.
In her early fifties, Westman attributes her own incandescent complexion to a consistent skincare routine and a few tricks to highlight the areas she loves most – using her own line of complexion enhancers of course (her musts? The Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation & Concealer Stick, Vital Skincare Pressed Powder, Baby Cheeks Blush in ‘Mimi’ and Spot Check Brush to help reduce redness she experiences from rosacea).
From her favourite products to prep skin for makeup to how she creates her signature ‘second-skin’ finish, in our latest MECCA Collectiva installment, Westman talks us through the MECCA products she has on heavy rotation and tactics for looking, and – more importantly – feeling, beautiful at every age.
Beauty and fashion should feel good
Swear by skin prep
Achieving your glow starts with establishing a consistent skincare [skincare] routine because a smooth and hydrated base makes a big difference with makeup. “I love any product that exfoliates, so the Alpha-H Micro Super Scrub with 12% Glycolic Acid is a current favourite. After Susanne Kaufmann's Eye Rescue Serum and Nourishing Day Cream, I'll finish skin prep with a broad-spectrum SPF.
.A routine for radiance
“I'll start correcting my skin where needed with Vital Skin Foundation & Concealer Stick before adding color and tone back in. My secret weapon brush, the Spot Check Brush, helps conceal any pigmentation or redness from rosacea.
“Once that base is set, I really love creating dewy, healthy-looking skin that's effortless and not overdone. I'll sculpt the cheekbones with the Face Trace Contour Stick in ‘Biscuit’, highlight with the Lit Up Highlight Stick in ‘Lit’ or ‘Nectar’, and add a pop of rosy color with Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in ‘Petal’ or ‘Dou Dou’.
“I also love applying our Super Loaded Tinted Highlight with the Blender Brush because this creamy multipurpose product adds warmth, definition and luminosity all in one.”
Play up your features
“With makeup, you’ll look more youthful when not heavy-handed, so instead amplify the areas you like. For me, that’s usually playing up my eyes with the Eye Pods in shade ‘Les Jours’ and a highlighting shadow at the outer corners of my eyes to strategically lift everything up. Or I’ll wear a Lip Suede to brighten everything, adding fuchsia to the centre of the lips for extra juiciness!”
Her non-negotiable Westman Atelier product…
“We all need the Vital Pressed Skincare Powder – I have never seen a more beautiful finish from a powder. We’ve micro-milled active skincare ingredients into a powder that does more than just set; it improves your skin both short and long-term, which makes it a must-have! And it feels so nice on your skin.
“Honestly, it is hard for me to say what my favourites are because they are all special for different reasons. You will flip out when you try our Vital Skincare Pressed Powder. It is skincare that happens to do your makeup.”
Embracing beauty at every age
“It’s all about pro-ageing; you can’t stop the process but there are great treatments and tools out there to help you feel more confident. I try to keep up with facials and use microcurrent devices as much as I can to plump and stimulate my skin.
“On the haircare front, a great blowout is definitely a mood booster and helps me feel put together for meetings and filming tutorials. I maintain my colour and highlights with Sachajuan Silver Shampoo and Silver Conditioner and, lately, have used scalp treatments that refresh and clarify. Never forget about body care, too! I love very rich creams like the Costa Brazil Para O Corpo | Body Cream, which feels super nourishing.”
