Whether Mckenzie Westmore is portraying Sheridan Crane Lopez Fitgerald on NBC's Passions or charging full-speed ahead on her latest business venture (developing a cosmetic line with her Emmy-Award winning makeup artist father), the daytime diva never skip a style beat. "I've always been a big believer in sexy, classy style." she reveals. After four years of watching Mckenzie light up Harmony, Sophisticate's found out how she does it...
STYLE SAVVY
Sophisticate's HairStyle Guide: You've worn so many great hairstyles through the years on Passions,Can you describe how you're wearing your hair now?
Mckenzie: Ihave a choppy, layered cut and its really fun. Short hairstyles can look very dated so its not easy to find something hip yet still classic.
SHG: How did you decide on this new cut?
Mckenzie: The stylist on Passions and I collaborated to create this style. We looked at pictures of Rebecca Romijin-Stamos and Halle Berry and combined their hair styles. I told her I wanted it choppy and piecey, rather than flippy, and she gave me exactly what I was looking for.
SHG: Do you have any advice for people wearing short hair?
Mckenzie: Always make sure your ends are trimmed. Split, dry and dead ends are more noticeable with short hair because you dont have the lenght to hide them. Your hair is all around your face so if someone is looking in your eyes, They'll automatically look to the left, or right and see your dead ends.
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SHG: Have you always had short hair?
Mckenzie: Actually my hair used to be very long, and I love it long. But its kind of difficult to deal with, and the shoe prefers it short. Also my hair looks much bettemckenzie-westmore-fitness1.shtml as it starts growing out it starts looking dry and unhealthy. However when I used to wear my hair dark (Before PAssions) it looked great long.
SHG: So is your hair naturally dark?
mckenzie-westmore-fitness3.shtmlts actually very dark. I have my dad's coloring, his hair is jet black.
SHG: When did you decide to go blonde?
Mckenzie: Right before I got the role on Passions I bleached my hair for a Star Trek movie I was doing and we were in the sun for 3 months. After that my hair was fried so I cut it. It was a blessing in disguise, though, Because when I auditoned for PAssions , they were looking for someone with short blonde hair.
SHG: Can you describe the color you're wearing?
Mckenzie: I have dark-blonde, all over color, with honey blonde highlights woven throughout.
TRESS TREATMENT
SHG: Can you describe your tress texture? Is it naturally straight? Or Curly?
Mckenzie: My hair is naturally really curly and its fine, But I have alot of it.
SHG: What is your daily haircare regimen?
Mckenzie: I always wash my hair with shampoo and conditioners for color treated hair. As soon as I get out of the shower I put a dollop of Pantene deep conditioner in my hair.
SHG: Can you walk us through your daily hair styling routine on Passions?
Mckenzie: I arrive at work with my hair wet and they add Biosilk and products by Kérastase to keep my hair looking healthy and shinu no matter how much heat I put on it. They then flip it out using a round brush and their fingers before flat-ironing it. And finally they apply a wax product by Fudge all over.
SHG: How do you do your hair when you are not working?
Mckenzie: If I'm not working I can go a couple days without washing my hair and my style will still look really great. If I only have 5 minutes to get ready, I'll just scrunch up my hair, let it dry curly and throw on a headband. Thats my husband's favorite style on me.
BEAUTY QUEEN
SHG: What is your favorite feature to highlight with makeup?
Mckenzie: I definitely like to play up my eyes. I love creating a smoky eye with Revlon color palette of four eye shadoes. I start by laying down a little bit of pale, frosty eye shadow over the entire lid up to the browbone before applying a bronze shade all over the eyelid. I then use a slightly darker bronze shade through the crease before liningthe upper lashline. Finally, I smoke it out with a brush on the top and bottom.
SHG: What is the key to perfect application?
Mckenzie: Through trial and error on the show, and I've got some great advice from my father who's makeup artist, and my mother, who's a former model. Actually Im currently developing a makeup line with my dad. It's going to be called Mckenzie by Michael Westmore and it should be out later this year or early next year.
SHG: That's so exciting! What kinds of cosmetics will be available in your line?
Mckenzie: Basically products that can be added to any makeup line, such as a lip plumper, a semi-tattoo lipliner and things like that. The line will be sold on television.
SHG: Wow, You've been very busy! What do you do when you have time to pamper yourself?
Mckenzie: I get manicures, pedicures, and I love the day spa! I used to get massages once a week. I highly recommend getting massages because when I was getting them once a week I was at such peace. Also I love doing yoga; It's like a massage for the body from the inside out. My husband and I do Bikram yoga - In the heated room - About once a week.
