Burlesque, starring
Cher and
Christina Aguilera, opens in theaters today. With two major music divas, and an all-star ensemble cast, this dance-filled musical is sure to make a splash. To celebrate the film's opening, TEMPTU PRO's Executive Director of Public Relations,
Ava Scanlan, took a moment to sit down with Body Makeup artist for the film,
Kandace Westmore, to discuss her makeup tips and who her beauty muses are.
AS: Since the era of Burlesque was popularized earlier in the 17th-19th centuries, and this film takes place in current-day Los Angeles, was it tempting to retro-fit the costume and makeup designs, or did you want to take a more contemporary approach?
KW: The costumes were very inspiring.
Cindy Williams, Makeup Department Head, was inspired by many things from both retro to runway.
AS: Since you are working with performers that are familiar with elaborate costume and makeup designs, did that influence any designs to be more extreme when considering functionality?
KW: The Director
Steve Antin had the most influence on all the designs – the makeup, hair, and costumes. He also wrote the screenplay for Burlesque, so he visually had it in his head the look for each number so there were many makeup and hair tests that went into each look. The look of the movie especially the makeup and hair is eye candy. It was a creative collaborative project.
AS: The dancers on set were working long hours in high heels, any tips on how to keep makeup looking flawless and fresh under such physical stress?
KW: The dancers rehearsed for four months before the films, so the challenge was to cover all of their bruises and abrasions. I used TEMPTU PRO S/B for body makeup. The dancers sequences took two 18 hour days to film, so I would airbrush them in the morning and then do touch ups after lunch. The
TEMPTU airbrush makeup was longlasting, so touch ups were minimal. I rarely had to mix colors to match skin tone since TEMPTU PRO S/B has such a broad range of colors. I also used the TEMPTU PRO S-One compressor, my favorite work horse!
AS: When getting the actors and actresses ready for their roles, do you seek inspiration from real people? If so, who are your muses?
KW: My muse is my father
Marvin Westmore. He taught me so much.
AS: Last but not least, what is your favorite TEMPTU PRO product?
KW: One of my TEMPTU products is the TEMPTU PRO S/B Highlighter series. I mix different S/B highlighters and foundations to achieve a satin finish. There is a number Ali does called “Diamonds” and I used the TEMPTU PRO S/B Silver Shimmer mixed with the S/B foundations for the body makeup. Body makeup is very important to complete entire look, and should not be overlooked.
I want to thank Cindy Williams, Makeup Department Head for allowing me to be part of the makeup department and to work with such great artists.
