First Look Fridays: Makeup Artist Craig Lindberg

Law & Order: SVU. Saturday Night Live. Boardwalk Empire. These are just a few of the many credits that makeup artist Craig Lindberg has racked up over the years. Read on to find out which cult favorite mascara is always in his arsenal, the project he worked on that makes him swell with pride and so much more.

How did you first become interested in beauty and special effects, and what led you to become a makeup artist?
I'm New York born and raised. As a child I was always drawing and making things. Model kits (but rarely cars and planes) -- mostly dinosaurs, space ships and monsters. My mother loved horror movies as much as comedies. Back when i was younger, most horror movies, no matter how lurid, were G-rated, so I saw many a head roll as a boy. Also I loved the Japanese Kaiju films(Godzilla, Gamera) -- these have had a huge influence on me.

Many years later, upon the release of An American Werewolf in London, a guy I knew mentioned he wanted to recreate the makeup. Having an interest in it, I took a small class with a makeup artist named Bert Roth, who was department head at ABC television, and I liked it. He taught me basic effects makeup. So, I took more classes at a school called Robert Fiance.

A different friend of mine was attending NYU and asked me to do makeup on the film he was working on. On that film I met another student who needed a makeup artist and it continued from there. That was back in 1985.

Now I can't say it was easy. There were several times I was ready to leave. Not because I didn't like it -- it was because I couldn't keep a steady income. But I kept returning to it. So many years later and many more jobs later, now I can't even think of doing anything else.

You've worked on some really varied projects, from SNL to Law and Order: SVU and the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. Are there any looks you've created that have stood out as your favorites?
One of my favorite jobs was for an episode of Law and Order: SVU. There was a character that had Wilson's Syndrome. I had made false teeth for her, but I also made eye bags. And when the show was reviewed, the teeth were spoken about but not the eye bags. The fact that the eye bags weren't noticed as being a makeup made me feel good.

What are your favorite beauty products?
I like to use simple products that have been a staple for both personal and professional use.
1) I still like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. It's never failed me. It's easy to get and everyone knows it.

2) Kiehl's Facial Fuel. It's a good moisturizer and I use it a lot.

3) Boericke & Tafel Florasone Cream. It's a homeopathic remedy for skin conditions, including eczema.

4) Carmex lip balm. It's got menthol in it and many people are happy that it "wakes" them up.

What are your top makeup tips?
1) Makeup is a tool and knowing how to use it makes a huge difference. Not all people can wear makeup a certain way. So, just because a celebrity has kohl black eyeliner on with sparkles doesn't mean it'll translate well on someone else.

2) If the eyes are droopy, meaning the lid drops down on the outer corner, don't follow them down with the eyeliner as this will accentuate the droop. Instead, draw the line straight out, ending at the end of the lid but not too far past it. Almost consider it a wedge. This will help in lifting the droop.

3) If you have dark circles under the eyes, using dark colors will "add" to the dark, making it worse. Use browns as they are a natural color.

4) When using concealers, use color correction first as that will let you use less concealer. Yellows/oranges help purples/blues. Reds color correct greens. All based on the color wheel.

Being a makeup artist must be fun, but what do you do in your spare time?
Spare time? Mostly resting until the next time!