Makeup Artist Chat: Eugenia Weston

Eugenia Weston - Makeup Artist Chat

SENNA Cosmetics became a household name ever since the company revolutionized the brow world with its patented Form-A-BrowⓇ Kit, but SENNA would have never gotten where it is today without its founder and muse, Eugenia Weston. Having founded SENNA 40 years ago (Happy 40th, SENNA!), Eugenia embodies the company’s philosophy of “Beauty. Illusion. Transformation.” while her amazing makeup artistry inspires SENNA's product line. Meet the ultimate dreamer with us, here, on Makeup Artist Chat.

Describe your first encounter with makeup that made you want to be in the industry.

I actually never thought of “being in the industry.” I just loved doing makeup and always wanted to perfect everyone’s look. My work got noticed and the rest is history.

What was your first step into the beauty industry?

My first opportunity in the beauty biz was when I was hired by an incredible makeup & brow artist, Bobbe Joy, to work in the famous Jon Peters Salon in the San Fernando Valley, CA. I was just 20 years old. She had an eponymous makeup line. I was already very good at applying makeup, but Bobbe taught me the art of eyebrow shaping. She was a master at brows! Five years later I was hired as a makeup artist for 'Cassandre Cusenza. This is when and where I developed SENNA Cosmetics in 1976. The salon’s high fashion artistry attracted celebrities, producers, directors, photographers and top beauty editors. I was in the right place at the right time.

 

This year SENNA celebrated 40 years. Looking back, which moment or milestone was your favorite?

As you can imagine, during my 40 years of professional makeup artistry, I’ve had several memorable moments and met many icons in the entertainment and art world. I’ll never forget in the mid 70’s, I did an editorial makeup project with photographer Helmut Newton! It was for Viva Magazine and the fashion editor was Anna Wintour. It doesn’t get much better than that.

What is your creative process when developing a new product?

My creative process begins with a beauty need. Having six makeup studios allows me to work one-on-one with many different types of clients to create effective products that are easy to use. For celebrities and models, I’ve had to create new techniques and products that look fabulous in HD TV and film. I love fashion so much that I bring that into the mix as well. I invented the Form-A-BrowⓇ Kit in 1992 to help women create perfect brows that were so difficult to attain. It’s a pro-artist favorite and the first of its kind.

 

What is your favorite kind of makeup look or style to design?

I love beauty and fashion editorial makeup because it’s a great format for avant garde artistic exploration. It unleashes a different dynamic in the creative process and always inspires a new technique or product that I can create for my clients. And for me!

How would you describe your signature look and what is it about your style that sets you apart from other makeup artists?

I’ve been told that I do very “clean” beauty makeup. It looks perfect through a magnifying glass. I am a meticulous detailer and my makeup has to be flawlessly blended and free of any smudges. I had to learn how to do that because in the 70’s, retouching was done by hand and it was extremely costly. Now I hear artists say “Oh, you can fix that in Photoshop.” That doesn’t cut it in my book.

Who is your beauty muse or inspiration?

French makeup artist, Serge Lutens. He is a visionary. His avant garde work is, and will always remain, the most inspirational for me.

If you were not a makeup artist, what would you do?

I’d be a fashion designer or interior designer. My passion is for color, texture, and achieving balance and beauty. It would always be an art that can evolve and express who I am.

 

What’s the best piece of advice that was ever given to you in your career?

Eat, drink, and sleep this business. You have to give 200% to be successful.

What can we expect from Senna in the near future?

The SENNA philosophy of “Beauty. Illusion. Transformation.” guides our future. We will keep the focus on customized services in our SENNA Makeup & Brow Studios. Connecting with our clientele and fulfilling their needs with our heritage of high quality, high performance services and products is our top priority. And, of course, keeping SENNA a professional, artisan brand that inspires and innovates in a meaningful way.