Joelle Russo, Northwest beauty director for Nordstrom, shares tricks of the trade for perfecting a spring look. Get the products she mentions in-store at 100 Bellevue Square or online at www.nordstrom.com.

Q&A

Reporter: Who are your top spring beauty brands?

JR: – Kate Somerville. Love the daily wash, ExfoliKate and Quench; Clarisonic Plus is a must-have for face and body.

– Armani foundation.

– Dior, Diorshow mascara.

– Nars velvet gloss lip pencil.

Reporter: What can we do to tackle the beauty challenges of living in the Pacific Northwest (i.e. rain, lack of Vitamin D)?

JR: We need to keep skin comfortable and hydrated. Remembering to exfoliate so that your moisturizer can really work for you is important. Protect your skin with a great SPF (rain or shine). SPF is a daily must-have.

Reporter: In Bellevue, we have a very diverse population. Can you share some beauty tips for women of different backgrounds?

JR: Women in general have different tones and textures to their skin. Research shows some of the common concerns: hyper-pigmentation, dryness and acne. My suggestion is to come in to any of our stores and meet with our Beauty Stylists (these are trained stylists not connected to any brand, educated in all products). Each customer has unique needs so we’d like to custom-fit the consultation to the individual. Also do you know we can always make a sample of any product? That goes for any time at any store. This is a great way to try things.

Reporter: Bright colors like coral are big in makeup this spring. But how do you perfect the timeless, natural look?

JR: Start with the perfect canvas, beautiful glowing skin. Then comes foundation (conceal it), cream blush, setting powder and a soft neutral eye shadow. Add a black liner for a stronger lash line. Coat lashes with a black mascara. Finally, add an angelic lip by finding a color close to your original lip color.

Reporter: What are some spring beauty trends for hair and nails?

JR: Hair: Whether you wear it curly or straight, shiny is in. Start with the Glossing Collection of products from Fekkai: glossing shampoo, conditioner, and glossing cream is perfect for dry hair. The glossing spray is great if you want a lighter, textured product.

Nails: Color is a perfect way to add that beauty accessory to any look. Go with a nude or naked color if you want to keep it simple, plus it’s a great compliment if you are wearing bright bold colors in your makeup or fashion. Kick it up a notch and add a bold color to your nails in a coral, red, even a pretty blue. Pick a color on the color wheel and go for it – we have so many fun bright hues to choose from.

Reporter: Who are a couple style icons you look up to as beauty role models?

JR: Audrey Hepburn. When I think of her words that come to mind are style and grace. She was always on point with fashion but never overdone. In the ’80s, I was obsessed with Christy Turlington–her beautiful face, perfect bone structure–she was one of the original supermodels. I have seen her more recently in magazines and I think she is still the most beautiful woman. Halle Berry is a beauty icon of today. She knows who she is and I always admire her walking a red carpet or dressed casual in a magazine. Her makeup always compliments her and is never overdone.

Reporter: Any other important beauty dos and don’ts?

JR: Invest in your skin. It is the canvas and it needs to be healthy to add all the fun stuff.