Violette Serrat—
A Parisian Manifesto
of Beauty

 

(Her Vision, Her Brand) Frenchwoman Violette Serrat is an entrepreneur with a deep artistic foundation, weaving beauty and art into a bold—and above all, personal—philosophy. Since 2021, she has served as Creative Director of Makeup for the French luxury beauty house Guerlain. Here, she oversees Guerlain’s makeup collections both strategically and creatively—from color selection and formulations to packaging.

One of the defining makeup artists of Haute Cosmétique, she also founded her own label VIOLETTE_FR in 2021 in her adopted home of New York, searching out suitable investors; since then, she has regularly launched makeup, haircare, skincare, and perfume ranges.

Serrat’s products are sold in department stores like Le Bon Marché in Paris and through Sephora in the U.S. However, many customers shop her femininely packaged cosmetics directly online—a medium through which she built a loyal fanbase during her early YouTube days. Serrat’s casual tutorials—whether applying eyeshadow in an oyster bar or sharing her favorite products with the intimacy of a best friend—early on revealed a new, laid-back kind of beauty, far from over-perfected glamour. This approachability remains part of her USP, as does her creative use of color, whether in products or editorials.

Few understand how to appeal to both seasoned makeup professionals and those who rarely go beyond mascara. Attributes like subtlety and extravagance coexist naturally in Serrat’s range and style. Perhaps it’s this balancing act that gives her creations cult status—and makes her a symbol of a new, less elitist definition of beauty.

Pigments Over Powders
Although the beauty world was familiar to her from a young age—her father was a well-known hairstylist and her mother a booker—Serrat initially took a different path: studying art and fashion design in Paris. It wasn’t powder but pigments that captivated her. Only after doing party makeup for a friend did the idea arise to swap canvas for face.

Things moved quickly. Her talent spread by word of mouth, jobs followed—without the usual assistant phase or formal training as a makeup artist. Soon she was working for major magazines and renowned photographers. Yet she remained loyal to art supplies: to this day, Serrat prefers buying colors from art stores rather than cosmetic shops. “I used my knowledge of how to create paintings with pigments and raw materials to make my own products directly on set. That allowed me to develop looks that were clearly different from what was happening in the fashion scene at the time,” she says.

In her editorials, she let liquid silver drip over faces or bathed supermodel Daphne Groeneveld in glossy gel—long before the term “glass skin” was even coined. These surreal presentations reflect her closeness to art. For her, a face isn’t just a makeup surface but a canvas where emotions become visible.

“To be honest: I’m still not a makeup junkie. I just love the opportunity to express myself—I love colors and textures,” says Serrat.

Despite this artistic freedom, her creations never lose their grounding. They always move within the tension between art and wearable beauty. Serrat also defies the cliché of the chaotic artist—anyone who’s worked with her on set can attest to that: her kit is meticulously organized, her looks precisely prepared, and assistants briefed with the same precision she uses to mix pigments. When Serrat sprinkles glitter over a face, it’s not random—it’s the logical extension of a carefully thought-out story.

She has brought this vision to brands like Dior, Estée Lauder, La Mer, and Guerlain, where she has held leading creative roles for years. For each of these companies, she has not only designed and staged looks, but has also shaped packaging and brand aesthetics. Even after launching her own brand, she has continued as Creative Director at Guerlain—a unique setup in the industry, where exclusivity is usually a strict rule.

Born from Personal Need
In 2021 came the launch of VIOLETTE_FR—a line which has since gathered a near cult-like following. Sometimes the colors are inspired by French candies, sometimes by beetles or her daughters’ cheeks. Every shade, every cream is universally wearable, suitable for different skin types and age groups. Serrat herself is her strongest testimonial: in social media clips, she talks about her products and demonstrates their easy application—always infused with her French heritage. That je ne sais quoi—that certain something between the casual ease and subtle elegance of French women—has become her trademark.

Her personal experiences and needs have also flown into the development of her skincare products. A prime example: Boum-Boum Milk. After three years of development, this 3-in-1 spray with 38% fermented birch water was born. It strengthens the skin barrier, soothes sensitive skin—and became a necessity for Serrat herself, as she suffers from contact dermatitis. Today, the sleek, elegant bottle is found on many photo sets, and professionals swear by it.

Another classic is the Bisou Balm. Inspired by the French tradition of bouche mordue—a softly kissed lip look—it reflects Serrat’s emotional product approach and perfectionism. Only after intensive lab work did she achieve the perfect blend of “sheer-matte,” care, and soft-focus effect.

Although she has lived in New York for many years with her husband—a photographer—and their two children, Serrat’s French heritage remains central to her brand identity. She weaves her cultural legacy with the energy of her adopted home, building a bridge between Parisian classicism and New York modernity. She is not just a company founder and a CEO—she is a creator who composes colors, textures, and shapes like artists once did with their works.