EXCLUSIVE: BRITNEY'S MAKE-UP ARTIST DISHES WITHSTAR!
With Britney Spears looking like fabulous comeback material, Star got some face time with the make-up artist, Ramy, the man responsible for getting the popstar's mug ready for her Letterman appearance earlier this month. Ramy, who joined up with Britney's recent hair colorist Rita Hazan at Britney's hotel that day, has also painted the faces of Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Katherine Heigl, Naomi Watts, Halle Berry, Renee Zellweger and Naomi Campbell.
At the opening party for the Rita Hazan salon on New York's Fifth Avenue, Ramy dished with Star on what it was like to work with the soon-to-be-K-Fed-free Miz Spears!
What was Britney's mood like when you worked on her?
This was my first time working with her. She was fine. She was really sweet, really cute, trusting. She didn't even look when I did her eyebrows. She loves everything. She said just do smoky eyes and dewy skin and everything else just do what you want. Something that was unusual was that I didn't have to change anything. I showed her the makeup and she just loved it. She just was really easygoing. Really seemed happy to get her hair and makeup done.
What do you two talk about?
She commented that, "can you believe we go through all of this just for a five minute appearance on Letterman?" You know she was really very sweet. We went over her lines for Letterman. She was really all business. Half the time she was talking to her assistant about things that had to get done. She was really multi-tasking and all business.
Did she comment about getting her hair and make-up done professionally since she has been doing it herself lately?
I didn't want to touch on it because you know. I figured lets just look forward (laughs). I think she appreciated it and she realizes that there is a difference when you get it done with a little help. She was really very very easy, very friendly, very sweet.
Why did it take three days to do her hair?
Her hair was also done at the hotel. It took three days because first she did color, then cut and then style. It took a while to get the color just right because she was so dark before. She wanted to get the color just perfect.
How was her little newborn?
The baby was adorable. I saw both of them. She was very sweet with them. In fact, when I walked in she had the older one on her lap and was singing to him. He seems like a really happy kid. He was walking around kind of "la la laing" around. He was really, really cute, very charming kid.
Does Sean Preston talk?
Baby talk, not actual words. I didn't hear actual words. But he was singing to himself a lot, which was very cute.
What was her temperament? Did she seem like someone who would announce her divorce the next day?
We were under a time crunch to get everything done. There was a little bit of that pressure in the air. She was just like lets get through the matter at hand. Let's get it done. She was very pleasant.
What did she say about her husband? Looking back now were there any clues about divorce?
There was really no personal talk about her husband or her divorce or anything. I was just as surprised as anyone else the next day just like everyone was. She didn't seem particularly happy, but she didn't seem unhappy either. She just seemed like she was throwing herself into her work. It's hard to say. She was definitely in work mode. In hindsight now I can say, "Oh, I see what was going on, maybe she was going through some emotional turmoil and so she was focusing on work just to kind of get through."
While you worked on her was she doing a lot of texting or phone calling?
She had her assistant on the phone on her behalf a lot. Like talking to different magazines and stuff. There really was nothing where I could say, "A Ha! Here is a juicy tidbit." She was very professional, cut and dry and running out the door for Letterman. It was all work.
As a make-up artist looking close at her face could you tell if she had been crying, lost sleep, tired eyes, acne etc.?
I'll tell you, she looked amazing for someone who just had a baby. You would never know she had a baby 8 weeks ago. Her figure was fantastic. She had a little bit of blemishes on her face but overall I say she was surprisingly good. I saw her after they did her hair. She looked like a young kid. She looked great and her stomach was flat. You would never know. There was no flag. I can't say she looked like she was crying, nothing like that. She really looked fine. I think if anything her mind-set is moving forward and getting on with life.
Why didn't you go with her to Letterman's studios?
I wanted to go with her and she wanted me to go with her to Letterman but I have a prior appointment to do makeup for someone else. I sent Nelson, who went with her and did her hair. I gave him some lipstick and other little directions to make sure he did what he needed to do to make her look perfect.
Have you talked to her or seen her since before the appearance?
I have not seen her since that day.
