Meet the woman behind the brand that puts equal importance to health and beauty. Kirsten Kjaer Weis is a New York based make up artist who came up with forward thinking cosmetics line that combines luxury and sustainability.
Kirsten is the woman behind the success of the certified organic makeup line, Kjaer Weis.
Considered a veteran when it comes to innumerable magazine covers and fashion shoots, Kirsten was exposed to an industry that made her aware of what today’s women really need in terms of make up products. As one of the most sought after make up artists, it didn’t took long for her to discover the irritating effects of conventional products to the skin.
Keeping that in mind, Kjaer Weis cosmetics line was formed—offering , with the promise of luxury.
Kjaer Weis is known for its colours, natural ingredients, and unique packaging. All these are products of Kirsten’s years of journey to create a high-performance cosmetics line using high-grade and organic materials.
In this exclusive interview with Alyaka, you will know more about Kirsten Kajer Weis–the makeup and beauty expert, her insights, and how she was able to fuse luxury with nature to come up with high-quality cosmetics known for their, beautiful colours and excellent packaging.
CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF BEFORE YOU BECAME A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST?
I grew up on a farm in Denmark surrounded by nature. After graduating college I started traveling and eventually returned to Copenhagen thinking I was going to study architecture. Having already lived in Paris after graduating, it was an easy decision to go back when I heard about Christian Chauveau makeup school and that quickly became my path.
CHRISTIAN CHAUVEAU SCHOOL OF ARTISTIC MAKEUP IS THE DREAM INSTITUTE OF MANY BEAUTY ENTHUSIASTS. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOME OF YOUR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCES IN THIS PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL OF COSMETOLOGY?
was really focused on learning techniques. There’s a technique for everything from shading to period makeup to applying foundation. They were more classic in the sense that they were all about installing techniques and from there you have to make it your own.
HAVING THE PRIVILEGE FOR YOUR WORK TO BE FEATURED IN DISTINGUISHED MAGAZINES, DO YOU HAVE YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES AMONG THE COVER GIRLS YOU WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH?
No, not really because I always enjoyed working with everyone. I feel so privileged to have had the chance to work on many amazing jobs and with some great beauties. Luckily, I’ve been exposed to beauty inside and out and I’ve been able to work with true professionals.
YOUR PROFILE AS A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS?
I think one of the reasons why I got booked over and over again was because people liked the way I did skin. I always saw that a pet peeve for photographers was working with a makeup artist that didn’t perfect the skin. I also think that kindness goes a long way. Being a no-drama kind of person on set is always a good skill to have.
BEING ONE OF THE MOST IN DEMAND MAKEUP ARTISTS IN NEW YORK, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US THE GLAMOUR AND DOWNSIDE (IF ANY) OF YOUR JOB?
It isn’t as glamorous as you think! It’s actually just a very normal job apart from the fact that you work on a new team every day and you get to travel a lot. That’s what makes it different, getting to do something new every day. The glamorous part for me was the traveling. That’s just a very privileged part of being a makeup artist, being able to see the world. It can also be a downside because you’re never home. At this point, most of the work I do is all the content for Kjaer Weis, which is my main focus.
WHAT ARE THE BEST FEEDBACKS THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE PEOPLE YOU WORKED WITH?
That the makeup really doesn’t look like makeup but that it’s just a simple enhancement. They love the way the skin looks and that is the best feedback I can ever get.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW THE INSIGHTS OF A DISTINGUISHED MAKEUP ARTIST LIKE YOU. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOME MAKEUP APPLICATION TIPS/BEAUTY HACKS? HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO ACHIEVE A FLAWLESS LOOK FOR YOUR MODELS?
First of all, the skin has to be prepped. The skin is truly the canvas of the makeup; you want to have it prepped with a good moisturizer or oil. After that you want to apply foundation in a “less is more” fashion. Then for blush, a good tip is to apply it to the apple of the cheek instead of underneath the cheekbone. That way it looks like an inner glow, like you’re just coming back from a yoga class! For eyes, always use an eyelash curler. It really opens up the eye.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR PRODUCT THAT HAS BECOME YOUR ‘STAPLE’ AS A MAKEUP ARTIST?
Our Cream Foundation is definitely a staple! It can be applied as sheer as a tinted moisturizer but also built up to the level of a concealer without looking cakey. Being super sheer or having coverage that can cover rosacea was so important to me when creating this foundation.
WHO OR WHAT IS IT THAT MOTIVATED YOU TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN LINE OF BEAUTY PRODUCTS?
Always having someone sit in my chair that would pinpoint products in my conventional kit complaining that it would cause breakouts. This was so absurdly normal yet at the same time I never had natural products in my kit because I didn’t think they performed well. I wanted to merge the two worlds of natural and luxury with a key focus on high performance.
AS A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST, ORGANIC PRODUCTS GAINED GREAT POPULARITY IN THE PAST YEARS AND KJAER WEIS IS AMONG THE TOP BRANDS PREFERRED BY BEAUTY ENTHUSIASTS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SECRET BEHIND KJAER WEIS’ SUCCESS?
Our performance. I think what makes us stand out is our high performance along with with the luxurious packaging. I also think that we have a niche for great colors that work on so many skin tones. They are all carefully curated and I think they always make people come back. Colors, performance, luxury is definitely what we are all about.
KJAER WEIS HAS GAINED GREATER POPULARITY BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE AND CHIC PACKAGING. HOW DID YOU CAME UP WITH SUCH IDEA?
The dream was to have true luxury packaging that was also sustainable. It seemed like the two were always separate, green and luxury, and I wanted to prove that you could leave out all compromises and have it all in one. It proved challenging to have it also be sustainable and that’s how it turned into a refill system. I feel truly blessed to have worked with a great design hero of mine, Marc Atlan. He completely exceeded all of my expectations with the design and I am so grateful.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF THE ORGANIC BEAUTY INDUSTRY?
I just see it continuously growing and expanding. I see it being the new norm and something that new generations are going to expect when purchasing beauty products. Brands like ours are proving that you no longer have to compromise anything by choosing a green brand.
AS A CLOSING NOTE, ANY WORD OF ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS WHO PLAN TO VENTURE INTO THE ORGANIC BEAUTY INDUSTRY? I’M SURE THAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW YOUR INSIGHTS.
My advice is to have a vision. After that you just need to start and go after it. There isn’t one right way but as long as you know where you want to go you will get there step by step.
