Talking about all things eyebrows with Gina Daddona

She is my latest obsession, and also does Sofia Coppola's makeup and talks about Liza Minnelli and Paris Hilton and Maria Cornejo

Literally why else get an office job if not to have your brows done just feet from Anna Wintour’s office? My colleague, the forever chic Jennifer Pastore, started having her brow person Gina Daddona coming to the Vanity Fair offices to do brows every couple of months. “She assisted Dick Page,” she told me. I was in. You just sign up in 15 minute increments in a Google doc and Venmo her. It’s feel hugely glamorous and is highly efficient. As I am prone to do, I became obsessed with Gina after she politely declined my request for “maybe more skinny, more 1930s” brows and shaped and trimmed what I had to perfection. Two months later I found out she does Sofia Coppola’s makeup. Game over. That’s when I knew I had to know more.

Jennifer told me you worked with Dick Page. Can you tell me how that
happened and your own path into makeup?

I am a licensed esthetician and started my career in makeup and brow shaping in salons and retail. I was a fashion major in college (URI) and went back to school after graduation for aesthetics( IAAS in CT). It was where I first learned about makeup and eyebrow shaping (Linda Meredith from London who came to teach us). I was the model on eyebrow day and I could not believe the transformation as I struggled with big brows growing up. It was life changing.

That '90s and '00s era in fashion is so big right now and was what I
grew up reading in magazines. I am dying to hear anecdotes. Will you
tell me any that stand out?

I eventually landed in NYC in the late 90s and worked initially in retail for quite a while (shout out to Henri Bendel, hottest store to buy new brands of makeup and Laura Mercier herself who I was lucky enough to be trained by in person). I eventually got hired to work at the John Barrett salon in Bergdorf Goodman where I was able to do makeup as well as eyebrow shaping on clients. It was the place to go for brows back then. I met and worked with my first celebrity clients for makeup there as well, Liza Minnelli and Martha Stewart. I ended up being one of Martha’s makeup artists on both of her TV shows and for some of her events/ appearances. (timeframe being pre and post prison)

And I spent hours with Liza in her bathroom at her home learning from her how Kevyn Aucoin did her makeup (counter splashed with lashes on spindle rolls amongst other things) as well as getting an up close view of the Warhol of her and her Academy Award for Cabaret. Not to mention the passing by of Tony Bennett on my way out the door.. (NY moments as I like to call them.) I was invited to come back for the engagement party to David Guest) that evening but sheepishly declined. (a big regret in hindsight)

*I ended up at a few other salons along the way after and was fortunate enough to be selected twice by Allure magazine in their directory as best brow shaping in NYC. I also continued to meet and work with several celebrities for makeup including Cindy

Crawford and Paris Hilton as well as top editors (the biggest one included) designers, authors, members of royalty, and other various esteemed women at the top of their fields. I was often rehired because of my known discretion as well. Not something that would be beneficial in today’s social media game)

*Simultaneously, I also began to assist artists (namely Troy Surratt who was the global ambassador for Maybelline at the time) in beauty and fashion and was eventually also selected to join the team of assistants for the Fendi fashion show with Karl Lagerfeld (who we got to meet) on the Great Wall of China through the (now defunct) Jed Root agency. On that trip I met several members of Dick Page’s team who was also repped by that agency. I was referred to join his team and started the next season of shows with him. I still do his shows to this day, although now I am his right hand and I select all the assistants and manage the team backstage, as well as doing makeup as needed.

*The biggest thing for me that stands out from the late 90’s, early 00’s is the skinny brow. Even I got them. It was the trend for sure. Being an eyebrow specialist, I have seen the literal fall out from that trend. ( thank you Kevyn Aucoin) I was lucky that mine grew back. A lot of women were not as lucky and I spend a lot of time now helping them find solutions to creating fuller brows or learning to shape and work them as they are now. So when the trend came back around I was not a proponent of it.

So, for brows, what is your approach? Is it balancing them? What are
you looking at on the face shape?

My approach to brows is that I am a naturalist. I want them to frame the face beautifully. I like a realistic looking brow that has been a bit groomed and polished, slightly enhanced if needed. I dont mind a little asymmetry as that is natural. My primary method is tweezing and trimming of the hairs. I do not wax or thread. I find this is the most gentle for the skin and most precise way. It may take a little longer but it is very intentional. I often also have to problem solve how to correct brows that are misshapen or have been shaped incorrectly. This is my favorite to do as I am able to figure out where the mistakes are or where it can be altered for a better frame. I love to see a client happy with some adjustments and can teach them a better technique to help enhance with the proper products.

What are your thoughts about brow trends. We've obviously swung from
super-thick back to skinny. I feel like you take a natural approach
but tell me!

I do not work in trends for brows as an eyebrow specialist. The reason being is that one size does not fit all. I work with the integrity of the brow and face and simply find the most effective way to make it look the best.

*That being said, from a makeup artist point if view, working in editorial or runway, there can be a different approach as it is more about storytelling and not necessarily enhancing classical beauty. One example of this is bleaching brows. Great for creative choices when executed well and part of the overall image or story.

*I am not a fan of just bleached brows on someone for no reason. I love brows. I want to see them. They convey expression in the face.

I also don’t think ultra thick, overly brushed up or laminated /gelled brows looks good on everyone. It had its moment but it doesn’t suit all faces.

Brows do not need to be artificial looking or blatantly filled in to frame the face. They should not overpower it. You don’t want them to be the first distracting thing you view on someone’s face.

You should see some skin in between the hairs. They should not be blocked in, especially in the beginning part of the brow where there is natural spacing. They should also not be overdrawn or extended too much past the natural line.

You recommended the Dior pencil and the NYX brow gel to me. Anything
else you love for brows? Anything you hate? Like should people avoid
microblading or any shapes or tints or products?

My go to products for brows are fine tipped automatic brow pencils,and sheer tinted brow gels and sometimes brow pens. You can be precise and intentional with placement and stay realistic. The gel can give some depth of color and holding power to a slightly brushed up brow for a lifting effect. It also enhances a natural shine to the brow hairs which they should have. I do not use eyebrow powders as I feel they do not allow for natural spacing where needed, making the brows look heavier and they also can mattify the hairs which is not natural looking.

I have seen some results with clients consistently using hair growth enhancing serums for the brows but they may not work for everyone.

I know when I saw you, you were on the way to do Sofia Coppola's
makeup. When did you start working with her? What do you use on her?

I have been working with celebrities for brows and makeup for over 25 years. My most recent one for the past few years has been Sofia Coppola. She is someone I enjoy working with her because her approach to makeup is on par with my aesthetic and she loves beauty products so we always talk about and share info on anything new we come across. And I love that she looks forward to me shaping her brows before makeup. She is lovely to be around as an inspirational, creative woman too.

Who else do you work with, celebrity or notable or anything else?

My favorite client in fashion is working with the designer Maria Cornejo. I do makeup for her campaigns and is always a great experience as our aesthetic aligns as well and I love the team. I was fortunate to be introduced to both Sofia and Maria by working closely and paying my dues as first assistant to Dick Page for many years. It has been a wonderful progression for my own career.

*I like to make my clients (celebrity or otherwise) feel enhanced and defined but not feel heavily made up. I do have a softer, refined approach to makeup as well. I like products that are good for the skin, easy to apply and remove but have good efficacy in giving a beautiful, realistic and enhanced look. Brands I reach for makeup include Westman Atelier (Pip is my favorite all time red lipstick, eye colors, color sticks) Laura Mercier (secret camouflage is and has always been my holy grail product), Makeup Forever (foundation and flash color palettes) and Jones Road Beauty (miracle balms) . My favorite brow pencils are from Chanel, Dior and Relume Cosmetics. My go to brow gels and pens are from NYX and Glossier.

*I think microblading, if done well, can be wonderful for some women, especially those that have lost hair for medical reasons or simply hair has not grown back and brows are really sparse. We have come a long way from (bad) tattooing brows on. I would say to just do your research and find a good reputable clinician.

*One of the biggest mistake I see in brows is when women match their brow products to the hair on their head instead of the hair on their brows which is sometimes a different, often darker color. And only light sketch like strokes, not solid heavy lines are needed to fill in a sparser brow. You then can lightly buff out those sketched lines with a spoolie brush for the most defined yet naturalistic looking brow.

*I’m happy that I have been able to maintain brow shaping as a niche service while also pursuing my career in makeup in the world of fashion and celebrity.

*I don’t believe all makeup artists have an in depth knowledge or training in brows and it has certainly been an advantage for me and my clients in my career.

*Life came full circle eventually when I was able to combine my college studies with my love for beauty working as an eyebrow and makeup artist in the fashion industry.