“Why yes, my eyes are rather pretty, aren’t they?”

This has been my standard response to the gazillion compliments I’ve got over the last week since rockin’ Kitten Vixen Bewitching Burgundy eye kit. What’s that? Who are Kitten Vixen? Only my new favourite make-up brand. EVER.

Geraldine Shaker, make-up artist to the stars and one half of the fabu combo who created Kitten Vixen, believes that just as a well-tailored outfit enhances our figure and draws attention to our best assets, using the right tones on our face can make us appear significantly more beautiful.

Geraldine and her sister, Shanti created Kitten Vixen Cosmetics, Inc. to demystify the cosmetic use of colour. The brand offers women the colour knowledge of a professional make-up artist in a simple, fun way. The shades in the range are based on universal beauty colours that compliment all facial color spectrums regardless of age or ethnicity, by enhancing unique tones in eyes, lips and skin.

We’ve asked the gorgeous Miss Geraldine, who’s work has appeared all over the world, on catwalks from London to Milan to the billboards of the US and Australia, to share her Sassy beauty secrets and because she’s a total doll, she has – j’adore.

Geraldine, what is it you do exactly?

I’m a make-up artist, I work mostly on print ad campaigns. I also work with a number of clients, getting them ready for their red carpet events. I also founded Kitten Vixen Cosmetics, so I’m completely immersed in the beauty world, one way or another!

What is Kitten Vixen, why and how did you set it up and what do you love most about it?

Kitten Vixen is a make-up line that I started with my sister. Our objective is to help women understand the transformative effects of choosing the correct colours, fashion and beauty colours are very different when it comes to make up!  One of our key mantra’s is that Colour is Couture for the Face. We are a cruelty free and where possible, vegan brand as we believe it’s important to develop products that are as natural as possible, so we use ingredients that are as kind to the skin, and the environment as possible, we appreciate that women want their products to work, so we’ll never compromised on efficacy!  I love working with my sister because we have very different points of view but we understand each other and that creates a unique environment where anything is possible.

Can you tell us a bit about your daily routine – do you get involved in what actually goes into the prods, do you have to be creative and business like? What’s a typical day like for you?

A typical day can be anything from working on set, meeting with packaging companies, writing for our beauty blog or developing products in the lab with our cosmetic scientist. I am heavily involved in formulating the colours and I’m very precise on the ingredients that make it into the formulas.

What’s your best beauty secret – care to share?

Look after your skin, cleanse, moisturize and use sun screen no matter what!

What’s your secret to being beautiful?

It’s all in the attitude…

What’s your favourite Kitten Vixen prod and why?

That’s tough because each product we have created answers a unique cosmetic problem. I love our universal nude lip pencil, Birthday Suit, I use that a lot on set and our vegan lip glosses rock in a modern, sexy and eco friendly kind of way! Our Naughty Girl Navy Eye kit is always a best seller as the blue makes the whites of the eyes appear whiter, so it works on all women and is a great beauty secret for those of us who like to burn the candle at both ends!

What do you love most about being a woman?

The limitless choices we have when it comes to our appearance.

What’s your greatest achievement?

Creating Kitten Vixen with my sister.

Your biggest lesson?

Ignorance sometimes really is bliss!

Five must-have beauty items that you could not live without?

Sunscreen, moisturizer, tweezers, bronzer and lip gloss.

What five songs would be on a Kitten Vixen soundtrack?

Wow, that’s difficult, I’ll give you three…
Rich Girl – Gwen Stefani and Eve
If,  Today was your last day – Nickelback
, Girls just want to have fun – Cyndi Lauper

What’s your advice for being successful in the beauty industry?

Love what you do.


The Kitten Vixen Sassy List: What’s your favourite…

Book: Survival of the prettiest by Nancy Etcoff

Food: Sushi

Clothing label: Too many to choose

Movie: Anything by Tim Burton

Music: Rock

City: Florence

Shop: MOMA design store

Website: piperlime

Go check out the awesomeness that is Kitten Vixen at: www.kittenvixen.com