She Uemura's artistic director, Gina Brooke, shuttles around the world for photo shoots (she glammed up Madonna in W's March issue), preps her celebrity clients for the red carpet, and, of course, creates the most stunning lashes for the company. The Toyko Lash Bar's 2009 Lashes in Nature collection (which hits stores in June) is a gorgeous mix of dramatic plumes, rainbows, and furlike materials. We caught up with Brooke the day before she flew out to a shoot in L.A. and chatted about everything from B.B. King to her days as a lingerie designer.
For the new Flower Garden lashes (which hit in June), how did you translate the floral concept into lashes?
I have so many ideas that it can be overwhelming, but that's the beauty of being an artist and working with corporate. They say just choose one, when choosing one is really hard. They get me focused.
Who was the first celebrity you worked on?
B.B. King. He's so cool. And Madonna was my second.
What can you possibly do to B.B. King?
I prepped his skin and gave him a bit of concealer.
What products do you swear by?
An eyelash curler, mascara, blush, and lipstick.
You have access to everything. Do you still even shop for beauty products?
I try to find things where people don't. I travel a lot, so I like to mix products and create stuff.
What beauty trends do you hate?
I hate trends in general. I don't believe in everyone looking like everyone else.
What was the first designer item you bought?
The first designer item I bought in makeup was Shu Uemura in Soho, NYC, and for clothing it was a Halston dress and YSL shoes.
What brands, other than your own, do you wear most?
The only perfume I wear is Fracas.
-Aja Mangum
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