{"id":530771,"date":"2026-07-03T08:23:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T08:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/530771\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T08:23:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T08:23:11","slug":"gucci-westmans-make-up-philosophy-i-always-wanted-to-look-like-myself-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/530771\/","title":{"rendered":"Gucci Westman\u2019s make-up philosophy: \u2018I always wanted to look like myself\u2019 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I ask Gucci Westman who had the biggest impact on her career as a make-up<\/a> artist, she answers without missing a beat. \u201cGrace Coddington.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not just any Grace, but one of the most revered names in fashion<\/a> and the former creative director of American Vogue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to move to New York<\/a> and see if I could work in fashion because I\u2019d done a lot of TV, commercials and movies in Los Angeles,\u201d she recalls. \u201cGrace booked me for two shoots, one of which was with the renowned fashion photographer Arthur Elgort. During both shoots, she was very quiet, and I had no idea whether she liked me. I was so nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in a van on the way to the airport, and she got out. I was ready to say, \u2018Bye, that was great,\u2019 when she looked at me and said, \u2018I haven\u2019t seen talent like that since I discovered Pat McGrath. Now you\u2019re part of my team, and you must never not be available for me.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom that moment, my life completely changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughs as she remembers it. \u201cI didn\u2019t even have anyone to call because it was late in New York. I just got home, sat down and absorbed her words. I knew it was a moment. I worked on nearly every Vogue cover story for years afterwards and with every editor, but I always prioritised Grace. Working with her for so many years was an incredible experience. It changed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now in her 50s, Westman has built one of the most celebrated careers in make-up. She has worked with everyone from Patrick Demarchelier to Annie Leibovitz and perfected the complexions of Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett, among countless others. Known for her light-handed approach, mixing brushes with fingertips, she has become synonymous with skin that looks impossibly fresh, sculpted and glowing.<\/p>\n

That philosophy extends to Westman Atelier, which she launched in 2018 \u2013 a beauty line that reflects everything she\u2019s learned over three decades in the industry.<\/p>\n

\"WestmanWestman Atelier make-up: ‘I always wanted make-up that I loved wearing, that would feel good,’ says Gucci Westman <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like my entire career has brought me to this point. I worked with Lanc\u00f4me for five years as their global artistic director, and then with Revlon for eight years, and I always had this feeling in the back of my mind that I wanted to create my own products. Growing up, my family was really focused on wellness. We lived in an ashram before moving to Sweden when I was 10 [Westman is half Swedish] \u2013 and we weren\u2019t allowed sugar or anything unhealthy. It was such a pain \u2013 I used all my lunch money to buy sweets.\u201d She laughs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also wasn\u2019t allowed to wear make-up. But all of that informed what I do now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WestmanWestman Atelier make-up: ‘I use a few things every single day’ <\/p>\n

Creating make-up that performs like luxury cosmetics while functioning like skincare became her mission. \u201cI wanted products that would replace everything in my make-up artist kit, but without all the ingredients I didn\u2019t want and with skincare benefits at functional levels. I\u2019m allergic to silicone, and I have rosacea, so I always wanted make-up that I loved wearing, that would feel good, and that I didn\u2019t feel desperate to wash off.\u201d<\/p>\n

That commitment meant refusing to compromise, even when formulators told her it couldn\u2019t be done. \u201cMy husband actually took me outside the lab one day and said, \u2018Okay, we have to use this ingredient at 20 per cent.\u2019 And I said, \u2018No.\u2019 I didn\u2019t want it. I always believe there\u2019s a way \u2013 you just have to try harder and keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result is an intentionally edited collection built around enhancing rather than transforming. \u201cIt became really clear that I should take ownership of this idea of elevated, enhancing products that don\u2019t feel overwhelming or intimidating. I didn\u2019t want a huge line-up. I wanted women to think, \u2018Okay, I can do that.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not interested in transformative products. That aesthetic was never attractive to me. I always wanted to look like myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her own routine, unsurprisingly, follows this philosophy, and naturally, I have to ask what\u2019s in her make-up bag.<\/p>\n

\"WestmanWestman Atelier Super Loaded Tinted Highlight (\u20ac80 from Space NK) \"WestmanWestman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick (\u20ac52 from Space NK) \"WestmanWestman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick (\u20ac72 from Space NK) <\/p>\n

\u201cI use a few things every single day,\u201d she says. \u201cVital Skin Foundation Stick, the concealer, our brow pencil, definitely the lip liner, Face Trace Contour and Super Loaded Tinted Compact in Peau de P\u00eache \u2013 that rosy highlight.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy face stays pretty much the same. It\u2019s just the lip colour that changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

For anyone yet to discover Westman Atelier, I ask: where should they begin?<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably one of the sticks,\u201d she says. \u201cFace Trace Contour Stick, Baby Cheeks Blush and Lit Up Highlight Stick. They\u2019re a really good introduction to the brand and our philosophy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WestmanWestman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush (\u20ac52 from Space NK) \"WestmanWestman Atelier HydroBalm Tinted Lipstick (\u20ac55 from Space NK) \"WestmanWestman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick (\u20ac52 from Space NK) <\/p>\n

Interestingly, she says customers rarely stop at one product. \u201cWe\u2019ve discovered people don\u2019t come in and buy just one thing. They buy five or six because they understand the concept. It\u2019s such a great feeling when someone tries one product, loves it and then comes back to discover everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the brand continuing to grow, I ask what\u2019s next. \u201cWe\u2019re going to expand into a few more categories,\u201d she says. \u201cThere\u2019s more skincare on the horizon. We\u2019re having so much fun, and it\u2019s such a great moment. The fact that people really appreciate it makes me so happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Five of the best bronzing products for a summer glowOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When I ask Gucci Westman who had the biggest impact on her career as a make-up artist, she…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":530772,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7245,1902,800,631,61,60,10696,709,5479,3273,80],"class_list":["post-530771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-anne-hathaway","tag-beauty","tag-cate-blanchett","tag-for-you","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-jennifer-aniston","tag-magazine","tag-nicole-kidman","tag-skincare","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/530771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=530771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/530771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/530772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=530771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=530771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=530771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}