Violette’s morning beauty routine with La Mer

Violette, a Global Make-Up Artist Ambassador, wakes up at the Park Hyatt Hotel near Place Vendôme in Paris and lets us in to show us her morning beauty routine. She studied painting at the famed Ecole du Louvre and her studies of fashion and costume design contribute to her fast and remarkable career, which lets her work with photographers like Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Sorrenti and Jean-Baptiste Mondino, just to name a few. She works regularly with celebrities like Laetitia Casta, Demi Moore, Natalia Vodianova, Miranda Kerr and many more.

IRMA wanted to know how she does her own make-up routine in the morning, especially when having only little time.

IRMA: Bonjour, Violette. Tell me, how do you get started in the morning?
VIOLETTE: Well, let me tell you something about my daily skincare. In the morning, after washing my face, I start with the Roséliane cleanser by URIAGE which I find in French pharmacies. Then I take SKIN DEFENSIVE by Joelle Ciocco, which prepares my skin perfectly against stress and all the aggression from outside. I finish my cleansing routine with my favourite, The Mist. It vitalizes my skin and my spirits — now I am wide awake.I am absolutely in love with the The Moisturizing Soft Lotion by LA MER, which closes the pores of my skin and acts as/provides the perfect base for my make-up. I press it really deep into my skin with the palms of my hands, on the forehead and chin with all the pressure my hands can give so the serum? lotion is fully absorbed.

IRMA: Can you tell us a little bit about your background and why you became a make-up artist?
VIOLETTE: Actually, I studied fine art and working in make-up now is not so much different. I love classicism and the Italian Renaissance the most. What really always fascinated me about these eras is the way these old masters represented the complexion and glow of painting skin, almost a transparency and at the same time a glossiness, without being shiny all over. I learn from the old masters and translate that into my everyday make-up, which needs to be super quick in the morning, no longer than two minutes to look very natural and fresh.

IRMA: So how does your everyday make-up routine look like?
VIOLETTE: I start with the new Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 by LA MER. I really love it because it enhances the texture of the skin, super natural. I first use my fingers to put on make-up and I always start to pat in lightly a touch of make-up under the eyes and then under and around the nose. Then I take the big foundation brush by LA MER and use it for the bigger parts of the face, the cheeks, the forehead, and I almost pat in the make-up with this big brush.

If you use it carefully this way, you will not notice any contours, the make-up will blend in with your natural skin colour. To finish, I use the big powder brush and lightly conceal my skin with The Powder by LA MER. Finally, a touch of black mascara by  Bobbi Brown, and off I go!

This article was made possible thanks to the generous support of La Mer