Gordon Espinet—Vice President of Make-up Artistry for MAC New York and franchise holder of MAC Trinidad—talks to Belle about his career and how MAC is raising funds for fighting Aids worldwide.

Belle: We’ve read that you were very shy as a teen! How did you blossom into this confident celebrity make-up artist?

Gordon: I was more of an introvert as a child, mostly kept to myself and was very observant. I was also one of 13 children! In fact, I was the baby of the bunch, and grew up very protected. I loved being around family, and didn’t really enjoy new situations. When we moved from Trinidad to St. Catherine in Canada at age 13, it was a shock for me. I felt like I had been put on Mars, and it took time for me to adjust, and that slowed down the process of me realizing who I was. But, as I found my niche in the make-up industry and gained confidence, I became less shy.

Belle: You’re now thrown into a world where something new happens every day and where you meet new faces every day. How do you feel about that, now?

Gordon: I think your natural way always remains with you and deep down I’m still much of an introvert, but you just need to adjust how you interact. I love working all over the world, you become like a native, spending time in different countries.

Belle: Sounds fantastic! But let’s start at the beginning. How did you first get involved in the international fashion and make-up industry?

Gordon: As a kid I loved to sketch women’s faces—the eyes, lips and cheeks—and I would go under my desk and experiment with drawings. At some point in my teens, I connected with a group of people from the drama department at Brock University who recruited me to apply make-up for different characters in a play. I started flipping through magazines for ideas, and realized then that make-up artistry was actually a job! After the drama escapade, I realized that I didn’t really like theatre make-up. I wasn’t interested in creating characters, but wanted to make people look pretty. When I finished high school and moved to Toronto, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I found a school for make-up, and teaching there was a make-up artist I really admired. Before I was finished with the course, a photographer hired me to be an assistant make-up artist on a fashion shoot. They really liked the work I did, and through them I met more models and more photographers, but my big break came when the Canadian magazine Flair hired me for one of their covers…and this was when I knew for sure!

Belle: Surely you’ve had many memorable moments, but what are some of your career highlights?

Gordon: I’ve worked backstage at fashion week in New York and Milan and with all the great designers like Armani, Chloe, Chanel, and so on. But the highlight for me has been my love of travel. I’ve been to so many countries, and I love eating the native food in each country: Japanese food in Tokyo, and even kangaroo in Australia!

Belle: Each person has his or her own philosophy about life…what’s yours?

Gordon: I believe in molding people into their own individuality, in helping when I can, and allowing people to just be themselves. A perfect world for me would not have borders or passports, and people would be able to come and go as they please. Exposure would make people kinder.

Belle: Talking about borders and people, we’ve read that proceeds from the lipstick Viva Glam actually go towards fighting Aids in different countries around the world. Tell us about MAC’s Viva Glam campaign.

Gordon: Viva started in 1996; one hundred percent of sale proceeds go towards the MAC Aids Fund, accessed by multiple charities, with a focus on grassroots people living with Aids. So far, $125,000,000 dollars have been raised. Organizations like the Clinton Foundation Initiative and Strengthening National Aids Program are recipients of grants. Previously all the money raised in one area stayed in that area, but since then, we’ve started to work with the United Nations to fight Aids in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Belle: Is there any work being done in the Caribbean for Aids?

Gordon: The Clinton Foundation has been working in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic to create new clinics and increase the effectiveness of existing ones, among other work. Since then, MAC has also opened its doors in Trinidad and Barbados, and so, all the funds collected on the islands will be reinvested there.

Belle: You once stated in an interview that MAC products embrace every skin tone, even the darker skin tones of the Caribbean…can you elaborate on that point?

Gordon: Sure. MAC make-up is not ethnicity specific. Created as a multi-cultural brand, we’re not about products that sell, but about products for every person. Suddenly this cool brand has emerged and you find women choosing products at MAC with their husbands and boyfriends—the taboo no longer exists, as women are proud to buy make-up at MAC.

Belle: What about Caribbean women? Do they need to know anything special about applying make-up?

Gordon: It is important for every woman to like what she sees in the mirror before putting on make-up. If you don’t already like yourself, make-up can never make you look the best that you can. But, Caribbean women already have a flair for looking good, and because of the hot environment, minimal coverage is key. They should use translucent textures for a lighter touch, and lots of mascara. I think that mascara is a necessary touch for any woman, to give those playful and alluring lashes. Women on the whole should not wear the same look; they should try to experiment, change, and update their look.

Belle: So what’s in store for you in the future?

Gordon: At the moment I’m not just a make-up artist, but more of a jack-of-all-trades. I head a division called Make-up Artistry, and what I do now is mentor newbies and help them develop their talent. It’s important that new artists know that when they come to MAC, they can develop their talent.

Belle: Fantastic! Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Gordon: I want to tell the Caribbean woman that she’s doing a great job in keeping fashion alive. Caribbean people have always been artistic and creative, and there are new designers coming out of the region that I know are going to become icons!

Aliyyah Eniath