I couldn’t be more excited today sharing with you my interview with fabulous Vanessa Williams!

Vanessa Williams doesn’t need too many introductions but here is why she is so great: Vanessa is a singer, songwriter and actress. She made history on September 17, 1983 when she became the first woman of African descent to be crowned Miss America. Williams then launched a career as an entertainer, earning Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominations.

Vanessa Williams is also known for her role of Wilhelmina Slater on the hit TV series: Ugly Betty which has been renewed by ABC for a fourth season, and will air on Friday nights at 9:00PM Eastern/8:00PM Central starting Friday October 9, 2009.

In this interview Vanessa Williams talks to Marta Walsh about the BOTOX® Cosmetic: Express Success” campaign. Gives advice to women considering BOTOX® Cosmetic for the first time. Lists her favorite skincare products for face and body. Gives us a sneak peek into her makeup bag. And shares some of her future projects.

Marta Walsh: What is the most memorable moment of your career?
Vanessa Williams: It would have to be my opening night on Broadway “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (1994). As a musical theater major, it was the ultimate success!

MW: When did you first become interested in BOTOX® Cosmetic?
VW: Six years ago, I noticed fine lines developing between my brows that made me look stressed, so I spoke with my dermatologist about my skin care routine and non-surgical options. Together, we decided that BOTOX® Cosmetic was the right option for me. It’s a quick treatment, and my natural looking results last up to four months!

MW: How do you feel BOTOX® Cosmetic changed the appearance of your skin?
VW: BOTOX® Cosmetic helped to reduce the “11” lines between my brows.

MW: What advice can you give to women who are considering BOTOX® Cosmetic for the first time?
VW: All women – and men! – who are considering treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic should speak with a licensed, experienced physician whom they trust. Our faces are dynamic and expressive, so it is important to speak with your physician to discuss your expectations. To find a physician in your area, visit www.ExpressSuccessCampaign.com, click on “Is BOTOX Cosmetic right for me?” to find a doctor in your zip code.

Vanessa Williams poses at the “Express Success” Rack Relay Race charitable education program in New York’s Grand
Central Terminal Tuesday June, 30, 2009 benefiting the not-for-profit Dress for Success organization that helps
disadvantaged women succeed in the workforce.
(David Goldman/AP for Chandler Chicco Agency)

MW: What compelled you to team-up with Allergan, Inc. with their “BOTOX® Cosmetic: Express Success” campaign?
VW: I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am a fan of BOTOX® Cosmetic. So when Allergan – the maker of the product – asked me to join them and Dress for Success for this campaign, I jumped on board.

To honor working women, Allergan is donating a quarter of a million dollars to Dress for Success to help provide economically disadvantaged women with the tools they need to enter the workforce with confidence.

Also, through the “BOTOX® Cosmetic: Express Success” campaign, we will be educating women about BOTOX® Cosmetic at several community events around the country and supporting Dress for Success. I invite everyone to go to www.ExpressSuccessCampaign.com  and come out to one of our community events where the cost of entry is simply a donation of nearly new professional attire for Dress for Success.

If you aren’t in one of the local markets, know that up to $50,000 of the total $250,000 donation will be generated through an online drive, with Allergan donating $2 to Dress for Success for each of the first 25,000 consumers who visit and register on the web site.

Vanessa Williams, right, and Dr. Doris Day, grab a donated blouse off a rack to dress a mannequin as they participate in
the BOTOX Cosmetic: Express Success Rack Relay Race Tuesday June, 30, 2009 in New York’s Grand Central
not-for-profit Dress for Success organization that helps disadvantaged women with donated clothing for the workplace.
(David Goldman/AP for Chandler Chicco Agency)

MW: Why is it easy for you to be honest about incorporating BOTOX® Cosmetic into your skincare regimen?
VW: I don’t see any reason to be secretive. As an actress, I’m often asked about products I use to maintain my appearance. I love my results from BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments — so why wouldn’t I share that with other women? There have been more than 20 million treatments in the U.S. since its FDA approval in 2002, and I think we all should feel free to talk about it!

MW: Aside from BOTOX® Cosmetic, what are some of your favorite skincare products for face and body?
VW: Perfekt tinted skin gel, which creates a great natural appearance; Mila Moursi moisturizing oil; and Proactiv deep cleansing wash.

MW: What can we find in Vanessa William’s makeup bag?
VW: My favorite eye brow pencil is a Japanese brand that has a screw tip, so it doesn’t need to be sharpened.

MW: What is your favorite lip gloss?
VW: MAC Cosmetics lip gloss in “revealing.”

MW: What is your favorite shampoo & conditioner?
VW: Acquage moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.

MW: What are one or two things some people may not know about Vanessa Williams?
VW: I really love cars – sport cars with leather seats. Also, on the weekends I love to listen to Irish music! I’ve actually incorporated some of these sounds into my new album “The Real Thing” with Concord Records.

MW: What’s next for Vanessa Williams?
VW: Well, as part of the “BOTOX® Cosmetic: Express Success” campaign, I’ll be hosting local events in San Francisco, Dallas and Miami. If your readers live one of those cities, they can RSVP to attend at www.ExpressSuccessCampaign.com .

Also, we are getting ready to film season four of Ugly Betty, which is moving to Friday nights. I’m looking forward to filming the musical episode later this year. Also, I will be on tour for my new album – check out my Web site for upcoming tour dates!

It was a pleasure to interview Vanessa Williams, you can find out more about Botox Cosmetic at the official website: www.botoxcosmetic.com 
also check out the Vanessa Williams official website: www.vanessawilliams.com

In honor of working women who have helped make BOTOX Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin Type A) the most popular physician-administered aesthetic treatment for the last seven years, Allergan, Inc. just launched the “BOTOX Cosmetic: Express Success” charitable education campaign. Spearheaded by actress and singer Vanessa Williams, the campaign will benefit the not-for-profit Dress for Success, an organization that helps disadvantaged women succeed in the workforce, through a $250,000 donation from Allergan.

Allergan is donating $2 to Dress for Success on behalf of each of the first 25,000 people who visit and register on the campaign Web site, www.ExpressSuccessCampaign.com  click to Get Involved!

When pledging support on the ExpressSuccessCampaign.com Web site, you also can enter to WIN a trip for two to New York City to have lunch with Vanessa Williams, read Vanessa’s personal blog as well as get interview and workplace tips.  This is such am amazing opportunty!

About Vanessa Williams: Vanessa Williams has achieved success in every area of entertainment, including the worlds of music, theatre, film and television. She has sold millions of albums, earning multiple Grammy Award nominations and countless other awards and honors. She has starred in numerous films, television and Broadway productions and has won or been nominated for the Emmy , Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards and has won two NAACP Image Awards for her role as the deliciously wicked Wilhelmina Slater on the hit ABC series, “Ugly Betty.” Concord Records will release her 13th album, “The Real Thing” in June and she recently appeared in the box-office hit, “Hannah Montana: The Movie.”

About Allergan, Inc.: Founded in 1950, Allergan, Inc., with headquarters in Irvine, California, is a multi-specialty health care company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices that enable people to live life to its greatest potential – to see more clearly, move more freely, express themselves more fully. The Company employs more than 8,000 people worldwide operates state-of-the-art R&D facilities and world-class manufacturing plants. In addition to its discovery-todevelopment research organization, Allergan has global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries.

About Dress for Success: Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 90 cities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the UK and the West Indies. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 500,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Visit http://www.dressforsuccess.org  to learn more.

MAC Cosmetics provides artistry and product support to numerous films, television shows, theatrical productions and performances around the world. In addition to supporting such shows as Mad Men, Gossip Girl and Ugly Betty, MAC is also the official makeup of Cirque du Soleil.

One of the latest projects is the film production of Twilight, the highly anticipated, #1 New York Times Bestselling book by Stephenie Meyer brought to life. With over 17 million books in print, these books are a cultural phenomenon.

The movie Twilight, is scheduled to premiere in November 21, 2008.

Below is an interview with Makeup Department Head Jeanne Van Phue with some insight into the makeup direction of the movie.

Q: What was the process for creating the various characters’ looks?
A: Katherine Hardwicke, the director, and I have previously worked together on a movie called “Lords of Dogtown,” so we know each other very well. I began by preparing sketches of my vision, keeping in mind the descriptions Stephanie Myers (Twilight’s Author) set forth in the books.
Bella’s (Kristen Stewart’s character) description in the novel is very pale and extremely beautiful with large chocolate brown eyes, so she wore colored lenses every day. I also pictured her as a natural beauty, which is exactly what Kristen is. I used a light hand while applying all neutral colors to make her look as though she had no makeup on.
Edward’s (Robert Pattinson’s character) description in the novel is impossibly handsome almost god-like. His skin is marble-pale, hard as stone and ice cold, but perfect and flawless. Edwards’ eyes are described as topaz colored when he is normal and black like onyx, when hungry.

Q: Were there any changes to the looks of the characters that weren’t planned?
A: At the beginning, Katherine Hardwicke visualized Edward with long hair, yet after studying his face and jaw line in the makeup test, the decision was made to go with short hair to accentuate his amazing jaw line.

Q: What was the overall look of the makeup in this movie?
A: All the vampires had to be pale, but I didn’t want them to look to ghoulish, somewhere between Sweeney Todd and Interview with the Vampire. The choice was made for a denser, more opaque look for the supporting vampires and a lighter look for the leading man.
The challenge was they still had to look beautiful and handsome. The key was striking the delicate shading balance. We had two weeks of makeup test. This is the time for a makeup artist to unleash their imagination. During the testing Katherine let me know when I was on the mark. Katherine has a fabulous eye for detail and everything I did had to be approved by her.

Q: Were there any other challenges you encountered while working on location in Portland, Oregon?
A: The rain was a huge challenge. We were outside, and it rained the entire time we were there. Most of the shots were exterior; trying to fix makeup in the rain with wet faces and wet brushes was difficult. In the end, I must say I loved working on this movie, it challenge my creativity as never before. The cast was such a great group of talented young actors.

Q: What were your non-makeup related responsibilities in terms of creating this look?
A: Another one of my jobs was too find a contact lens specialist. So I called upon the expertise of Cristina Patterson Ceret FX lens/painter from Professional VisionCare.

Q: What M·A·C products did you use on the film Twilight?
A: The M.A.C products I used on this film were eye shadows and powder for our principles. We had several other characters and day players I used M.A.C. foundations, lipsticks and blushes.

Q: How long have you used M·A·C products?
A: In 30 years as a makeup artist in my career and over 50 movies, M·A·C products have played an integral part in my work. I have probably used all of them at one time or another. I choose the cosmetics based on their skin tone and whether they are oily or dry. It also depends on how the product reacts to their particular skin type.

M·A·C Makeup used on Bella played by Kristen Stewart:

Blot Powder/Pressed in Light
Eye Shadow on Blanc Type, Flute and Wedge
M·A·C Makeup used on Edward played by Robert Pattinson
Blot Powder/Pressed in Light

Talking Makeup has the scoop to who would be styling the tresses of actress America Ferrera and Rose Byrne for the 60th Annual Emmy Awards.

Looks like Fekkai stylists Adir Abergel and Daniel Howell are working with Fekkai this year to tame the tresses of the following fabulous celebrities: America Ferrera and Rose Byrne.

America Ferrera.

Rose Byrne.

Hollywood starlets know that it’s all about glamorous hair when it comes to the red carpet. This year for the 2008 Emmy Awards, two of the industry’s most sought after hair stylists, Adir Abergel and Daniel Howell, have chosen to work with Fekkai to create award winning hair. Daniel Howell will tend to the tresses of America Ferrera, Ugly Betty nominee and Adir Abergel will style Rose Byrne locks, attending for Damages.

Ugly Betty star Becki Newton gives us a sneak peak at Porter Grey’s fall collection on the “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” Show.

Porter’s Grey’s silk skirt retails for $305. Porter Grey’s silk v-neck top retails for $225. For more information about Porter Grey’s please visit www.portergrey.com .