meet a make-up artist with an inevitably Olympian calm and charm.

what nourishes you in your profession, what is the source of your inspiration?
when I do makeup for an editorial, I am part of a team, we work to serve a line defined by the artistic direction. In this case I am inspired by this drawn intention and by those around me. I love simplicity above all, I avoid overload, my research favors a minimalist rendering. thus, my travel preferences are to peaceful places like nepal. in these places, I arrive at a state of calm such that at a moment complete clarity is established in my mind, an elastic space during which new ideas come to me.

Who are the people who constitute references for you for your job?
the first person that comes to mind is my mentor: tom sinful. I had the chance to assist him for three years, it was a chance, few people realize their dreams, mine was to assist him while I was still living in Greece. there are artists too, like the fashion designer Raf Simons who moves me with his management of colors and shapes or like the photographer Herb Ritts who made me fall in love with fashion and beauty through his images.

what compliment would you like to hear or hear again in your profession?
that my work is invisible. this being valid even for a red lips or a smoky look. I am looking for naturalness in the sense that make-up must be an integral part of the person, of their deep nature precisely, of what they want to silence or claim from their morphology or even their soul.

the city or destination that inspires you or resembles you?
I would definitely say a small cyclades island like folegandros. I spend the month of August there almost systematically. the combination of light, architecture, air, landscape, gives me the feeling that my soul is liberated there, I am extremely happy and light there.

how would you define your way of being and living?
I try to lead a very normal, basically simple life. I don't want to get attached to objects, to material. I prefer people. until the end, I will treat others with respect, in my opinion good manners are one of the keys to happiness. I need fluidity, tranquility and gentleness in my life. I therefore make sure to surround myself with friendly and sincere people with simple values. kindness is so elegant.

your favorite themes in your creative approach?
I have a color that I really like and which is rather “under rated” these days in makeup: white. white is played in small touches, and the light it brings can literally change everything by bringing something imperceptible and modern. I like to work on the natural side - by that I mean, the very nature of the person - by adding a slight twist.

the person you dreamed of being able to do makeup?
without hesitation: meryl streep. head to toe! I love this woman in every way, her work as an actress, what she conveys in interviews, her deep humanity. I would have liked to paint it with a gold colored liquid, to make it a sort of Oscar award. visually express this golden aura that emanates from his person.

your signature in makeup?
I think the people I've had the chance to work for would tell you that my make-ups seem effortless even if it ultimately requires a lot of work. This is exactly what I'm looking for. that we say to ourselves: “this person is radiant” rather than “she has really good makeup”. what motivates me each time is to adapt to the person I'm doing my makeup, to identify their strengths and to enhance them. what works for one will not work for the other, you have to adapt to the morphology but also to the psychology of each person, to the way they feel. some people are made to wear statement pieces (like a very red mouth), others are not, it always comes back to the nature of the person. about wearing what is made for you, rather than what is done. makeup should reveal someone's truth rather than mask it.

your biggest challenge achieved or to be achieved as a makeup artist?
I'm very proud to be collaborating with a major brand this summer, but I can't say more at the moment. and I dream of one day being able to be creative director of a makeup brand, designing the products, defining textures, developing colors, that would be a great joy.

your ritual in your job?
before starting to work, I arrange everything I need on a table in a specific order and with extreme regularity, it takes me time but it's my way of relaxing, of refocusing... there is also the preparation of the skin which is of the order of the ritual, massaging it, cleaning it, to restore its light so as to use as little material as possible. make-up should be a moment of true luxury. you have to know how to appreciate this moment, whether it lasts 5 minutes or thirty. appreciating this time is as important as the result.

the makeup that annoys you?
standardization. wanting to do everyone's makeup the same way, despite everyone's differences. you should never fall into this trap.

have you always wanted to be a makeup artist?
I have always been in search of beauty, of aesthetics. When I was little, I was already demanding, whether it was about my hair, my clothes, or the decoration of the house. However, my dream until I was 18 was to become an English teacher. and then, I met my best friend who introduced me to make-up, and that's how I decided to express myself. meeting another person would certainly have made me someone else, but still around aesthetics, I might have become an architect or designer, who knows...

a favorite place to usually find yourself?
in the gardens of the royal palace, on a bench, listening to music or simply watching people. it's a place that I find very energizing, I feel good there.

your favorite object? how much does he weigh ?
for 5 years, I have worn a red thread on my left wrist with a tiny golden shell that reminds me of Greece.

what has weight in your life?
the people around me, family, friends. and I would also say health because it goes hand in hand with the feeling of tranquility.

your objects per gram, what are they? how do you wear them?
I first started with the 7g brushed which I wear permanently on my right wrist. it's a symbol, the person I love wears the same one. I also have the polished 21g that I wear in assembly with my 7g. I love the serenity and tranquility of le gramme, the perfect line that wraps around the wrist, the simplified design that becomes personal depending on who wears it. There is a great calmness emanating from this brand. I touch my bracelets mechanically, regularly without always realizing it, it relaxes me and reassures me, a bit like one would do with a charm.

If you could give le gramme a new shape, what would it be?
I will apply a small touch of highlighter to unworked skin. a touch of light on a point of the face, a minimal sign, elegant and fluid, like a piece of architecture.

photographer: amit israeli

stylist: elodie david-touboul