This Clean Beauty Brand is A Favorite Amongst Film Industry Makeup Artists

From the golden-bronze chisel of the ancient Romans in “Gladiator II”  to Dakota Johnson’s petal pink glam in “Materialists,” Westman Atelier has cemented itself as a go-to beauty brand for industry experts across a diverse array of genres, and it’s easy to see why. Since 2018, the label has branded itself at the intersection of luxury makeup and clean beauty, with celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman (unrelated to the family behind the Italian fashion label) as its namesake founder. 

Westman Atelier entered the scene as Glossier, Milk Makeup, and Ilia sales were skyrocketing. ‘Natural’ beauty was having its moment, and yet all of its predominant brands emulated the same playful, millennial sensibility in both packaging and price point. Inspired by the emergence of designer skincare, Westman identified a gap in the market for a natural makeup equivalent and founded Westman Atelier with her husband, David Neville. The brand became an instant favorite of many of Westman’s middle-aged celebrity clients, along with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Anne Hathaway, and became known for its sophisticated, less trend-driven approach to ‘natural’ beauty. 

Considering Westman’s background as a celebrity makeup artist, it only makes sense that her makeup line resonates with the makeup artists of contemporary film and television. In today’s era of celebrity backed beauty brands, it takes a tried and true makeup artist to create something that transcends marketing gimmicks and can last on a 12-hour shoot. For Westmen Atelier, the proof is in the pudding, or rather, the brand’s elegant selection of cream blush and contour formulas. 

Makeup artist Sarah Craig, opens in new tab swears by the Westman Atelier Sun Tone Bronzing Drops, which she applies on male and female actors alike to create a luminous, tan base. Craig finds that many other tanning products leave an orange or brown color that the Westman Atelier drops manage to avoid. “She's just designed a really great product. I love products that are buildable, they're kind of a fail-safe. You can't screw it up. And to me, those are always the best products out there for anybody, for a novice or for, you know, the experts,” Craig says.

When Craig applies the product, she mixes it into a moisturizer or serum. “I would put one or two drops in your hand, work it in, and then go and do that with everything. Don't ever take a brush and dip it into a blush or anything and go straight to your face. That's a big mistake. Always take it and just kind of work it off a little and then press it in,” Craig suggests. Westman Atelier’s ingredients-based approach to formulas resonates with Craig, who evaluates makeup products the same way she would a healthy snack. “Ingredients are ingredients. I'm a middle-aged woman, and I've been doing makeup for 25 years, but I love skin care even more because if you've got a nice canvas. you don't need a lot of products,” Craig says.

In Lena Dunham’s long-awaited return to television, “Too Much,” the Westman Atelier Je Rêve lipstick makes an explicit cameo when the wife of Jessica’s wealthy boss, Ann Ratigan (Naomi Watts), offers to touch up Jessica’s makeup in the bathroom. The makeup artist behind the look, Cynthia De La Rosa, opens in new tab, chose the shade “Pip” as it was the perfect red for fairer skin. “Lena is a girl who knows her beauty. She loves her products, and I think that it makes sense for her that some part of her is sprinkled into these women that we see on camera as well.

Dakota Johnson’s go-to onset makeup artist Emma Strachman, opens in new tab also opted for the suede matte lipstick, albeit in a different color, on working woman Lucy in “Materialists.” "We loved the lipsticks and used them to bump up Lucy’s makeup look for the wedding scenes, " says Strachman, who also relied on the brand’s cream contour and blush in crafting Lucy’s look. When sourcing products for the film, Strachman wanted to find products that the character could apply on her own in a pinch. "Creams are more user-friendly and, as an artist, I love the finish of it. I love that it's very blendable, that it feels softer, and that it's a bit more hydrating," says Strachman. "The finish feels softer and more hydrated, and because I'm on set all day, I could just pop a little powder on top for touch-ups if needed."

Westman Atelier Sun Tone Hydrating Matte Bronzing Drops

Sephora

Buy For $58

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick

Westman Atelier

buy for $48

Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick

Westman Atelier

buy for $48

Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Pip

Westman Atelier

Buy For $50

Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Ja Rêve

Westman Atelier

Buy for $50