Larchmont Celebrity Makeup and Special Effects Artist Wins Awards

J GUERRA, the Larchmont-based celebrity hair and makeup artist who has become a regular on many of Westchester’s movie sets, can add two international beauty awards to his resume.

Recently announced winner of the “Best High Fashion” and “Best On-Screen" makeup categories of the 2020-2021 International Beauty Industry Awards, Guerra was the only New York area makeup artist to win two awards in the competition, based in New York City and held for contestants world-wide.

“I am absolutely thrilled to receive these awards,” said Guerra, a 2011 Best of Westchester winner, who was also selected by Westchester Magazine as one of its “People to Watch” that year.

“This is an incredible honor and a great tribute to the work I do on Westchester movie sets but also in all aspects of my career.”

This latest accolade will no doubt make the in-demand make-up professional even more sought after on local film production sets.

His work has helped transform characters in several recently made movies right here in Westchester.

They include “Hustlers,” starring Jennifer Lopez, which filmed in White Plains; “The Half of It,” a Netflix film with scenes in Pelham; the HBO mini-series “Scenes from a Marriage,” made in Mount Vernon, and “Love Life,” another HBO production starring Anna Kendrick, which was also filmed in White Plains.

Guerra, who says some of his favorite locations to film in Westchester include Haven Studios in Mount Vernon and Azure Stages in Scarsdale, received the "Best On-Screen Makeup" award for his special effects work and creation of a bald cap for actor Donnie Keshawarz, who played the financier JP Morgan in the 2020 movie “Tesla.”

The special effects prosthetic took Guerra 3 hours to create and apply because it had to match the actor’s skin tone and texture, he explained.

Guerra’s work on America's Next Top Model winner Jaslene Gonzalez for the cover of Vive Magazine, a lifestyle publication, earned him the "Best High Fashion Makeup" award.

The IBI awards, which included work from beauty artists in over 30 countries, are open to professional hair and makeup artists in close to 50 specialized categories, including makeup artistry for bridal, Film/TV, Stage/Event, and more.

The winners are selected based purely on their talent, unlike other hair and makeup contests that rely heavily on social media followings.

Guerra is no stranger to the world of high fashion either, having worked with models in various high-profile fashion shows, including Fashion Week in Milan, Paris, and New York, and working for countless editorials and covers for international fashion magazines such as L'Officiel, Jalouse, L'Express, and more.

His clients include celebrities Dr. Drew, Wyclef Jean, Nico Tortorella, Mayim Bialik, Darlene Love, Daymond John, Rob Gronkowski, and many more.