Last year, I started work on a film that was two months into shooting. On my first day, while assisting in the makeup rooms, I noticed a spritzer bottle of toner at one of the artists’ stations. It was the most elegant damn toner I’d ever seen. A modern square-shaped glass bottle with a shiny gold cap and nothing else except a clean white label with gold foiled lettering, simply reading ‘Keweko. Refreshing Toner’. It looked a million bucks sitting at that desk. Funnily enough, when I looked up, I noticed bottles like this on almost every other station in the room. It was apparently a favourite with the girls, and I wanted in. Working in a hidden room down the hall, surrounded by wigs of every colour while listening to Spanish; I would finally meet Kerstin.
Kerstin Weller is a UK-based hair and makeup artist from Germany. Her bubbly personality, love for nature and zest for life has taken her around the globe, working everywhere from Australia to Africa. She recently landed in Belfast to join the Game of Thrones crew who are filming their final season.
In 2012, while working on Mad Max: Fury Road, she conceived the idea for Keweko; an organic skincare range that was both sustainable and good looking.
The market for more natural products had skyrocketed in recent years, but that wasn’t the only reason Keweko came onto the scene. ‘I’ve always used organic skincare but was often put off by the packaging design. It was just never my taste and didn’t look nice on my makeup station at work or in my bathroom.’
The cruelty-free range launched in late 2016 with organic certification and the packaging played a significant part in what the brand wanted to convey to consumers. ‘I found that most products (even when organic) were sold in plastic bottles with plastic labels. I wanted to create a product with less impact on the environment.’
All Keweko products are free of formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, and petroleum thanks to the sustainably sourced ingredients.
A busy career in film and television means that Kerstin often has to take Keweko on the road with her. As you can imagine, it’s not long on jobs before her products become popular with both cast and crew. Many other artists have also taken to adding Keweko to their kits as an industry must-have.
‘A lot of actors appreciate the calming effect of Keweko after a stressful day on-set. The cleanser takes makeup off gently, and the toner works well as a refreshing treat on a hot day. Many male actors prefer it over a heavy moisturiser.’
(Image via ‘18 Hours at the Paint Hall‘)
Much of her time the last few years has been spent working as a hair stylist on Game of Thrones, and Keweko has become a staple in the department, with some of her biggest fans often being the stars themselves. The mother of dragons herself (Emilia Clarke), Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) and Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) have all raved about the range via social media and no doubt they’re not the only ones.
‘I love working on that show. The cast and crew are all so lovely. It’s like a big family. I guess it just becomes that way when you work together for almost a full year each season.’
As part of the GoT family, Kerstin often finds herself in some stunning places. ‘We have to work in extreme weather conditions. Locations vary from hot deserts in Spain to freezing glaciers in Iceland.’ Having an organic skincare range on hand must be a godsend when people with all types of skin go to such extreme locations. I have no doubt Keweko will continue to be a crew favourite for many more jobs to come.
In the future, Kerstin hopes to expand the range and is also on a crusade for her packaging to be 100% eco-friendly. But baby steps!
Head to keweko.com to purchase the Soil Association certified range or follow @keweko_skincare on Instagram to see where in the world she’ll be travelling with her products next. (All product photos courtesy of Keweko)
