Front & Center: Make-up artist Trista Jordan has a leading role

Just before someone shouts “Lights … camera … action!” on a movie set, there’s another announcement: “Last looks!”

It’s the cue for the makeup team to check actors one final time for any tangential tresses or misbegotten mascara.

That explains why Trista Jordan – veteran makeup artist, hair stylist and aspiring memoirist – named her company Last Looks.

Jordan’s résumé includes dozens of feature films, television series, magazine shoots, billboards, album covers, and music videos, most notably the 2015 Macklemore hit “Downtown,” watched 100 million times on YouTube.

Vera Farmiga, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jared Leto, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liota are among the hundreds of actors who have sat in Jordan’s makeup chair.

During a recent interview, the Spokane native discussed how she got into the glamour business, her brush with the Academy Awards, and why she’s so popular on Halloween.

S-R: What were your interests growing up?

Jordan: Dance team. We were halftime entertainment at Mead High School.

S-R: Did you attend college?

Jordan: Yes, but I dropped out.

S-R: Then what?

Jordan: I was an unemployed mother of two and couldn’t afford daycare, so I tried to think of businesses I could start with my daughters in tow. One of my first was shopping for people too busy to do it themselves. I also did some modeling and was a casting assistant.

S-R: Was there a moment that changed the direction of your life?

Jordan: When I started cleaning brushes for a makeup artist. I hadn’t worn makeup as a kid, so she taught me. I eventually learned enough to start my own business.

S-R: Was Last Looks successful early on?

Jordan: Yes, but this industry is feast or famine, so I usually had something else going. I’m very entrepreneurial.

S-R: How has makeup changed since you started in the late 1990s?

Jordan: The biggest change has been hi-def. No one wants others to see every pore on their face, so I’ve had to switch from heavier makeup to airbrush makeup.

S-R: Spokane seems like a remote outpost for a career in the film industry. Did you consider moving to Los Angeles?

Jordan: I lived in L.A. for six years. But I kept getting jobs here, so I moved back.

S-R: Are there others here doing what you do – primarily film makeup?

Jordan: There’s only one other person who does both hair and makeup.

S-R: Are some actors hard to recognize without their makeup?

Jordan: (laugh) I have a lot of shocking before-and-after pictures. I would never recognize (“Baywatch” actress) Carmen Electra without her makeup.

S-R: If Bo Derek was a perfect 10 in “10,” what could you accomplish with an average five?

Jordan: Whatever the director wants, from a 10 on down. That actress is not getting out of my chair until she knows she’s going to look good in front of the camera.

S-R: How long can that take?

Jordan: It depends on their skin, their mood … whether they’re eating breakfast or otherwise distracted. I’ve worked on some as long as four hours.

S-R: What’s a typical day for you?

Jordan: Commercials usually don’t go into overtime. But movie shoots can be anywhere from 12 to 16 hours, because I refresh makeup after every take, and remove actors’ makeup as well as put it on. A 14-hour day, by the way, may capture less than four minutes of usable footage.

S-R: How do you relax after a marathon shift?

Jordan: I put on some classic rock – U2 or The Who – crank up the volume, and dance.

S-R: Do you have your own niche in the makeup industry?

Jordan: Special effects. Altering people. That’s my thing – bruises, blood, scars, broken noses.

S-R: How did you learn that skill?

Jordan: Research. I still Google things like burns, and practice to come up with my own version.

S-R: Are you popular around Halloween time?

Jordan: Very popular! (laugh) I think my record is six faces in one day.

S-R: How much do you charge?

Jordan: As much as $400. But I don’t do something simple. If they wanted that, they’d do it themselves. What I do takes a lot of time.

S-R: Have you ever put makeup on an animal?

Jordan: I’ve done a horse, dogs, a sea otter, birds.

S-R: Were they cooperative?

Jordan: Not at all!

S-R: Did you make them look injured?

Jordan: In one movie, a dog was supposed to have jewels stored inside him, so I made it look like he had stitches. In another movie, several dogs – all the same breed – did different tricks, so I had to make them all look alike.

S-R: Any other unusual makeup assignments?

Jordan: Once I worked on a police sting operation to help capture a hit man.

S-R: Are people – particularly women – ever self-conscious when they meet you, knowing you have a discerning eye for makeup?

Jordan: Sure. Some people will say. “Oh my God, don’t look at me. I didn’t do anything with my face today.” But I’m not judgmental – I have a hard enough time putting makeup on myself. It’s a lot easier to put it on somebody else.

S-R: When someone asks you for basic makeup advice, what do you recommend?

Jordan: Use natural light when applying makeup. And don’t wear too much. It shouldn’t look like makeup – you’re just accentuating your cheeks or eyebrows. The goal is the “no-makeup makeup” look.

S-R: Do you have a personal motto?

Jordan: Be kind to everyone, from the rich and famous to the janitor. I’m here to serve. I want people to feel comfortable and confident.

S-R: What sort of person is best suited for a career in your industry?

Jordan: Someone who can remain calm. This job is like building a house in a hurricane.

S-R: How do they get their foot in the door?

Jordan: By taking any job they can find – a production assistant, an intern. Check out the industry before going to school and investing a lot of money.

S-R: What do you like most about your job?

Jordan: The people I work with – particularly (local production company) North By Northwest.

S-R: What do you like least?

Jordan: Windy days, when the hairspray doesn’t hold up.

S-R: What’s ahead for you?

Jordan: I’m finishing my autobiography, “Last Looks: The Diary of a Celebrity Makeup Artist.” It’s a comedic journal of my experiences behind the scene.

S-R: Have you ever worked on an Oscar-nominated film?

Jordan: No. But I’ve worked with plenty of Academy Award winners, I’ve been backstage at the awards show, and I was invited to an after-party.

S-R: Any favorites among this year’s nominees?

Jordan: I just saw Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant.” His makeup is extraordinary.

S-R: When you win an Academy Award for makeup, who will you thank?

Jordan: Everyone who has ever sat in my chair.

S-R: That’s a long list.

This interview has been condensed. If you’d like to suggest a business or community leader to profile, contact Michael Guilfoil at mguilfoil@comcast.net.