Perfect skin in a bottle at Becca

Make-Up artists, and Becca Alliance Member Stacy Gleason/Image:S.Whittle for Style Wylde

Developed in Australia with headquarters in San Francisco, the Becca Cosmetics line has been developing a cult-like following among celebrities and make-up artists throughout the world for nearly a decade. Yet it's not a familiar brand to most department store beauty shoppers, or mass market devotees.

So what's the big deal about Becca? SW sat down with National Becca Make-Up  Artist Stacy Gleason to discuss the brand and the products at Festoon Salon in Berkeley during an exclusive launch party for the line.

SW: For our readers that aren't familiar with the brand, can you give us a little background on Becca?

34 concealers and 30 foundations in the Becca line/Image:S.Whittle for Style WyldeSG: Becca founder, Rebecca Morrice Williams loved cosmetics from a young age.  That love was really born out of a love for fashion magazines.  She was really in awe of  the models' perfect skin in every editorial shot, and as a young girl reading these magazines she believed all that perfect skin came from products.  So every month she would go out and buy all the products that the magazines said they used in the shots, and was always disappointed.  Years later, when she worked in the industry herself as a model and then a make-up artist she found herself always disappointed in the range of colors offered in foundation.  She was always mixing colors together to get the right foundation, using every product under the sun and carrying around a huge case to every shoot. She quickly realized that she wanted to create her own line of cosmetics that offered a real variety of colors.

image;Courtesy of Becca CosmeticsSW: What would you say are the key products in the Becca line?

SG: Well, the first products developed were the Becca concealers.  When you look at most lines, even the larger ones, there are usually only 3-5 colors of concealer available, which doesn't give you a lot of choice when trying to match a concealer to your skin tone. When using concealer you apply it over foundation, so if you don't have the right color, you really have to blend it in, which makes concealing flaws impossible.  Becca has 34 concealer colors to choose from, which were developed over 6 years and 1,400 product trials, so the brand really has everyone covered. We also just came out with 3 new primers, these are brand new products each with their own key ingredients that address different issues.  For example, for normal skin we have the Radiance Primer that has bio-plasma, a plankton extract to fight environmental damage as well as antioxidant vitamins A & E and glycerine to increase moisture. We also have a Resurfacing primer, for anti-aging and Rejuvenation for super hydration and tightening of pores.

 SW:  Warmer weather is finally coming to the San Francsico Bay Area, what products would you recommend for the Spring Summer season?

SG: I love the Beach Tints.  They come in several  gorgeous, pink hues for cheeks and lips that are water-resistant. In summer everyone wants to be low-maintenance, but I think with just a little bit of color everyone looks better.  This beach tint can be used as a quick swipe of color in the morning, or layered for a more intense look. I also love the luminous skin color, it's basically a combination of sheer foundation and a tinted moisturizer. It can be used as a quick one step product that offers SPF 25, moisturizing vitamins and beautiful light sheer coverage, it's perfect for Summer!

The entire  Becca line can be purchased at both Bay Area Festoon locations; and  this Saturday, April 16th Style Wylde readers can explore the Becca line for themselves, and have a free consultation with National Make-Up Artist Stacy Gleason, at the San Francisco salon.  Simply call the Festoon at 415-421-3223 to set your appointment, and let them know you heard about Becca on Style Wylde.