Meeting Ellis Faas In Brooklyn

Makeup artist and creator of her own excellent makeup line Ellis Faas is in New York this week. You have a chance to meet her tomorrow, Friday October 14th from 7 to 9 PM at Woodley & Bunny Salon & Apothecary (196 N 10th street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn). More about the place in a second, but first let me tell you about the pleasure I had talking to Ellis the other night.

There's something magical about meeting passionate artists, especially when you share the obsession and have admired their work for a while. I'm a big fan of Ellis Faas makeup because the colors and formulas are not just beautiful but also look incredible and are very versatile once you start playing and mixing. For a long time the line has been in a fairly limited distribution, so it was hard to get to a counter and experience the whole range, but things are changing now. The new Sephora in NYC Meatpacking District stocks the eye and lip products (and you can also order them online). Soon there will be more points of sale, including one in Los Angeles. While I already have several of the pens and use them a lot, standing at the display, mixing colors on the back of my hand at the suggestion of Ellis Faas was a lot of fun.

One of the first things I asked Ellis was about her technique: what brushes she uses and how. Apparently, when doing her own makeup with her products she does almost everything with her fingers- applying and blending. When working on models, Ellis favors Japanese brushes. She has a very big collection, obviously, and can't name a specific favorite, but finds the Japanese quality to be top notch. I think many of us would agree.

It was interesting to hear Ellis talk about the process of creating a product, working with suppliers until the texture and color are exactly as she envisions them. Everything also needs to work within the line's concept of pen dispensers/applicators which isn't always as easy as you might think. There are more products and colors in the works, as Ellis has been experimenting with ink and gel textures.

Woodley & Bunny Salon & Apothecary now stocks the entire Ellis Faas line, including foundation and concealer. The place was a delightful surprise because I discovered they also have a great selection of cosmetics and perfumes, including Tauer Perfumes (!!!). As far as I know this is the only East Coast location to do so. They also offer perfumes by Keiko Mecheri, Nez a Nez, Lubin and Ineke, lipsticks from Lipstick Queen and an impressive amount of scented candles (which I didn't explore, sorry). The place is worth a visit as it is, and again, if you're in the area tomorrow, they host a meet & greet with the lovely Ellis Faas from 7 to 9 PM.

If you end up going please comment and share your thoughts.

All photos from ellisfaas.com and the artist's Facebook page.