Ellis Faas: beauty trends are invented by journalists

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As we wrote before, Ellis Faas brand had finally appeared on the Russian market – it was launched in TSUM and Tsvetnoy Central Market in Moscow on December 6, 2011. Ellis came to Moscow for the launch of the brand – this is when we had a chance to talk to her (the inteview was published at elle.ru).

— Ellis, everybody must be asking you one and the same question, but still – why are all your products of fluid texture?

— Well, they ask even more often why they are all packed in pen-like bullets!

— This was exactly my second question!

— I simply wanted to create something universal. Same size. Same shape. This was the plan – to create something compact and beautiful, with which you can make your own set. I wanted to get away from the traditional square-shaped packaging of powder, shadows, anything that can be broken. As for the texture, I think that solid powder textures can not completely blend into the skin, they kind of lie on it. This is why all products come in same sized “bullets” and they all are fluids – luquid texture is better for skin.

— Was the brand created for professionals – or for everybody?

— Nope, for ordinary girs only, not makeup artists! Most makeup artists tend to get confused because of our packaging. They can’t quickly tell whether it’s an eyeshadow, lipstick or mascara, they will have to look at the bottom of the pen for shade and code. While an ordinary girl can buy five products and it won’t be a problem for her – she knows she doesn’t have red eyeshadow, so this must be her lipstick. But we have also created special clips with the help of which our products can be put together – professionals can easily group them according to functions and shades.

— If liquids can better melt into skin, why is it not often that other brands develop such products?

— I think people have to get used to this idea. Do you remember the times when mascara was packed in a box with a separate brush just as eyeshadow is packed nowadays? And now everybody is used to a mascara’s regular packaging. Just as we are used to a powder in square packaging and to the fact that no makeup is possible without brushes – simply because everybody around seem to be saying you absolutely need this and that brush – all for different needs and products, and this all becomes too complicated. And I am sure my products have great future as they are way more simple and intuitive.

— Do you think somebody will want to copy your idea one day?

— My idea is not at all unique: we have seen at least concealer and lipgloss in such a packaging. I decided to use this packaging for the complete makeup line – and this is what makes me different. In fact people are not that taken aback by the products, they may be a bit confused about eyeshadow at first, but as soon as you try it once – there is no way back. Tested on myself! I have completely given up makeup brushes and powder textures – this is way too difficult.

— Makeup artist against brushes?

— I am against complications. Of course you can’t create a truly sophisticated makeup without brushes. But will an ordinary girl – not a makeup artist – do it? I surely use brushes when I do makeup on somebody, but never for myself – this way I can get a more tender yet sexy look.

— Will there be seasonal makeup collections by Ellis Faas?

— No. I take color very seriously. I have chosen best shades of red, violet, green – I have come to this after years of work. I can’t simply change my mind about these colors just because new season has come. Declare this red shade the best one and offer another red the next quarter? No, this is definetely not for me.

There can only be limited editions of our holders – they can be silver, or christmas inspired, and soon we are to add a leather one.

As for the products – we will only add more shades, starting with eyeshadows.

— Who was the first to get bullet packaging idea?

— The idea was mine. I am crazy about military stuff! So I had this vision, and a dutch designer helped me to develop it.

— A lot of people still recall a line of makeup you created for Biotherm 10 years ago!

— This was exactly when everything started. Already at that time I wanted to create something similar, with these textures and packaging, but the packaging had already been developed by the brand then – I was late. It became clear that if I ever decide to create such a makeup line, I would have to start from the very beginning. To change an existing line into something I wanted – no brand would allow that.

— So this is when you found a manufacturer?

— Well, first I had to find some money. I already knew owners of a factory thanks to my work for L’Oreal and they had been telling me for quite some time “If you ever want to create your own line – do it with us”. So we have chosen textures and colors – it was a very long work. For example, now we have eyeshadow which was first supposed to be a highlighter – we decided to change it the the process. All Ellis Faas products were in fact handmade by me, with every shade and every product being picked up with my own hands.

— I cannot miss the chance to ask a world famous makeup artist, what she thinks about the hottest makeup trends of the season!

— I am not much into any seasonal trends.

— Quite unusual!

— I just don’t think it matters. I have worked as a makeup artist on so many fashion shows, so I know exactly how these trends appear. Every fashion show is unique, every look created for the catwalk is unique, but as soon as journalists notice red lipstick on three fashion shows they immediately declare it a trend. What is of the most importance – the very atmosphere of the fashion show, the story the designer wants to tell – for example the model is to be very pale as if she has just had a row with somebody — and the makeup artist simply has to give life to this story via makeup. This is not at all “you have to wear this lipstick to be trendy, you have to buy these eyeshadows” etc. Not at all.

— A lot of girls however do want something new every season, eyeshadows of this exact color…

— Yes, I know, but I am still against it. I don’t want to tell people what to wear.

— Your approach seems to make a girl’s life much easier.

— In fact it doesn’t – people like to be told what to do, to have some rules – and I don’t give any of it to them. What I can give – pure simple colors, simple in a way that you would never look weird wearing any of them. And I can promise that this will be the best greens, browns or violets which would look great on every one of us.

— Have you really checked it? On every every one of us?

— During numerous fashion shows. When there are 50 very different models which are to have more or less similar makeup, as a result you know exactly which colors would suit everybody.