Who would’ve thought that a little girl from a small town in Sweden would grow up to be a globetrotting makeup artist?
Before joining the French cosmetics and skincare company NARS, Helena Kastensson started out as a fashion illustrator. She began training as a makeup artist after friends saw her potential.
“A friend took me under his wing, taught me the A to Z of makeup, and let me assist him for the next few years to understand faces, textures and colors,” she recalled.
This led her to work on high-profile shoots for publications like Elle, iD, Dazed & Confused, Wonderland and Acne Paper.
“I think that being surrounded by artists and creatives, I always saw any object or place as a canvas,” she pointed out.
After establishing herself as a fashion makeup artist, her talents earned her notable celebrity clients like Florence Welch, Cara Delevingne and Azealia Banks.
Kastensson was recently in the country to launch the NARS Steven Klein Collection.
Global makeup
When it comes to working with NARS, I love that… I am always inspired and constantly learning from people around me. I always feel lucky to assist the top makeup artists in New York or London Fashion Week, but surrounding myself with kind, creative people can be such a kick! I love meeting new people; hearing their stories can be just as inspiring as beautiful objects.
My all-time favorite products are… Nars Orgasm blusher (of course!), Nars Heatwave lipstick, Nars Luminous moisture cream.
My makeup philosophy in three words is… explore something new!
In makeup, I am most particular about… skincare! If you get the skin right, whatever you apply after will look even better!
The most valuable piece of advice passed on by François Nars is… “Don’t be so serious—it’s only makeup!”
Of all brand collaborations… I truly loved them all, but the current NARS x Steven Klein collaboration has the most impact, as I am such a fan of Steven’s photography. His images are so strong, as if you just pressed “pause” in a magical and mysterious movie set.
The products I use daily are… NARS Luminous moisture cream, Sheer Glow foundation, Audacious mascara, Orgasm multiple stick, and Mysterious Red Velvet matte lipstick.
Fashion Week Winter 2015 was all about… raw skin, looking a bit undone and eye focus. We are seeing strong, graphic disconnected liners, and metallic is coming back into fashion.
My favorite products from the Steven Klein collection are… No Shame Killer Shine lipstick, which will be a bestseller for sure, so hurry up before it’s gone! Mortal Eye Shadow, perfect for the inner eye, and Hard to Get nail lacquer.
My tip for using shimmer… Mix it with a matte color. Using only matte color on the eye makes it look flat. If you add glitter or sheen, it adds dimension and becomes more playful.
My preferred way to apply lip color is… to use a lip liner and buff the color all over the lip area for long-lasting color. Then add a bit of gloss in the center and spread it outward for dimension.
I am most known for… doing makeup with striking lips and a very defined, clean eye. I’m a minimalist who loves contrast, graphic lines and color.
Fresh scents
Top tip: If you love perfume, try the Atkinsons line of colognes and perfumes, which is now available in the Philippines. The scents will no doubt appeal to Filipinos who like their fragrances light and fresh.
The line initially consists of 24 Old Bond Street (a unisex fragrance), a cologne whose original formulation dates back to the 1800s, British Bouquet (unisex), Nuptial Bouquet (for women), Fashion Decree, and Odd Fellow’s Bouquet (for men).
Atkinsons retails for P5,200 (50 ml) and P6,800 (100 ml). Available in Art of Scent stores in Mid-Level 2/3, Shangri-La Plaza and Resorts World Manila.
NARS is at Rustan’s Department Store and Central Square mall, BGC.
