Drama isn’t limited to the big screen at Cannes.
Naima Bremer – Celebrity makeup artist and Fenty Global Ambassador whose work has appeared at Paris Fashion Week and in the pages of Vogue magazine and Harper’s Bazaar – She has been at the film festival for four years helping bold-faced names prepare their faces to stun the paparazzi at the palace and various red carpet events. And from its stature, there is serious competition on the streets.
“We always call it the Hunger Games for glamor,” she said with a laugh over Zoom from Stockholm at a recent work event. “Our agents are always trying to get us jobs during the festival, and it’s very hectic because there are people from all over the world coming and we have to fight over the same group of agents to get that big moment on the red carpet. But it’s worth it.”
It would be worth it, in fact, for Bremer to foot the bill herself to come to Cannes for 10 days and move from job to job and client to client. While luxury fashion houses like Dior and Chanel offer their own rosters of artists and ambassadors (including travel and accommodations), some hair and makeup artists like Bremer and her peers pay their own way.
“A lot of people don’t know that we come on our own, and it’s a big investment,” Brimer explained, adding that it can cost $3,000 to $6,000 a year. “The prices here are really crazy for hotels and food and everything, and it doesn’t make any sense. Fortunately, I have a lot of friends so we can share an apartment and that makes it more fun.”
However, she considers it money well spent. “There’s a lot of exposure here, and it’s a big event that gives you as an artist a certain credibility and I would say it adds credit to your name. Your work is seen by a lot of people.”
During her time at Cannes, Bremer has done makeup for high-profile names such as Yasmin Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Natasha Poly, Iris Lu, Sabrina Elba, Pritika Swarup, and Sara Sampaio, among others. Many of these women have social media followings in the millions, so when they share Bremer’s work, it amplifies her artistry. This means that she takes her time to make it perfect.
“The whole world is looking at pictures of the Cannes red carpet and on Getty Images, there is no filter. There is no lying. You have to turn to your techniques that you know will look good and work in any light possible. It’s really hard to do because the makeup has to be almost undetectable, but you have to put enough on so you can see it. It’s one of the hardest makeup techniques you can do.”
In order to achieve this, Bremer estimates she gives each client at least two hours. But it can also be difficult to do this in that time frame if the client is also getting their hair done or a last minute hairstyle change with the dress, jewelry, etc.
The Caribbean-born artist, who has also worked with stars outside of Cannes such as Saweetie, Willow Smith, Kaley Uchis, Ryan Destiny, Iman Hammam, Amina Muaddi and others, said the big mistake makeup artists make is to expect that their actors will get every job at Cannes. “It’s also great to connect with people on your own, letting them know you’re there and ready to work.”
To survive the week, Primer also packs some essentials in her kit: a TheraFace LED light mask, a TheraFace de-puffing stick, cooling steel sticks to help de-puff and irritate, and a good SPF like Hydra Vizor from Fenty Skin, and Sun Drops from Dr. Barbara Sturm, or Christian Dior’s new Le Fluide UV Invisible, Fenty Beauty’s pink amber lip balm, and a “must-have” lip balm. Liner like YSL Beauty’s new Lovenude Lip Blusher in Soft Matte.
Oh, and good manners. “Going to Cannes has become for me a bit of a mini-vacation or a magical encounter, so if you’re able to shift your mind from it being very stressful to enjoying it as a time to find community with fellow artists, it can actually be really fun,” she said. “And I always give a little time to myself. The most fun thing I do in Cannes is after I’ve finished shining, I go sit on a bench on the Croisette and watch people. You can see a lot of people walking around in their crazy clothes. It’s great.”
