Up Close with Celebrity Makeup Artist: Beverly Fink

Photos by: David Vance

Beverly Fink is a celebrity makeup artist and green beauty consultant with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She's known for creating gorgeous looks for magazine covers, editorials, catalogues, commercials, advertising, and film.  Her work has been featured on U.S. and International magazine covers such as Italian Bazaar, Shape, Vanity Fair, French Elle, Paris Match, Interview, In Style,  Australian Vogue , Amica, Fitness, Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stones, and Ocean Drive JUST to name a few!

Beverly has created the looks of top models from the 80's and 90's such as Christy Brinkley, Niki Taylor, Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour, Liv Tyler, Carol Alt, and Famke Janssen, Jennifer Flavin, Rebecca Romijn, Claudia Schiffer, and a Bee Gees video. Bring back the memories..please! Having grown up in the 80's, I personally idolized these women whose photos adorned the magazines on every coffee table in the neighborhood!  And if that isn't enough, Beverly has done makeup for models in over 300 commercials and ads including Cover Girl, Tag Heuer, Conair, Sunglass Hut, Miller Light, and American Express.

So why after using hundreds of products day in and day out, did Beverly feel the need to switch to using GREEN beauty products?  We became very curious and thought our readers and customers would also like to know! So… we asked her! She graciously spent some time with us to answer questions and to share her story.

CC: Tell us about your experience as a makeup artist - what about it did you enjoy the most?

BF: I worked with so many nice people - super models, actors, sports figures, cancer patient, brides and  more. My job is to enhance my clients’ beauty through makeup artistry. What I enjoy most is bringing women happiness through the beautification process. Most of all, I love seeing my work in magazines, on covers and commercials.

CC: Whom did you enjoy working with and what were your most memorable moments?

BF: Everything and everyone was memorable at that time. Looking back, some of the most memorable moments include working with iconic photographer Helmut Newton doing a shoot for Vanity Fair. His character was genuine - so nice and down to earth.

Beverly treasures her experience working with sisters Krissy and Niki Taylor. She remains close to the family since they met  - when Niki was just 13.  Photo courtesy - Scott Teitler

Another unforgettable experience was my first national cover on Seventeen magazine, featuring sister super models, Krissy and Niki Taylor. It was Krissy’s first cover too. The relationship between the sisters was truly special. Together with photographer Scott Teitler, the day was like nothing else. It was as if we were one family. I cherish that time.

Other people I’ve enjoyed working with were the smart, lovely Cindy Crawford and at that time, the up and coming Liv Tyler. I made them up for MTV’s House of Style in the 90’s.

Christie Brinkley was another memorable person with whom to work. I did her makeup as she was photographed with the Atlanta Braves; it was a special day.

CC: Throughout your career, where did you get to travel?

BF: I took countless trips to New York, LA and the Bahamas.

CC: You must have worked with a lot of chemicals throughout your career. Did you feel that they were adversely affecting your health, and what led you to make the change to green beauty?

BF: In 2010, I began getting sick with respiratory infections. I visited dozens of medical specialists, and no one knew the cause. Finally a test revealed my immune system was compromised - I couldn’t effectively fight infections anymore. As I researched, I learned about chemical sensitivity, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. And I pieced it together, I’d been exposed to too many chemicals for too long!

After all, I’d been to beauty school and started working in hair salons when I was still a teenager. I wore layers of makeup seven days a week, re-applying lipstick and glosses all day long. I was in nail salons regularly. My lifestyle exposed me to chemicals around the clock. And as I breathed chemicals at salons and absorbed chemicals through skin care products and face makeup, ingested chemicals from lip sticks and glosses, eventually my body became overloaded with toxins.

When I realized that chemicals from my lifestyle were a big part of my health problems, I decided I had to find products that were clean of toxins and still top of the line. As a rule, I use only the safest products on the market. And of course, I encourage all of my clients to use safer choices. I educate women anytime I have the chance; and while many still don’t understand my message nor see the relevance to their lives, I feel that if I can save one woman from going through the health issues I’ve been through, it’s worth it!

CC: What advice can you give young women about the products they use?

BF: I encourage young women to be aware of the potential dangers of beauty products, and to actively seek healthier ways to be glamorous. They should look for products that are free of harmful chemicals. Some of the worst are parabens, sulfites, phthalates, benzo-peroxide and dioxins. You can read more about specific chemicals and safety charts. 

And while it may not seem chic, I encourage women to wear a mask when they go to a hair or nail salon. I have to wear masks now, but wish I did it all my life so that my lungs were healthier now. Don’t underestimate the damaging effects of breathing in chemicals!

CC: We know you’ve worked with women who have breast cancer. Talk about the endocrine disruptors in makeup and how important it is to go organic.

My understanding is that many of the synthetic chemicals in makeup  act as xeno-estrogens in the body. They confuse the body, especially the endocrine and lymphatic systems. Many physicians and medical experts believe that xeno-estrogens (also found in foods like soy, plastic bottles, and others) contribute to hormone sensitive diseases, including cancer. They may also play a contributory role in diseases such as PCOS, infertility and more.

The bottom line is that you can still look pretty with organic makeup!  You needn’t risk your health. Young women must first know the risks associated with applying makeup to the face and lips, and then actively replace them with organic and minimally toxic brands that don't compromise women’s health.

Beverly in action, applying makeup to this gorgeous bride to be. Photo courtesy: Karin Von Voigtlander

CC: Can you give us your best makeup application secrets?  For example - concealer over foundation - or foundation over concealer?

Lips are arguably a girl’s greatest allure, only rivaled by her eyes. It’s important to exfoliate those suckers regularly. You can use brown sugar and coconut oil, or another oil or butter, like shea, olive, almond, etc. I use organic lip balms and lip conditioners to create smooth lips when I make up a woman. Cracked lips don’t look pretty with lipstick, so conditioning and hydrating are huge! Remember that drinking water and staying hydrated is also of key importance.

I like to apply lipstick two different ways. If you want a matte look, fill in your entire lip area with a lip liner you like. Then put a dot of matching lipstick (something sheer) in the center of your lips, blot and that’s it; you’ll have a natural matte look.  My favorite thing is a stained lip. Use a berry or wine colored lipstick. Take your middle finger and put a large dot on the center of your bottom lip. Then blot your lips together, and you’ll have a stain that creates luscious lips!

And...I personally like concealer under a lightweight tinted moisturizer on myself, but have done the opposite on others. 

Favorites!

What are some of your favorite products from The Choosy Chick?

• Dr Alkaitis
• NŪDUS
• 28 Litsea Melted Buttah and Lip Buttahs
• MOA Hello Sunshine Body Oil & Green Balm
• INIKA: Liquid Foundation, Bronzer, BB Cream, Eye Pencils and Concealers

What are your favorite foods, books and movies?

Food:

My morning breakfast is a gluten-free waffle with almond butter, fresh fruit and 2% Greek yogurt with cinnamon, flax seed, and a maple syrup and agave blend.

One of my favorite standbys is an organic turkey burger with arugula, Tom’s mustard sauce and fresh avocado. (Hmmm wonder where we get Tom's sauce…)

I also love anything that my nutritionist, Rachael Richardson, makes for me. She focuses on turning healthy functional foods into delicious meals! Some of the things she has introduced me to include gluten-free foods, anti-inflammatory eating, immune-focused nutrition and more. Food has been of immense importance in my own health care journey.

 Books:

Head Coach by Mike Jarvis because I love the way he conveys spirituality through coaching. It’s unique and special.  Eat Pretty by Jolene Hart and Clean Green Eats by Candice Kumai.

Movies:

• The Theory of Everything
• The Sound of Music
• The King's Speech
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s

If you could have dinner with three people of your choice, whom would you pick and why?

• Audrey Hepburn – She’s one of the greatest humanitarians, I love her movies and her beautiful soul.
• Meryl Streep  -  I believe she is the most talented actress in Hollywood and I admire her for her family values  and support of women's rights.  She is beautiful and generous.
• Bruno Mars – I love his work and story of success and perseverance. He makes me soulful, and I want to sing and dance!

Bravo, Beverly, for your commitment to the Green Beauty Industry and for building awareness  about the overabundance of chemicals in products! You can follow Beverly on social media by clicking here:

 INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

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