A Tribute to Mary Greenwell’s Makeup Magic

Back in the early 80’s I began to seriously hone my skills in the special makeup effects field. During that time I also started following the work of a budding young British fashion makeup artist named Mary Greenwell. Her fresh, vibrant, and almost ethereal “no makeup” look was a style that caught my senses, and she was quickly taking the international fashion world by storm. Her star power was on the rise, and by the mid 80’s she became the first artist to be known as and tagged with the term “Celebrity Makeup Artist”.

Mary’s artistry was a unique blend of tints and tones of colors interfaced with a beautifully done nude face that had a hint of a rosy contrast. Nearly 3 decades later her style setting trend is still being followed by fashion makeup artists today. Her fabulous makeup designs on the Paris catwalks for 5 budding young models named Christy Turlington, Stephanie Seymour, Tatiana Patitz, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford showcased these girls in one of the most unforgettable eras of the fashion dynasty. The world took notice and they became known as the first “Supermodels”.

Mary’s artistry collaborations with internationally famous fashion photographers of the time catapulted her fame, and her work brought her to the world’s most influential magazine beauty and fashion editors. She began working weekly to design and apply the makeup looks for all the Vogue magazine covers, and her creations were also frequently seen on the covers of many of the top beauty and fashion magazines around the world.

Needless to say Mary’s celebrity list over the decades is stunning, and includes A-list clientele from the fashion, entertainment, and music industry as well as distinguished royalty. Her renown still draws the world’s most famous to sit under her fingers. Mary will always be known as a trend setting icon in the fashion makeup world, and whose work made a significant and lasting impact in beauty history. If you are going to the IMATS makeup show in London this month she will be one of the keynote speakers, and that’s an event not to be missed!