Beauty Q&A with Sandrine van Slee : Amayzine.com

Amayzine

Sandrine van Slee is a makeup artist, although they say in New York - where she has lived for over twenty years - makeup artist. She worked with the people who made a difference. Inez van Lamsweerde and Richard Avedon, for example. She was also the long-time makeup artist for singer Dido and had the biggest models in her chair. Kate Moss, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, May-Britt Mobach (just kidding). But I was intensely happy with her makeup because when you say Sandrine, you say thirty years of experience, style, class, and the best of Europe and New York.

What is the biggest difference between Amsterdam and New York women?

“New York women are very much concerned with their appearance. Teeth whitening, blow dry, mani pedi, waxing, everything is worked on. A New York woman is very aware of how she comes across to a man. She wants to be sexy. That's why breasts are also very important, and they wear the best push-up bras. In New York, you also get everything done; there is a salon for everything. It's a lot of work to look like a New Yorker.”

Well, I think a New York woman might look more feminine on the outside than a Dutch woman, but Dutch women are much softer, more genuine, and more feminine. A Dutch woman beautifies herself for herself, while a New Yorker takes the man into account. I think this is the biggest difference.

“It's a lot of work to look like a New Yorker.”

As far as you can speak of a ‘real’ New Yorker, what does she look like? What should I do to have the presence of a New Yorker?

“If you want to look like a New Yorker, you take care of long, nice hair, slim, lightly tanned legs, wear lip gloss, have manicured hands, and make sure your breasts are presented as well as possible. It’s all about nice boobs. Women are really concerned about how men look at them. You wear your dress as short as possible, squeeze your feet into impossible shoes, spend your entire salary on appearance. A New York woman is never understated.”

Back to the makeup chair. What is the can’t live, breathe, work without product that you always, always, ALWAYS have with you?

The most important thing is my tidy, sunny character, haha. I laugh about it, but that really makes the difference. Furthermore, rose water from the health store that I use to prep the skin and can make people wonderfully relaxed, Burts Bees lip balm, and Oribe texturizing spray for the hair.”

Of course, you model your work to the wishes of the client, but there is certainly a typical Sandrine look...

“I always try to bring out the best in someone, first look at the face closely and determine what I will do with ‘the material’. If someone has beautiful eyes, I accentuate those. If I see full lips, I will work with that. I love it when my makeup supports what someone naturally has; it should blend with the person themselves. Let’s not overdo it when you are already beautiful.”

What are your best buys from the past few months?

“Oribe texturizing spray, which you can buy on amazon.com, Burts Bees lip balm with a natural color that gives your lips a very subtle tint. Anessa from Shiseido is really the best sunscreen. It is completely matte. I need to find a Japanese assistant who can buy it for me because I haven't been able to find it here. It comes in two colors, and I am really addicted to it. Furthermore, the Canaille blush from CHANEL, it’s a kind of bronzer blush. Yes, when it comes to hair and makeup products, I buy a lot. Keeping up, that’s what it’s called.”

“We were in a fairly small space with all the top models of that moment. Karen Mulder, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Tyra Banks.”

If you dive into your suitcase, you probably see a label that is overrepresented. What brand is it? CHANEL? Dior? Bobbi Brown? Why is it your favorite?

CHANEL. They have gone through such a development in terms of colors, really incredible. The lesson 4 ombres eyeshadow, the Perfection Lumière Velvet foundation, their powders, everything is of excellent quality. The Le Volume mascara is the most intense black mascara there is. They really have great PR and send everything I ask for.”

What should all Dutch women know?

“Dutch women could do a bit more with their hair and nails. And leave that bag of fries alone, take a green juice and go exercise. New York women really exercise much more than Dutch women. It’s better for your body but also for your skin. Although there are models like Kate Moss who smoke, drink, and do everything God has forbidden and have very beautiful skin.”

Can you recommend some New York super products?

“Tarte cosmetics is from a woman whose husband died during 9-11. She has a very conscious, vegan, and eco-chic line that is not tested on animals, it has no parabens. They have beautiful lip pencils that function as lipstick (lip surgence) in matte and sheer that contain no toxic minerals and have a lovely minty flavor. Tarte also has a very nice mineral powder; the amazonian clay full coverage airbrush foundation. If you don’t want to use foundation, you can apply the mineral powder after your day cream. It’s mattifying but not too much. The body lotion from Bliss body butter in lemon and sage has a lovely refreshing lemon scent and is nice and rich. Also a must have as far as I'm concerned.”

How do you make everyone radiant, happy, and healthy again after a bad night?

“A facial massage, CHANEL concealer, a spray of rose water, Visin eye drops, a good, strong latte, and a lot, a lot, a lot of bronzing powder.”

“Working with Linda Evangelista was also a wild moment.”

When you look back on your long career, what are moments where you thought; me? Here? Wow.

“When I arrived in New York, I worked with Bruce Weber, which was immediately a highlight. I also did a show in Paris for Hervé Leger. We were in a fairly small space with all the top models of that moment. Karen Mulder, Cindy Crawford (who was still dating Richard Gere at the time), Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Tyra Banks. We were piled on top of each other to do the makeup. It was a super model moment. Since that day, Naomi Campbell no longer wants me to do her makeup because I did Tyra Banks that day. She was so angry about that because Tyra was a threat to her.

Another highlight was when I worked with Richard Avedon and we made the Pirelli calendar. We photographed the girls naked, and one girl had some wounds on her leg that I wanted to fix. Avedon then called out to me: “Don’t worry honey, I’ll fix it in retouch.” That was very kind.

Working with Linda Evangelista was also a wild moment.. She flew in with a private jet and was at the very top of her career. She was in a relationship with Kyle MacLachlan, the actor who played Trey MagDougal in Sex and the City. She asked if she was on time? I mean. She was so sweet and nice. Incredible for someone with such a track record. She and Shalom Harlow were the best of everyone to transform into the desired image. Movement-wise, Shalom might have been the best, but that face of Linda, so beautiful. Really the nicest model to work with. Naomi Campbell is on the bottom of my list. Sorry Naomi.”

Imagine you have a red carpet appearance and you can only apply one makeup product. What will it be?

“On a red carpet, there’s a good chance you’ll be filmed and photographed. The most important thing is that you don’t shine, so I would choose a mineral powder. Just be careful to choose the right powder and not a high-definition powder to avoid an Angelina Jolie-failure who recently walked the red carpet in Cannes with white powder stains.“