Interview with AMC Network's Hit TV Show Mad Men's Lead Makeup Artist Lana Horochowski

Lana Horochowski chats it up with beautypress regarding how she nails the'60s looks behind this runaway hit show.

Mad Men Lead Makeup Artist Lana Horochowski

beautypress: What kind of brands do you use on the set of Mad Men?

Lana Horochowski: KohGenDo a great Japanese line, NARS velvet matte lipsticks, Tom Ford, and MAC.

beautypress: What kind of research did you do to get inspired to create 1960's looks?

Lana Horochowski: We ordered so many fashion and vintage magazines. Like when we had to prepare looks from 1968, I ordered that entire year of Vogue magazines. I would observe the cosmetic advertisements in the magazines; those are the most telling of how women were wearing makeup at that time.

beautypress: Who's your favorite character from Mad Men?

Lana Horochowski: Peggy.

beautypress: Where does Peggy's cosmetic transformation come from?

Lana Horochowski: Peggy comes from a religious family; she moved up in a man's world really quickly. Peggy never learned how to apply makeup so she's learning. That's why her makeup always looks a bit off. Like when I saw an advertisement from the time era for this makeup palette with various different colors, I thought Peggy would totally use all of these colors at once trying to look the best she can.

beautypress: How long does it take to apply the makeup on set before shooting?

Lana Horochowski: For the girls, they're usually done in an hour and a half to two hours. The guys are fast, 45 minutes and they are ready.

beautypress: What's your favorite look from the 1950's?

Lana Horochowski: There's nothing more perfect than a matte red lip with a full brow. So clean, simple, and timeless.

beautypress: Can you explain what goes behind Pete's receding hairline?

Lana Horochowski: Pete gets shaved every day, sometimes a couple times a day. Then we paint out the shadow that is still left on the head. His head gets shaved with an actual blade to get a really close shave. Whenever it's time to shave Pete's head, we yell "SHAVING!" and everyone just clenches tight until we're done. It takes around 40 minutes to get Pete's shaved head perfect.

About Made Men: Mad Men cable series revolves around the conflicted world of Don Draper (Hamm), the biggest ad man (and ladies man) in the business, and his colleagues at the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Advertising Agency. As Don makes the plays in the boardroom and the bedroom, he struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels. The series also depicts authentically the roles of men and women in this era while exploring the true human nature beneath the guise of 1960s traditional family values.