SWEED JOURNAL

Interview: Roberta Anzaldi

Meet Roberta Anzaldi — a Milan-based celebrity makeup artist known for her effortless Italian aesthetic with clients such as Carla Bruni and Eiza Gonzalez. Shop Roberta's favorites here. WHAT'S THE MOST COMMON BEAUTY MISTAKE WOMEN 40+ MAKE? When you put a lot of products, a lot of makeup on your skin. Too much and I don't like. IF YOU WERE A BEAUTY PRODUCT, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? If I were a beauty product, I would definitely be a mascara! TOP 3 SWEED FAVORITES? AND WHY?     FAVORITE LOOK YOU HAVE EVER CREATED? AND ON WHO? I have a lot of glam looks that I did on Jada Pinkett Smith many years ago. When I met her, she told me, “Please, Roberta, let’s do makeup — but flawless, with glass skin” and I did that for her. But when I started doing her makeup, my shoulders and legs started shaking. WHAT’S YOUR BEAUTY MOTTO? My beauty motto is less is more. WHAT MAKES THE MIRACLE POWDER SO SPECIAL? FAV LIP COMBOS?    

My Brother's Hair Growth Journey

“My brother has been using The Hair Serum in his routine. As you may know, Sweed became known for its Eyelash Growth Serum.  The Hair Serum builds on the same idea—it’s designed for thinning areas along the hairline or even the beard, helping to gradually create the appearance of fuller, denser hair. Here are my brothers incredible results." @ilaessemua

Interview: Naïma Bremer

Meet our Sweed friend, Naïma Bremer — a celebrity makeup artist known for her radiant, glowing looks. Working across runways, Fashion Weeks, and celebrities around the world. We had the opportunity to host a masterclass with her in Amsterdam, where she shared her biggest beauty secrets and best tips. Shop Naïma's favorites here. WHAT'S YOUR BEAUTY MOTTO? My beauty motto is just be your most confident self! IF YOU WERE A BEAUTY PRODUCT, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? If I were a beauty product, I would definitely be like a glowy highlighter. I love glowy highlighters. TOP 3 SWEED FAVORITES? AND WHY? BEST BEAUTY HACK? I think my best beauty hack is applying a glowy powder around the perimeter of the face, it’s truly game-changing. FAVORITE LOOK YOU HAVE EVER CREATED? AND ON WHO? Oh my God, I cannot choose one look. I think I always love just creating really beautiful technical makeup and just to make someone feel powerful. I feel like I did a look with Jasmine Tooks once for Cannes Film Festival, which I love. That makeup look is like one of my tops, but I can't choose one.   WHAT MAKES THE MIRACLE POWDER SO SPECIAL? TOP 3 SPOTS IN AMSTERDAM? I'm like a beauty junkie, so for sure Douglas. You can buy Sweed there, by the way! I love Bijenkorf as well. Another place where I love to buy beauty, and I love Van Stapele Koekmakerij is like the best cookies in the world. If you're in Amsterdam, you have to get them and get a big box. Amazing! TEAM BLACK OR BROWN MASCARA? I myself am team black mascara. But I do love brown mascara when I am working on really fair skin and want to create something natural. WHAT'S THE MOST COMMON BEAUTY MISTAKE WOMEN 40+ MAKE? I think the most common mistake that I always see is that people don't hydrate the skin enough and maybe overusing powder, I would say. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AS A MAKEUP ARTIST? I started makeup probably at like 14 years old. Like, no kidding, I had a full makeup kit and everything. So I've been doing it for over 2 decades already. HOW DID IT ALL START? I think my love for beauty started literally just watching my mom do her skincare, put on her lipstick every single day, taking care of herself.    

Interview: Andrea Soriga

  Meet our Sweed friend, Andrea Soriga! A Milan-based celebrity hairstylist and beauty icon, Andrea shares his expertise and creative vision with a growing community of hair lovers worldwide through Instagram.  We had the honor of celebrating The Hair Serum launch in Milano with Andrea, hosted by our friends at Sant Ambroeus Milano, and took a moment to catch up with him while he shared his beauty secrets. Shop Andrea's favorites Sweed products here. WHEN DID YOU STARTED AS A HAIRSTYLIST? I started working as a hairstylist ten years ago in my hometown, Cagliari. I’m from Sardinia. MOST SPECIAL MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER? The moments I remember most from my career are definitely the Sanremo Music Festivals, which I hold very close to my heart, and the MET Galas, which were truly special experiences. FAVORITE SWEED PRODUCT? My favorite product before this new launch used to be the Eyelash Serum, but it has definitely been surpassed by the new Hair Serum.     FAVORITE LOOK TO DO? Among my favorite looks is a sleek bun or a ponytail. I love creating super neat, tightly pulled-back buns because I think they make the face look more angelic, clean, and lifted. I also really enjoy doing big blowouts. BIGGEST HAIR TREND AT THE MOMENT? One of the current trends I absolutely love is, without a doubt, light, natural movement, soft waves. To make the look more special, I like adding a styling product that gives it a slightly wet finish. I also really love the bob, a shorter haircut. ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING HAIRSTYLISTS? The advice I would give to anyone who wants to start this profession is to do it with passion and perseverance, to study hard, to stay dedicated, and never feel completely satisfied, because you should always keep chasing improvement and success. Nothing comes without at least a bit of effort.   Shop Andrea's favorites Sweed products here.

Interview: Tobi Henney

Meet our Sweed friend, Tobi Henney! A celebrity makeup artist behind memorable looks for icons like Barbara Palvin, Diane Von Fürstenberg and many others. Her work has been seen on the red carpet and at the MET Gala. With her signature glow and modern, effortless aesthetic, she captures the essence of contemporary beauty. Shop Tobi's favorites Sweed products here. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AS A MAKEUP ARTIST? “I've been a makeup artist now for 16 years and I've worked internationally for about the last 10 years.” WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SWEED PRODUCTS? AND WHY? WHERE ARE YOU BASED? “I'm currently based in the US and I work all over the world actually. I'm often flown to Europe and I was flown back to my home country of Australia last year for a job, but I honestly am open to clients booking me anywhere right now and I'm just really enjoying all the opportunities that come my way.” FAVORITE MAKEUP LOOK? "I just got back from Paris Fashion Week and one of my favourite looks that I created was on Barbara Palvin for the Balenciaga show and it was a beautiful metallic brown liner look, and I know there's a shade called Golden Beetle in the Sweed line and you can use it to recreate the look." FAVORITE BEAUTY HACK? “My favourite beauty hack is to create glass-like skin, and by doing that you really wanna create hydrated base and then you want to dust over the foundation. Just very thinly and then you can really just press the product into the skin and the skin will look supernatural and glowing and gorgeous. And I feel like when your skin looks amazing and glass-like, everything else is going to follow.“ TIPS FOR MAKEUP LOOKS ON MATURE SKIN? “So I have a lot of mature age clients, everything from 40s to 80s, and I really like to keep the blush super high on the face. And I try and create like a triangle shape, so just on the top here, across the cheekbone and then up into the temple, and what that does is it really lifts the face and it gives a more youthful appearance.” ANY ADVICES FOR ASPIRING MAKEUP ARTISTS? "If you're an aspiring makeup artist now the. Internet is the best way to get your work across to people from all different countries and different age groups. So I highly recommend collaborating with other creatives and creating beautiful content that you're really proud of and practising. Practise makes perfect, and trying to work on different skin tones, different skin types, different age groups. And I actually got the best practise from working on weddings because when you're working on weddings, you have to do all different types of skin and you're under pressure, you have to work quite fast and it can be highly stressful, and once you get those practises under under your belt, then you can really become a very skilled and experienced makeup artist."   Shop Tobi's favorites Sweed products here.

INTERVIEW: KATE HUTCHINS

Meet our Sweed friend, Kate Hutchins! A London-based fashion and beauty icon, Kate shares her elegant lifestyle and passion for professional horseback riding with 1.6 million women worldwide through Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. We had the honor of having Kate as a guest on our Turtle Expedition to Costa Careyes in Mexico and took a moment to catch up with her while she shared her beauty secrets. Shop Kate's favorite Sweed products here. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY ON THE SWEED TURTLE TRIP? My highlight was the Turtle Release. It was such a magical and really moving experience. Seeing how small the turtles are and seeing them going to the big wide world, was so touching. Something I'll never forget.  WHAT'S YOUR BEST BEAUTY HACK? The uglier you go to sleep, the prettier you wake up. Slather on all of those creams, do your slugging and put your hair in the heatless curler. Then you wake up ready for the day and looking fresh and glowy. WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR? I have been working on a secret project that involves horses. It has been the most challenging thing I've ever done. I can't wait to share more about the project later on this year! WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 SWEED PRODUCTS AND WHY? 1. I love the Eyelash Growth Serum, because it made my lashes so long, thick and healthy. 2. Close contender is the Lash Lift Mascara. It gives you so much definition and length on your lashes. I have it in the dark brown color because I think it's a lot more soft on my face and I really like that.  WHAT'S YOUR BEAUTY MOTTO?    That your "beauty comes from within". If you are a happy and kind person, I think your beauty really shines out. HOW DO YOU STYLE YOUR HAIR? I use the Maria Nila - Sea Salt Spray! It's incredible. Because when you're in a hot environment like this, it gives you that extra texture and that gorgeous beachy look! IF YOU WERE A BEAUTY PRODUCT, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? I would be the Miracle Powder. Because it's easy, clean and practical. It gets the job done, and it's also one of my favorite products!  WHERE'S YOUR HAPPY PLACE? In the saddle! So the fact that we got to horseback ride on this trip was my dream come true. WHAT'S YOU FAVORITE DATE NIGHT SPOT? Dinings in Marylebone, it's very cute and cozy and not very fancy, but the food is SO good! WHAT PLACES DO YOU LOVE GOING TO ON THE WEEKENDS IN LONDON? On a Saturday, I love to meet up with my girl friends, we have a walk down the Kings Road, look at the shops and then get brunch at Colbert on Sloan Square. YOUR FAVORITE SALADS BAR AND PILATES IN LONDON? This is a takeaway, The Salad Project. It's so good. You get to choose your base and the sides, I just love it! I get it about 3 times a week. I also love a Sunday pilates session at Pilates In The Clouds, which is in Notting Hill.  Shop Kate's favorite Sweed products here.