French-born, New York-based makeup artist and entrepreneur Violette Serrat has been at the top of her game for over a decade. She has painted the faces of celebrities like Adele and Madonna and recently launched her own multi-category vegan cosmetic brand called Violette_FR. Landing at Mecca Cosmetica this month, editor Trudi Brewer got the chance to chat with Serrat about what else - beauty.
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After 15 years of dreaming during a global pandemic, Violette_FR finally came to fruition in 2021. At that same time, Serrat became a mum (she now has two children), and in 2022, she took on the role of Guerlain’s Creative Director of Makeup. Today, like most busy women, she juggles her roles as CEO of her brand while working with another luxury French brand. Serrat is the epitome of chic style and rocks a matte red lip like nobody else on the planet; her eponymously named brand, with the addition of an ‘FR’ in Violette_FR, which stands for ‘France,’ she says “is street luxury” makeup made to be accessible and wearable. Well-curated, it’s a collection of multi-purpose skincare and makeup products created to help you look the best version of yourself. Here is her inspiration, her beautiful brand and her thoughts on beauty.
Why did you become a makeup artist?
I originally wanted to become a painter but realised the career path would be too long and lonely. With makeup, every day is different. You're working with people, different muses and crew. It's inspiring.
What do you love most about being a makeup artist and content creator?
It's like art. I paint on muses. You create a look, and then you can remove it. It's just for a moment. Content creation comes from wanting to help others. I want to encourage them to feel good about themselves and educate them about beauty to empower them to do what most inspires them.
What is your favourite look right now?
It changes every day. My looks are created based on my mood when I wake up.
What other makeup artists/beauty icons inspire you?
I'm more inspired by art, painters, and poets such as Yves Klein, Cocteau, and Rhotko.
Who are some of your favourite faces to work on?
People or muses not used to applying makeup discover a new version of themselves that they didn't know existed. Once they wear makeup, I can see them fall in love with themselves again. That is so magical to me.
VIOLETTE_FR Bisou Balm, $51.
Uber-moisturising yet matte, this balm’s texture is addictive. One of the founder’s favourite lip looks is “bouche mordue” (just bitten lips), which describes the finish you get with this balm. Think of a subtle stain of colour that treats the lips simultaneously with plant-seed oils and bark extracts.
There are five shades.
Where do you find inspiration??
Art, fashion, and nature - everywhere.
How does your style influence and inspire your brand?
My style is minimalistic with a touch of warmth. For fashion, it's not girly; I don't have an outfit that is too busy. It's a mix of feminine and boyish accents. I don’t want to look sexy, but I want to look sensual. I always have this balance where, if I have a strong statement, everything else will be chill, which is what I do for makeup. For interior design, it’s pretty minimalistic but has some artistic notes. I surround myself with art and objects that are meaningful to me, and when you look at the products I develop, they all come from something special to me, whether it's my story, an object, or an art piece.
VIOLETTE_FR Bisou Blush, $63.
Combining a marbled two-tone colour and creamy matte finish means you can get a barely there or a buildable wash of blush. The “sfumato” painting technique inspired the clever colour combination. Pat it on with your fingers and then blend it into the skin with the custom-created brush supplied.
There are four wearable shades.
Who did you create your brand for?
I want everyone to feel welcomed and inspired by my brand.
What does the word beauty mean to you?
I love the quote from Rainbow Rowell, "She never looked nice; she looked like art, and art isn't supposed to look nice; it's supposed to make you feel something". Makeup is a way to dress yourself - it shouldn't be used to ‘fix’ yourself.
What do you think about contouring, in or out?
Everyone should do what they like. I don't do it because it changes your features. I want to celebrate you instead of changing you.
Violette_FR Yeux Paint Twinkling, $56.
Jewellery for your eyes is how Serrat describes this highly pigmented liquid shimmer eye colour (there is also a matte range). Each easy-to-blend shades that won’t smudge, crease or fade. You can create a smokey eye, bold liner look, or a subtle wash of colour with your fingers in seconds.
There are six gorgeous shades.
VIOLETTE_FR Yeux Paint Twinkling in Violette Sauvage, $56.
What would you recommend in a makeup bag if you only had five minutes to do your makeup daily?
Boum-Boum Milk, Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer, Guerlain Noir G 24H Intense Volume Curl Mascara, Bisou Blush and Bisou Balm and our fragrance, Avec Amour.
What is the one product everyone needs from your brand, and why?
Boum-Boum Milk has been a dream product of mine. When I started my brand, I had more than a decade of experience touching faces and growing an intimate understanding of skin. No matter how perfect the skin of a model or a client appears, there is nearly always some inflammation or imbalance—and this was true for me, too. For many years, I searched for products that would reduce the inflammation of my contact dermatitis. I wanted to create a solution, a magic wand, that could calm, moisturise, protect the skin barrier, and restore skin over time by stimulating cell regeneration. The feedback from our customers on Boum-Boum Milk has been fantastic.
VIOLETTE_FR Boum-Boum Milk from $78.
Created by a French clean-beauty chemist, this is your three-in-one toner, serum, and moisturiser. It's heavenly, spritzed on freshly cleansed skin with ingredients such as probiotics, fermented birch sap, squalane, olive leaf extract, and glacial water, instantly calming and hydrating the skin.
What are the most common mistakes women make with their makeup as they get older?
They do the same thing daily or think they cannot wear fun colours because they are ‘too old’. Beauty has no age limit.
How can we update our beauty bags for spring?
Look for inspiration. When I am in a rut, I spend time on Pinterest; it's my most inspiring platform. Or read a fantastic book, listen to music you love, and eat great food. Open up all your senses to get inspired. It's key to feed my senses so that I can seek inspiration. Spring is such a magical time. It's the happy colours moment; start with lilac tones or pink lipstick - whatever inspires you in spring.
What makes your brand stand out in the crowd of makeup artist brands?
At VIOLETTE_FR, we focus on what does not exist on the market. For every product I create, I aim not to compete with other brands but to complete what's missing. From a sustainability lens, it's important that my brand simplifies rather than complicates or overproduces. We have very innovative products. For instance, our Yeux Paints are vegan and clean but highly pigmented in unique colours. We are also solid in skincare, which is surprising for a makeup artist brand, but in France, skincare is our foundation, so I had to create innovative and results-driven products.
What's your best makeup tip of all time?
Use makeup as a way to celebrate who you are, not to fix. You don't need fixing; you are perfect.
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