*Gucci Westman’s* Year In Beauty
*Gucci Westman’s* Year In Beauty

Gucci Westman’s Year In Beauty

From Vogue covers with Taylor Swift to runway shows for Oscar de la Renta, Gucci Westman has done it all. Here, the A-list make-up artist and founder of Westman Atelier reveals the beauty tactics, treatments and experimental tools she believes in…

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@GUCCIWESTMAN / @WESTMANATELIER / GOOP / ROSE INC

My Biggest Beauty Rule

My number one beauty rule is consistency. Be consistent with how you care for your skin, from morning to night. Avoid anything you’re sensitive to and don’t take risks – I once got contact dermatitis from a product I used a lot, which transitioned into rosacea, which now I’m stuck with. So educate yourself around ingredients and steer clear of anything you know aggravates your skin. It’s the same as exercising; you have to put in the hours to get results.

My Morning Routine

It’s quicker than night. It starts in the shower. I always exercise first, then I finish my shower with a cold rinse – hair too if it isn’t blow dried – which sets the tone for my skin to feel awake. I’ll exfoliate in the shower – I like Eminence’s strawberry rhubarb powder for face, and Necessaire’s and Goop’s body exfoliants. Augustinus Bader has a new toner – it stings a bit but it’s gentle. Plus, I like to swipe my skin with apple cider vinegar pads – I like the feeling of tightening my skin before I do anything. I mix it up depending on the seasons, but my skin tends to be quite dry, so I like a rich cream – U Beauty’s products are great, Augustinus Bader of course, and the Rose Inc cream. I don’t go back to thin creams. My new Complexion Drops are basically the last step in my skincare routine. I also use a really lightweight SPF 50.

My Night-Time Routine 

For night-time I do a little more. Even though I wear sunscreen and don’t lie in the sun, I see more and more sun damage. Goop has a dark spot cream which really helps with annoying pigmentation – I’ll do anything in the hope of lightening it. When I used to go to Japan and Korea a lot, I would stock up on medical-grade lightening products but you can’t get them in the US. I also like the gentle Goop peel pads twice a week. If I’m hanging out and watching TV in the evening, I’ll multitask with my skincare tools and machines. I use the KOYO Miracle K II, which really helps tighten – it’s expensive but I’ve made my money back the amount I’ve used it. I have a blow dry once a week and use the machine religiously during that time. I double up with the red and blue lights on the Lyma face mask which I use alongside the activating mists – those two devices together are phenomenal. I also love the Refa face roller – I like putting it in the freezer. I do these at least twice a week. Obviously I have a lot of skincare at home, so I like to try new things – I like overnight resurfacing masks. I’m really intrigued by any product that claims to minimise pores, brighten and tighten – I’ll try anything that mentions those things, then go back if the results are good.

My Procedures

I have Morpheus 8 done by Dr Ellen Marmur around four times a year – Jennifer Anniston told me it takes away all your pores, so I was immediately sold. I also go to Macrene Alexiades – her and Dr Marmur are both smart women and they’re very natural, so I trust them. I do laser for pigmentation too, usually in the fall – it makes you feel much younger and brighter – and I’m going to try Ultherapy soon too. My favourite facial in the world is in the UK: Anastasia Achilleos works with the pelvic floor and includes some quantum healing and it’s fascinating how it all translates to your face – she can sculpt it by manipulating different parts of your body. She does a lot of fascia release. I also love Georgia Louise, Joanna Czech, and there’s a new lady I’ve heard about – Vicky Murav – who’s getting rave reviews. I’m always curious to see what’s new, powerful and effective. Dr Marmur is always shocked when she warns me something will hurt and I’m up for it anyway. The last time I did Morpheus 8 it was pretty rough.

I have an upcoming appointment with Grace Medical Aesthetic in Bedford Hills, New York. I would never add filler to my lips, but she does something pioneering to get rid of those nasty little lines I have – I’ve never smoked, but these lines are so annoying and I’m always told you can’t do anything about them. I’ll keep you posted! Botox doesn’t look great on me – I’ve tried it, but it makes me look psycho.

My Hair, Nails & Teeth

My weekly blow dries are at home, and I get my colour done by Lionel at David Mallett. I love its team in Paris too. I have a Tokyo treatment a few times a year, especially after highlights, and I tried a clean, safe version of keratin this summer, but it wasn’t as effective at fighting frizz unfortunately. Lionel also does my brows – he has great brows so I get him to mix a colour to match. If I’m on a job, Chris McMillan or Orlando Peter, the two hairdressers I work with most, will sort me out. I bleach my teeth with a dentist whose philosophy is to not use the light – supposedly it doesn’t improve the process and it just burns your teeth. He also taught me to gargle hydroperoxide at night – it has a tiny bit of bleach in it and will help with whitening. I also have a girl come to me to do my nails once a week. I did my own roots in lockdown – Justin Anderson sent me his DPQ touch up kits – but it wasn’t the same. My hair colour is the one indulgence I’d never give up.

My Treatments

The best massage I’ve ever had was during a Vogue shoot at François Nars’s compound in Bali. I don’t remember much about the details, but the whole setting and his island were just extraordinary. The coolest spa treatment was at the Dunder hotel in Switzerland – there’s a spa with activated charcoal and an ice room. I also recently had a really cool vitamin and blue light treatment in Korea at a drop-in clinic which was so accessible and cheap. I like the hydrafacials at Ever Body in NYC – they’re not expensive and they’re popping up everywhere. Korea has led the way for really accessible, ubiquitous beauty, so I think we’re definitely going to be seeing more of that in the west. 

@GUCCIWESTMAN / @WESTMANATELIER / DUNDER HOTEL / DAVID MALLETT

My Supplements

I take a daily probiotic – currently I’m on a monthly subscription called Seed. I double up on the suggested dose. I take a strong vitamin D from Parsley Health, which is a digital and in-person membership that I love – it does blood work and you can assess what you do and don’t need. I take injectible peptides from a hormone doctor in LA called Dominique Reed. You give yourself the prescription dose every day, and you have to keep them refrigerated. I take a shot of olive oil in the morning as well as apple cider vinegar, and before I do anything else I meditate for 20 minutes. I also do a pink bubble meditation from a book I’ve read a few times called Creative Visualisation – it sounds a bit out there but you visualise things in a pink bubble and I love it.

My Ride Or Die Product

I know I'm bias, but I'm so happy with my newly launched Complexion Drops – in fact I was at dinner last night and Christy Turlington was there wearing (and raving about) them. They’re perfect for people who don’t like to look like they’re wearing make-up but want to look like a better version of themselves. The brush makes it a nice experience – it all feels very wellness-y. It’s skincare that happens to do what make-up does thanks to the amount of active ingredients, including subaki oil which works to resurface and minimise your pores. There’s no benchmark for this – it’s a product I wanted which our chemist and lab worked on for a long time. Martha Stewart sent me a picture of herself the other day – she used the drops on her chest and arms, and said she’d never looked better, she never wanted to wash it off. It’s a hard category to compete in: we’re silicone free and going up against companies using up to 100% silicone to give you an insane texture. So we’re proud of the modern, desirable formula we’ve achieved.

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