BEVERLY HILLS — Can’t find the perfect foundation shade? Come Aug. 1, beauty shoppers will get the chance to purchase personalized foundations and powders at a light-flooded beauty outpost, two blocks from Rodeo Drive.
Customers can make appointments with celebrity makeup artist and salon owner Valerie Sarnelle, or with one of her expertly trained blenders at her Valerie Beverly Hills salon on Canon Drive to find products tailored to their skin. The newest space, an addition to Sarnelle’s existing business, is dedicated solely to mixing and matching nuanced complexion shades, something needed now more than ever as the growing population of multiethnic women seek colors that work for them.
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“I have so many clients that cannot find the right color foundation, and they don’t want to have to buy four different bottles and mix them each morning,” said Sarnelle, who has worked with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Heather Locklear and Tori Spelling. “I wanted to take custom blending to another level with the Blending Bar.”
Though other companies have offered similar services, Sarnelle said her business is unique because of her focus on perfection and ability to accommodate and perfectly shade-match clients who don’t live nearby.
“The lighting above and around the bar has been specially designed to mimic natural light,” said Sarnelle, who offers custom orders by mail using photos, a phone consultation, and even mailing a sample to the customer for final approval.
“Sometimes I’ll spend 30 minutes on one client tweaking their formula to get the color exactly right. We hand mix the foundations, but use blenders for the powders.”
The foundations, $75 each, will be housed in custom glass containers with spatulas for application of the product, and the recipe of each will be written on the bottles to simplify phone orders. The powders, $55, will be kept in circular tin compacts.
“I often receive requests for lighter formulas and coverage,” said Sarnelle. “Changing the weight of the formula is something else we can easily do. Face color changes throughout the year and foundation should as well.” Additionally, those looking for something more in their special blend can add shimmer or tinted moisturizer to their formulas.