Sam Fine, the famed makeup artist who gained his massive popularity in the cosmetics world making colored women look beautiful in the '90s, has launched his own makeup line, Sam Fine For Fashion Fair Supreme Color Collection. The veteran artist recently spoke about his new line and how First Lady Michelle Obama came to mind when making it.
"While I was working I kept thinking of what lip gloss first lady Michelle Obama would wear to a state dinner and then when what eye shadow she'd wear to her "Let's Move" event," said Fine. "Would she wear a silvery eye shadow or something more subdued? I sent the collection over to the first lady's office as soon as they were ready."
Fine worked with Michelle in 2010 helping to perfect her look for several occasions at the White House and as she traveled the country and abroad. He is still sought after for the "flawless face" look he made famous in the 1990's while working with the likes of Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, Iman, Tyra Banks, Vanessa Williams and Jennifer Hudson. He recently worked with Queen Latifah and Hudson for this year's Oscars.
"Being from Chicago, there were three people I wanted to work with: Michael Jordan, Oprah, and Eunice Johnson [cofounder of Johnson Publishing Co.]," said Fine. "All three happened. I remember that famous pink compact that Fashion Fair made back in the day that my mother had years ago ... It's a real honor to be able to be a part of a brand that so many women of color have used for ages."
As he prepared for his new line, Fine considered the work he has done with African-American women in the past and focused on improving their experience looking for beauty items.
"I really wanted to focus on women like Alek, Gabrielle Union, or Michelle Obama," said Fine, "Women with dark skin tones have a much harder time finding colors with depth that work for them. Even in the high-end makeup lines. That's a shame given how much African-American women are willing to spend on beauty items. They go to these nice stores and find those nice lines that don't have shades for them even in 2013."
Fine's new line will be sold in Macy's, but as he told his friend Iman, "we've talked for years about the how hard it is to break into the makeup industry and to get products for women of color in the high-end stores."
Hopefully, Fine will be a gamechanger for African-American women yet again.