
Celebrity makeup artist Brenda Rippee recently discovered our skincare line and quickly became a convert to The Lancer Method. With a cosmetics career spanning more than a decade, she’s got lots of beauty tricks up her sleeve. We chatted with her to get a few tips for perfecting that camera-ready look.
Lancer Skincare: How and when did you get started in the beauty industry?
Brenda Rippee: I literally came out of the womb with a lipstick in my hand! Okay, honestly, I made my first dollar in the beauty industry by working for the Grand Dame of them all, the Estee Lauder cosmetic companies, in the late 80s while I went to college at FIDM in downtown LA. I somehow managed to actually listen to not just one but two of my college professors’ advice, which was to get out of the business side of the fashion and beauty industry and get into the art side. This advice was the turning point for the rest of my career. My marketing professor made some calls and got me my first job as an Estee Lauder Beauty Advisor in a department store in the valley. After that, I just kept saying yes to the doors that opened. From there, I went on to become an Assistant Beauty Manager at Fred Segal Essentials in Santa Monica, then onto my first feature film with the late Tony Curtis. I also freelanced for a while before landing my current gig in 2004 at Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO.
LS: What’s your beauty philosophy?
BR: Beauty lives where loves lives. So, love yourself first. When you are in love with who you are and what you do, and your environment reflects that, it is only natural that your deep, authentic most beautiful self will show up in your life, your job, your relationships, your path to purpose and drive, and of course your skin, your face and your smile. That is true beauty.
LS: When did you discover Lancer Skincare products?
BR: My dear and longtime friend in the beauty biz, William Moore, introduced me to the line and gave me some things to try. I’m always working, so it was about 3 months before I opened the box he sent me. Soon after, I was like, “Man, my skin’s texture has dramatically improved where I had scars from acne.” Then I really got interested and began to want more and started to spread the word about how wonderful the Lancer Skincare line truly is! Hey, if it’s good enough to be on Oprah’s Favorites, it’s good enough for the rest of us, right?
LS: What are your must-have products from the line?
BR: My number one must-have is the Overnight Rescue Relief. That is the first product that really made a difference with my skin. It has raised my confidence about how my skin looks on camera, in photos and naturally, without makeup. This product has made me not want to wear as much makeup as I typically do—and for someone like me, that’s a really big statement! I love how radiant and plump my skin feels and looks since using the Overnight Rescue Relief.
LS: What’s the one skincare product no girl should leave the house without using?
BR: Just one? A nighttime product with glycolic likes Dr. Lancer’s to keep the skin renewing and clear of dead skin cells is really important. By exfoliating while you sleep, you wake up one step ahead. You already have radiant, clean, healthy skin which is the foundation to any beautiful makeup!
LS: What’s your best-kept beauty secret?
BR: Sleep, eat and be well. We’ve all heard it and it’s simply true. I co-produced a nutrition awareness event last November with Milestones Ranch Malibu, a premier dual-diagnosis drug and alcohol treatment center, and LYFE (Love Your Food Everyday) Kitchen Gourmet. I spoke about the idea that what you put in your body is what it becomes. If you put in junk, you get a junky body. When you put in good stuff, you get good body. And by stuff, I’m not just referring to food and nutrition. Lack of sleep, drama and stress can all cause major free radical damage to your body’s systems, and your skin is a major indicator of those lifestyle choices. Beauty begins on the inside of your body not the outside. With that said, I’m off to get my favorite local carrot, beet, parsly, celery, wheat grass, kale, spinach, garlic and ginger juice! Yummy!
Starting in June 2013, Brenda will be sharing her beauty expertise in her private, by-appointment-only, makeup studio STUDIO 6 LA. Find out more at www.BrendaRippee.com or follow her on Instagram @BRMAKEUP
Photos: Brenda Rippee, Vinoth Chandar
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