Making faces

ESSDRAS M SUAREZ/GLOBE STAFFLauren Genatossio works on a customer at Sarra in South Boston. (ESSDRAS M SUAREZ/GLOBE STAFF)

Some people come from a long line of lawyers. Or teachers. Or plumbers. Lauren Genatossio, 31, followed in her grandmother's footsteps and became a makeup artist. One of the best-known stylists in the city, she's prepped models for photo shoots, madeover commuters for a TLC reality show, and launched her own makeup line. Now Genatossio's opened Sarra (pronounced Sa-ray) in South Boston, her second shop, where she imparts her considerable wisdom on all things cosmetic.

Q. What do you say to people who dismiss what you do as frivolous?

A. I say: It's your face. No matter what you're doing, people process your face first. Even more so than hair. Think about how much we put into our wardrobe. People still look at your face first.

Q. Why do many women find it difficult to apply makeup without looking like Liza Minnelli?

A. They don't trust themselves. There's a huge sense of looking at a picture in a magazine and trying to re-create it.

Q. Why's that a bad idea?

A. Typically, they're looking at the most advanced thing that a makeup artist can do. Then they're trying to re-create that in five minutes before work.

Q. What's the biggest mistake you see women make with their makeup?

A. Eyeliner as a security blanket. They skip over the stuff I feel is important like brows and skin and go right to the eyeliner.

Q. What's harder: Picking a color for your kitchen or picking the right foundation color?

A. Picking your color to paint your kitchen. I literally carry six [foundation] colors in my whole line. There's probably three that 90 percent of the population could wear. It's the beauty industry coming up with too many choices, too many colors, and women get overwhelmed.

Q. Is it tougher to sell makeup in a down economy? Be honest.

A. My husband's in the financial industry. When he took his Series 7 [finance exam], they asked which industry is recession proof. It's the makeup industry. Even when there was a depression, women still bought their powder. It's definitely wacky times, but I'm finding women really want a lift right now.

Q. Is there any makeup that really makes women look younger? And by "women" I mean me.

A. First step is skin, then makeup. Really having well-hydrated, well-cleansed skin - if you get that right, you're going to take 10 years off. The step of evening out your skin tone is going to be the one thing that determines age. If it's a tinted moisturizer or concealer or foundation, that's the key to your look.

Q. Do you think Sarah Palin had her makeup tattooed on?

A. Quite possibly. I have 20 or so clients that have it. It's as if women will do anything to get around doing an extra step in the morning.

HAYLEY KAUFMAN