The global makeup artist discusses her career journey, top makeup tips, and more.
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00:00Hey Essies, it's Akili King, Senior Beauty Editor at Essence Magazine, and today I'm
00:05presenting In the Chair, our series where we sit down with some of our favorite hair
00:10and makeup artists.
00:11And today I have the pleasure of being with Naima Bremer, the global makeup artist of
00:16Fenty Beauty and celebrity makeup artists.
00:19She's going to walk me through some spring makeup tips.
00:23Let's get into it.
00:30So, how are you?
00:33I'm excited we're doing this.
00:34I'm so excited.
00:36Ready for the glam session?
00:36Ready.
00:37I'm ready.
00:38Okay, I'm going to give you just, I'm going to make you look like yourself, but like glowy,
00:42beautiful, make the melanin pop, and do a nice little lip combo.
00:46You don't love a lip combo, right?
00:47We love that.
00:48Ready for some spring refresh.
00:50Yes, exactly.
00:52Okay, I'm going to tell you this.
00:54Have you tried this before?
00:55I haven't actually.
00:56I feel like no one is talking about this.
00:58This is actually like one of my favorite things to do, like for red carpets and stuff
01:02like that.
01:03So, this is basically kind of like a, I would say like, it's like a retexturizing treatment.
01:12So, it's really going to smooth texture.
01:14Like usually we're talking kind of about getting like hyper, rid of hyperpigmentation, but this
01:21actually also smooths out texture, which is so important because you can't hide texture
01:27when you're doing makeup.
01:28So, I'm just kind of wetting your skin a little bit.
01:32You want to make sure that your skin is kind of hydrated a little bit.
01:37So soothing.
01:38And then I'm just going to add a couple of drops of this.
01:44So, this is basically like almost like a gentle peel is what it is.
01:50Definitely.
01:51And I'm just going to like gently massage this onto your skin.
01:57And you don't want to be like rough with it.
02:02And I swear, it's really going to give you like that glowy skin.
02:06It's going to like smooth out skin texture.
02:09And like, I don't know why anyone is not talking about the product.
02:12I love it so much.
02:13It's so good.
02:14Yes.
02:14Especially as a pre-makeup step.
02:17I haven't heard people talking about that.
02:19Because you have to make sure that the base is prepped and smooth before you do any makeup.
02:26So, that is so important.
02:28And I also like to do the neck a little bit too.
02:32Yeah.
02:33Amazing.
02:34And so, you mentioned red carpet.
02:36Speaking of red carpet, you were doing amazing glam on Iman Hamam for the Masjala.
02:43What was that like?
02:44It was amazing.
02:45You know, Iman is, she's just amazing to work with.
02:48She's just like a dream to work with.
02:51She's so sweet.
02:51So beautiful.
02:53You know, it's always nerve-wracking because you know it has to just look perfect for the red carpet.
03:00Right.
03:00But, yeah.
03:01I mean, we made it work, you know?
03:03Mm-hmm.
03:04Gorgeous bombshell glam.
03:07I know.
03:07She's stunning.
03:08Yes.
03:08What were some key techniques that you used to bring her look to life?
03:13I feel like we really made sure that like her skin was just really prepped really nicely.
03:18We did a really like nice matte base.
03:21Mm-hmm.
03:22And also, I just wanted to make her melanin pop.
03:26So, we kind of just focused on just a brown tone.
03:31Mm-hmm.
03:32Not too much like distracting makeup.
03:35Right.
03:35I just wanted it to look like Iman.
03:39Yeah.
03:39I guess iconic supermodel that she is.
03:42Absolutely.
03:42And boncha.
03:43Yeah.
03:43I guess you'll see some of the tricks I'm going to use on you today, right?
03:47I'm just going to take off the pre-show glow with a little water.
03:58If you're going to use a pre-show glow on yourself, maybe you don't use it every day.
04:04Okay.
04:04Got it.
04:05It's really like, I only use it for like special events.
04:09Right.
04:09Okay.
04:11And then otherwise, you would say maybe more?
04:13Four weeks a week.
04:14Yeah.
04:14And kind of when you do it.
04:15Well, I always say really like any active ingredients, you have to just build it up slowly because you don't want to overdo it.
04:23So, if you start, maybe just start once a week.
04:25Mm-hmm.
04:26If you see that that is going well, you could do like twice a week, but you definitely don't have to do it every day.
04:31Okay.
04:31We're going to hydrate.
04:33I really like hydrating.
04:35It's just the most important step when it comes to doing makeup.
04:39Mm-hmm.
04:40Because you need a hydrated base for like your foundation to sit well onto your skin and to really kind of like blend in.
04:48And a thing that I noticed, especially with black women, like I grew up in the Caribbean, so I noticed that women don't hydrate their skin because they think, oh, my skin is glowy or it's a hot day out.
05:02Like I need to keep my skin dry.
05:03Right.
05:04But when it comes to like hydration, so like a serum type of hydration, you really just can never do too much.
05:12Right.
05:12You know, if you have oily skin, you can pick like a lighter weight moisturizer, but in terms of the serums that you use, you actually just want to like drench your skin in hydration.
05:26Absolutely.
05:26So, I'm actually just going to do a second layer.
05:28I love this.
05:29Let's do it.
05:29I love a dewy glow, so.
05:31Yes.
05:31Not mad.
05:32And it's going to sink into the skin, and it's actually when your skin is hydrated, it's actually going to help by kind of telling your skin, oh, we don't need to produce as much oil.
05:42Because the skin isn't drying out.
05:44Right.
05:45It's like nice, hydrated, you know.
06:06Okay.
06:07The last step for your hydration, we're going to go in with a little bit of hydrofizer and moisturizer, a really nice lightweight moisturizer.
06:18It has the SPF in it, and they really protect your skin, and I just love that this just goes completely clear.
06:26So, it's amazing for underneath your makeup.
06:29It gives you like a beautiful glow.
06:31Okay.
06:37I feel like a kid before school, when my mom would just slather Aquaphor on my face and send me off.
06:44Right.
06:45This is the grown-up version.
06:48So, for foundation, I'm going to use the e-drop on you today.
06:51Have you tried this already?
06:52I have.
06:53I love that.
06:53It's so much.
06:54So good, isn't it?
06:55It's perfect.
06:55So, this is just such a beautiful blurring foundation, and I think a lot of people think that blurring means it's only for oily skin, but this is just really like a beautiful, like a skin tint product.
07:09Right.
07:09And I'm actually kind of matching your forehead color a little bit.
07:13Like, your skin color is a little bit lighter here, but we're going to bring back those light tones with the concealer.
07:19So, I'm just going to use number 14 on you, and I like to also just bring the forehead color onto the cheek, like this.
07:34Nice.
07:35What are your thoughts on underpainting and seeing that happening a lot?
07:39You know, I like it.
07:40I like the underpainting because especially if you're not good at, like, blending, the underpainting makes it kind of easier to blend out.
07:48Right.
07:48Sometimes, I feel like the blush, people have a hard time with, like, blending out blush or, like, contour.
07:53So, I think it's nice.
07:54Right.
07:55It just takes a little bit of practice, I would say.
07:56Yeah, absolutely.
07:58Do you do that on a daily basis, the underpainting?
08:00I don't.
08:01I'm, like, very baseline makeup, a little concealer, maybe some blush, mascara, call it a day.
08:10Well, I mean, you are a working woman, so I get it.
08:13I get it.
08:14I have the same.
08:14Like, when I have to go to work, I don't want to do a lot.
08:16Right.
08:17I just want to bang it on and go.
08:18Exactly.
08:19So, the eavesdrop foundation is really going to, like, blur any pores, but it's still going to look like skin.
08:26It has, like, I would say a natural finish to it.
08:29What I like about it is that it's not, like, overly glowy, but not overly matte.
08:34Right.
08:34It's, like, that perfect kind of, like, natural skin.
08:39I would love for you to tell me about your earliest beauty memory, when you fell in love with beauty.
08:46Obviously, you're a global, renowned makeup artist now, but take us back to little Naima.
08:52Oh, my God.
08:53Oh, my little Caribbean Naima.
08:55Yes.
08:55Hurry up on a small island.
08:57I know.
08:58I mean, you know, my first interaction with just beauty is my mom.
09:05I have, like, a true Caribbean mom, you know, Sunday, go to church, got to put on the makeup, the outfit, everything.
09:13Right.
09:13So, you know, I watched my mom always just really take care of her skin, put on her red lipstick in the morning.
09:21She still does to this day.
09:22Right.
09:23She always has her red lipstick on.
09:26I love it.
09:26So that's really, like, my first introduction to beauty, basically.
09:32And it was also, I think, how my mom and I bonded.
09:35We would just, like, go to makeup stores and just, like, you know, we didn't even have to necessarily buy the makeup,
09:41but we would just love to just walk around and see all the beautiful beauty products that would come out.
09:47So, yeah, that's really, like, what started my passion.
09:50And now it's turned into, like, an obsession.
09:52Absolutely.
09:53And your career.
09:54So what was the kind of turning point for you when you were like, this has to be my career and not just something for fun?
10:01I think when I moved to Europe, I moved to Europe to study.
10:05And because in that time, there was no Instagram.
10:08There was, like, all of that did not exist.
10:11So I didn't even know that doing makeup, I thought it was just a hobby because I've always been doing it.
10:16Right.
10:16I thought it was just a fun hobby that I had.
10:19And once I moved to Europe, I was like, wait, people actually do this as, like, a career choice?
10:24And so I stopped studying.
10:27Obviously, my mom freaked out, like, any Caribbean parent would do.
10:29Like, get in the doctor, get out of college.
10:31Like, you know what I mean?
10:32Yes.
10:34But, yeah, I was just like, this is just what I want to do.
10:37I had already been doing it.
10:39I just thought it was, like, a fun little hobby.
10:42And I just went for it, basically.
10:44I love applying concealer right here in that inner corner.
10:49That's kind of where we want the most brightness.
10:52And I love to just smooth this out.
10:56It has such a nice applicator.
10:58And it's so soft, so I love to just smooth it out.
11:02And my little trick is to just, like, let it set for, like, a couple of seconds.
11:06And then you're still blending it out.
11:07So, I'm just going to blend the edges.
11:09I'm just going to do a little bit more, like, right here.
11:20Just for a little bit more extra brightness.
11:23Perfect.
11:24And would you say it's a full coverage concealer, buildable?
11:29Yes, it's buildable.
11:30Definitely buildable.
11:31So, you can get, like, a really natural finish out of it.
11:35But you can also get, like, a nice medium coverage out of it.
11:39And it's really buildable.
11:41Okay.
11:42So, I'm not going to fully blend the concealer.
11:44And I'm going to show you my little trick.
11:45Okay.
11:46So, this is my little trick.
11:47So, grab your sponge and the You Miss Setting Spray.
11:51This is our new setting spray.
11:52Love it.
11:53And you're basically just going to drench this and wet it with this.
11:58Okay.
11:59And I like to just kind of, like, press it in to really, like, absorb the product into the sponge.
12:04Nice.
12:05That's the cutest little sponge ever.
12:07I love it.
12:08So, you do want to make sure that it's kind of, like, damp, not, like, drenching wet, obviously.
12:13And then you're just going to blend out your concealer with this setting mist.
12:19And this is really going to, like, lock it in.
12:23It's going to, like, smooth it out.
12:26And this really, I've noticed that this really helps with the creasing.
12:31Right.
12:32Yes.
12:34So, I'm going to give you a little bit of a snatch.
12:36Amazing.
12:36The match takes.
12:38And I know that contouring is really difficult for people.
12:41I love to contour, actually.
12:43So, I'm going to use a shade that is slightly darker.
12:48But also has a bit of warmth in it.
12:50So, you can kind of choose.
12:52You can choose, like, kind of, like, a little bit of a warmer shade.
12:54Or you can go in with, like, a cool shade and really, like, contour.
12:58But I feel like for every day, contouring is fine.
13:01So, really load up your brush.
13:03That's the most important thing.
13:04And I always start right here, like, at the hairline.
13:08And kind of move my way in.
13:11Got it.
13:11And then you always want to blend going upwards like that.
13:17Because, you know, we want to be lifted and snatched, right?
13:22No, yeah.
13:22Just blend up.
13:25When you said, you know, people struggle with contouring.
13:28I'm people.
13:29I definitely struggle.
13:31So, I appreciate these tips.
13:34Yes.
13:34It's really important.
13:36Just load up your brush.
13:37So, it's just evenly distributed.
13:39That's, like, the most important thing.
13:41And, like, be, like, a little makeup artist.
13:43Like, blend it out on your hand.
13:45And then you'll have, like, a really just soft, diffused application, basically.
13:55So, next up, we're going to set the base.
13:58We know her, right?
13:59She's iconic.
14:00She is iconic.
14:01And we're just going to set this.
14:03It's really going to mattify the skin.
14:06And it's going to set it.
14:07It's going to blur.
14:09And it's amazing for touch-ups, too.
14:13Also obsessed with this brush.
14:15It's so fluffy.
14:16Right?
14:17Every time I use this, everyone's like, what is this brush?
14:19I'm a little bit old.
14:21I need her.
14:22I know.
14:23And a brush is nice because it gives you kind of, like, a softer finish.
14:27And if you want a little bit more mattiness, you can use, like, a puff or something like that.
14:31But I always love just dusting it off with the brush.
14:35Right.
14:35I have eczema and, therefore, very dry skin, especially around my eye area.
14:42What would you say to me and those who might struggle with that, you know, in the makeup process?
14:48Well, I would say maybe less powder and definitely a lot of hydration.
14:53Like, you want to really slather on a lot of eye cream and just really make sure that you do not, like, bake or anything.
15:03Right.
15:03Like, just keep it really hydrated and moisturized.
15:07Nice.
15:07So, this is, like, one of my favorite bronzers, actually.
15:12It's the Sunstalker Bronzer in Caramel Cutie.
15:15It's so good.
15:16It's, like, a beautiful, like, camel-colored bronzer.
15:20It's just perfect, especially, like, for your skin tone.
15:23Like, I love it for my skin tone.
15:24I love to use it on the eyes.
15:26It's just so gorgeous.
15:27You are known for making the likes of Iman Hamam, Lori Harvey, et cetera, glow.
15:35But also, I feel like you're known for not only, like, this bombshell look, but also gorgeous graphic eyes and color pops.
15:43You do it all.
15:44But I'm curious, what's your favorite beat to do?
15:48Ooh.
15:50Or type of beat?
15:50Oh, my God.
15:51That's so difficult.
15:52Great answer.
15:53My favorite, for sure, glowy skin.
15:55Mm-hmm.
15:56I just love a beautiful, a beautiful, like, buttery, perfect skin.
16:01And I do love a cat eye moment.
16:05Mm-hmm.
16:07And, like, a good, like, lip combo.
16:10I love a good lip combo.
16:11Yes.
16:11Whenever I can do a nice lip combo, I'm like, yes.
16:14No, literally.
16:15Your lip combo right now had the whole office gagging, so I get it.
16:21You're a pro at that.
16:22I know.
16:22I love it.
16:23You know, it really comes from me being from the Caribbean.
16:26You know, we love the lip combos.
16:28We love the lip liner.
16:29Mm-hmm.
16:30Absolutely.
16:31Okay, so I'm going to use the new Heli-Thick Mascara.
16:34You know, the Arconic Heli-Thick Mascara gives you, like, above-a-room lashes.
16:38So we have a new shade, which is brown.
16:40It's called Lesby Blunt.
16:41Cute.
16:42Like, it just ties in perfectly with the lip that we did.
16:45Amazing.
16:45You can look down, though.
16:48And I'm just going to run that through your lashes.
16:54And I always like to kind of wiggle it at the base.
16:57Mm-hmm.
16:57And then do you have any makeup or beauty myths that you'd like to bust today?
17:07Or trends that you're like, hmm, maybe this isn't the best idea for the girls to be doing?
17:12Because, you know, I just want people just to feel good.
17:17I feel like if a person just is feeling themselves, like, you could wear a crazy whatever you want, like, a blush and a glitter and whatever.
17:27But if someone, like, oozes, like, confidence, I feel like just wear whatever you want.
17:34Exactly.
17:34Yeah.
17:34It's all about the confidence.
17:35Yeah.
17:36The only thing I would wish that would, like, make a comeback is kind of that 90s where we kind of step away from a lot of blush.
17:44Yeah.
17:44I feel like we had a big blush moment.
17:46Definitely.
17:47And I would love to see kind of, like, cool tones or, like, blondzing and all of that.
17:54Definitely.
17:55I'm really hoping that that is going to, like, be there.
17:56Yeah.
17:57I love what you said about cool tones.
17:59I saw that you recently did Naomi Sharon's makeup.
18:03And I feel like she's really known for that cool, muted tone.
18:07Yeah.
18:07She's the mom.
18:08I love the cool tone moment.
18:09I feel like we need to go into cool tone moments.
18:10We had the blush and the warm tone moments for a while.
18:15It's time to transition, ladies.
18:17Yeah.
18:18My favorite part, lip pomo.
18:20The moment has all been weighed out for.
18:22Definitely.
18:23So I'm going to use a little round out, trace out lip liner.
18:26This is such a good brown lip liner.
18:29It's just going to work for pretty much every single skin tone almost.
18:33We also have a beautiful one, which is called Cold-Blooded.
18:37That's really going to be super beautiful for all of my deep, dark queens.
18:46And the browned out is just, I don't know, just like it takes me back to the Caribbean.
18:52Mm-hmm.
18:54Like that.
18:55And if you want to overline your lips, I always say just overline the center only.
19:01Don't do like the whole lip.
19:03And it's going to give you like a really beautiful, natural-looking pout.
19:07So just here, like on the cupid's bow.
19:11And then along the sides, you just follow your natural lip line.
19:16Like that.
19:24Amazing.
19:26Just do a little here on the sides, too.
19:30And these lip liners do not budge.
19:32Oh, just look at that.
19:35Look at this color.
19:36Oh, my God.
19:37This is honestly my favorite.
19:38My favorite color.
19:40Period.
19:41And just for a little bit more drama, just going to add a little bit of Gloss Bomb in Fussy.
19:49Just kind of in the center.
19:53For a little bit more sparkle and a little bit more of a pop.
20:00Like that.
20:02Oh, my God.
20:04These lips, honey.
20:07Lips are listening.
20:10Can't wait to see.
20:11So now that my beautiful full beat is done, I'm ready for spring.
20:16Yes.
20:17But also curious, you know, as someone with sensitive skin,
20:21what do you tell your clients for kind of keeping their skin healthy underneath the makeup?
20:27Well, it's really important to find the skin kind of routine for your skin.
20:33And really just be gentle on your skin, too.
20:35Like, it's great to incorporate, like, exfoliants and actives.
20:40Right.
20:40That's going to treat your skin.
20:41But also, you never want to overdo it.
20:43And you really want to make sure that you really hydrate the skin.
20:46Right.
20:46Like, that is, like, super important for every single skin type, basically.
20:51Absolutely.
20:52Yeah.
20:52And when it comes to removing your own makeup, do you have a go-to routine?
20:57I always say, in terms of removing your makeup, you really have to double cleanse.
21:01Like, that is so important.
21:03So we have the Melt-Off Cleanser.
21:04I like to do that on dry skin.
21:06Really just, like, rub it off.
21:07And it's, because it's, like, an oil cleanser, it's really gentle.
21:11So you're not rubbing and tugging on your skin, because that's also really irritating, especially
21:15if you have sensitive skin.
21:17So really just, like, dissolve your makeup and, like, your SPF and everything with that.
21:21And then do a double cleanse.
21:23Then we also have our Total Cleanser, which is just a really beautiful, like, foaming cleanser,
21:28just to really make sure that your skin is, like, super clean.
21:32Absolutely.
21:32Yes.
21:33Double cleanse, noted.
21:35Amazing.
21:35And then you obviously work with some incredible people all day.
21:42I'm curious, what's a bit of advice that you give your clients to feel confident beyond
21:47putting makeup on them?
21:50What's something you tell them before, like, a big night?
21:52And just your confidence advice in general.
21:55That's a good question.
21:57I feel like, to be honest, I feel like when I finish the makeup, it's almost like my clients
22:02transform, and they really feel themselves.
22:06Yeah.
22:07And so I just always say, just do whatever makes you feel good, and just wear the makeup
22:14and the look that makes you feel like your authentic self.
22:18And I think that that is really going to give you confidence.
22:22You're going to be able to feel yourself.
22:23And then kind of be ready to take on the world.
22:25Absolutely.
22:26Well, I feel ready to take on the world.
22:29And my day, I have a day full of interviews coming up.
22:32Amazing.
22:33You're ready for whatever.
22:35And thanks to you.
22:36Thank you so much for being here today with us.
22:38Thank you for having me.
22:38You're so lovely.
22:40I learned a lot.
22:41I hope you guys did, too.
22:43And please tune in again very soon.
22:47Bye.
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