“Actually, I’m not a fan of makeup”, reveals makeup artist and lifestyle influencer Violette (110 K followers). For the very talented Parisian, makeup is a tool to express yourself. An interview with the new Global Beauty Director for Estée Lauder.

What are your plans at Estée Lauder?
“I will star in how-to videos, sharing my point-of-view on my favorite makeup looks and beauty products. I will also collaborate with the Estée Lauder team on product development, digital content creation, education and training.

“It's about giving a heartbeat to the brand. I'm going to focus on the textures and incredible colors. I am very definite about this. Products are there to express ourselves with no boundaries, it’s about being happy with how you feel. We are all working so hard at having the perfect brand and forget about trends.”

What do you admire about the person Estée Lauder (1906-2004)?
“I was really surprised by her modernity. She was such a visionary. Her philosophy was not about selling her products, but about selling the look. The idea of ‘What do you need, versus what do I think you need.’ Estée created her brand in the ‘40’s when being a business woman was simply not done. As one of the first female entrepreneurs she built am authentic company and now she is part of the history of beauty. I think we have much in common, I also created my own company, but in the digital age. While working for Estée Lauder she is always in my mind. So it’s still her ‘maison’, as we say in French, and I am just a guest.”

At what age did you begin to experiment with makeup?

“I must have been around 14 when wearing red lipstick and nails all the time. Because being a French girl, I thought you had to wear red lipstick and nails. I loved very deep red. Four years later I was in a serious glitter phase. At 19 I started playing as a makeup artist with other people”.

What will surprise our readers?

“That I’m not actually a fan of makeup. I don't really care about aesthetic. About looking pretty. Every time I say that people shout: ‘Wait, you're not into makeup?!’ For me makeup is a way to express what I want to express and a way to help other women with color. I really believe in color therapy and I also think that makeup is a way of expressing yourself. Makeup is just a tool and that is what I'm focusing on”.