When Selma Blair was in high school, her classmate used to ask why she “wore so much rouge.” Years later, she can laugh about it and—on a fully self-depreciative note—ask herself the same question.
“I was always piling the bronzer on,” the 49-year-old shares with a laugh, admitting it was a makeup move that continued into college. “I’m still a work-in-progress, but I’d like to think I’ve gotten better in that department.”
Today’s “department” for Blair may not be as simple as applying skin care or makeup (she’s recently been very vocal about surviving abuse, taking on sobriety, and facing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, all of which she discusses in her memoir, Mean Baby), but that doesn’t mean it’s a subject she doesn’t want to talk about more.
“Makeup isn’t something I want to be excluded from,” she says with certainty. “But, like everyone, I want to feel confident when I apply it.”
Makeup artist Terri Bryant, founder of GUIDE Beauty, a truly inclusive and thoughtful line of makeup tools and products born from Bryant’s own Parkinson’s diagnosis, is backing Blair’s wish, announcing her as chief creative officer, starting today.
“We are proud to welcome Selma to the family,” Bryant shared in a release. “Her devotion to creative expression and advocacy for all people fits perfectly with GUIDE Beauty’s mission and practice of Universal Design—when we design with all people in mind, we create the best products for everyone. From the novice to somebody who has challenges with movement or strength and even the professional makeup artist on set, GUIDE’s products enhance the lives of makeup users everywhere.”
The dynamic between the two during a humid New York afternoon is undeniable, and Blair is fully on board with the luxurious and accessible line that she refers to as “a new breed of beauty products that puts an end to uneven eyeliner, mascara slip-ups, blotchy brows, and patchy pigments.”
“When I first held the GUIDE Wand, I immediately felt more confident than I ever had with a traditional pencil liner and found myself looking forward to doing my own makeup for the first time in a long time. Upon meeting Terri, we bonded instantly over our mutual love of makeup and its ability to transform a face and a day. I’m thrilled to join her and GUIDE to create and advocate for a more inclusive world of beauty.”
