a&e Interviews: Nicolas Degennes, Makeup and Colour Artistic Director at Givenchy

Diana Bell-Heather   |   02-11-2018

You know all the revolutionary Givenchy Beauty products that have been filling up your makeup bags over the last few years? They were all masterminded by Nicolas Degennes, Makeup and Colour Artistic Director at Givenchy.

 

nicolas degennes givenchy makeup

 

In 2004, he created the Givenchy Le Makeup line offering a contemporary vision of cosmetics that are both versatile and highly effective. He also brought the house’s essentials into the spotlight, such as the famous Prisme powders and the emblematic 4G logo. He is the man behind the Phenomen’Eye mascara with a spherical head, and of course the Le Rouge lipstick line.

 

Degennes designs products that adapt to the needs of modern women, and inspires them to enhance their beauty. After more than 15 years at Givenchy, he who says he would like “to keep on surprising and being surprised” goes on tirelessly pushing back the limits of what is possible.

 

Team a&e got a preview of the new shades added to the Matissime Velvet Fluid Foundation, the freshly launched Teint Couture Radiant Drop. 2-in-1 Highlighters, the decadently pretty Teint Couture Shimmer powders, colour correcting primers, as well as upcoming releases for the new year. Below, we chat further to Degennes about his view on women’s relationship with makeup.

 

Givenchy makeup 2019

 

What is important to a Givenchy woman when it comes to beauty?

The most important thing is to explore all the ways for a woman to have a choice to be exactly what she wants to be. When you look at some pictures of Audrey Hepburn, she can be very natural and very impressive. She can have strong eyebrows and the next day, no eyebrows at all.  Its having the possibility to change yourself each time.

 

How important is it for makeup products to offer versatility of use?

It’s a game sometimes, it’s a funny game to make your own mixes. You have to give a woman the possibility to create herself.

 

How are you developing Givenchy Beauty?

I need to focus on the signature of the house. So uniqueness in the textures is what I want to explore for women at Givenchy.

 

How should makeup make a woman feel?

You have women who don’t wear anything, and women that wear a lot. The most important thing is that when you look at yourself in the mirror, you feel comfortable. If you love a lot of texture, then go ahead. It can be a protection, it’s not just makeup, its more than that. She wants to transform herself, she wants to be someone else.

 

What is your stand on makeup trends like contouring?

Its not a matter of contouring or highlighting, its about texture. You have to mix and match the textures, but heaviness doesn’t help the effect.

 

We love the new eyeshadow shades for next year, what can we do to keep our lids looking fresh all day?

Before working with the powders, work with the base as it will increase the effect of the powder.

 

Givenchy makeup 2019

 

What is your trick to a flawless look?

I love to work with layering. When I work on the skin I am careful with the primer I’m going to use first, to put less of the texture for the foundation. It doesn’t mean I’m going to have less at the end of it, it means I’m going to first play with the light, then the colour, then with the highlighter, then a bit of powder. It’s not about adding too much, because at the end of the day it’s going to look too heavy, and I’m fighting against the heaviness.

 

What is the hero product from the new range?

I love the Teint Couture Radiant drops, but I always say that I’m proud of next product you’re going to see. Next year you will find something else for the skin. I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of way we’re moving very fast. You have to keep on developing your signature.

 

What is the number one product for dry skin?

Primers.

 

What do you always have in your makeup bag?

I always have Matissime Velvet.