I met him for the launch of his new book: About Face – Amazing Transformations
Using the Secrets of the Top Celebrity Makeup Artist. He’s very down to earth, modest, and really cool!
When I looked at
his book, I was chocked by the colours he uses to highlight, sculpt, and conceal… I am talking about canari yellow, dark brown chocolate, on the face, as highlighters, concealers…. The secret here is to blend them really good, and then you won’t even see them!
Hayat Ammouri: What are your rules of a perfect make up?
Scott Barnes: It’s very important to start with a highlighter. Most people look at it as a concealer, but I like to say highlighter. It brings up the bones, minimizes where it’s needed, and sculps the face. That and when you have a gorgeous skin, everything looks beautiful. Even if your hair is a mess, it looks effortless.
Hayat Ammouri: How do you apply make up on the skin?
Scott Barnes: I use cream a cream foundation because it’s softer; you could make it thin with creams and oils, or you could make it very dewy. I add a beautiful lip gloss. My make up is very monochromatic, and I really want to bring up the eyes.
Hayat Ammouri: Yes, I always notice the eyes when I look at your make up, even though you don’t use a lot of colours?
Scott Barnes: I put the make up where the bridge is .You just want to open up the eyes. When I look at you, I see you twinkle.
Hayat Ammouri: What esle do you use? What are your favourite products?
Scott Barnes: I use an eyelash curler, from Shu Uemura which I like. If I use a pencil, I use Maybelline, but I burn it with a lighter first, then I blow it a little bit. It looks like the Arabic Kohl. It’s not messy. It’s cheap, but it has to look very clean, very polished, and sophisticated. Then I add individual lashes, and it doesn’t matter which brand. I buy them in different lengths: Short, medium, long. I apply the short ones on the outside, and the long ones in the middle, and I cross them back and forth, criss cross.. It gives the eyes a twinkle.
Hayat Ammouri: What are your “Must Haves”?
Scott Barnes: A good eye drop, so your eyes look bright white. A great eyelash curler, and great mascara. I use Lancome, Maybelline, It doesn’t matter. I love thick mascaras. I love Dior Show Mascara, thick and black. And I also love a good lipgloss. If the lips have a little bit of red, I like to take it off with some beige in it, so I tone it down. You want the skin to look buttery.
Hayat Ammouri: How do you bring that Glow to the face?
Scott Barnes: When you use too much powder, it looks heavy. Try to stay away from powders. I use translucent powder, just in the T zone. And I leave the rest of the face to shine, with moisture and oils. Then when your skin heats up, it will help the make to look even better. It sounds like a lot of make up, but you see nothing.
Hayat Ammouri: Any advice for good pictures?
Scott Barnes: Go heavier for your pictures, and make sure that you clean your dark circles. People are not going to remember that you had a lot of make up on that day, but when you look at your pictures in 10 years, they will look good.
Hayat Ammouri: What’s you advice for ake up for an average woman?
Scott Barnes: You have to see my book. I took 16 real women, and I made the transformation on their faces, using just make up. I asked them to come as beautiful as they could be, and I made them look even better.
Hayat Ammouri: What do you want from women?
Scott Barnes: I want them to use their beauty for good and power. Really, try to affect people around you in a positive way. As a woman, you have a lot of power. Use it to do good.
Hayat Ammouri: What’s your dream?
Scott Barnes: I dream that no one dies from cancer anymore! My brother died from skin cancer, So I just say stay away from the sun. I dedicated my new book to him.
Hayat Ammouri:This is why you have your creams, Body Bling?
Scott Barnes: Yes! Fake a tan, preserve your skin..
