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SALT LAKE CITY — Many celebrities turned out for last weekend's NBA All-Star Weekend. Their picture-perfect looks were created by glam squads.
Utah County makeup artist Savanah Norman works mostly with women of color. Landing a five-day gig to create standout looks for actress Gabrielle Union was more than just building her resume, it was about breaking boundaries.
The former model and current Hollywood actress commands a room.
During the weekend, she played host with her husband, former NBA player and minority Utah Jazz owner Dwyane Wade. So her look had to be on point.
Norman said her agent found her on Instagram.
"She reached out and she was like, "I have a high-end client, are you available?"
That A-lister turned out to be Union.
"And I was just like, 'Wait! This is like for real?'"
She had never met Union before, but was tasked with doing her makeup for five days. Her friend, Tenesha Luckett, styled the actress' hair.
"She had us travel to where she was staying. Not far from Vivint Arena. I thought it was going to be a lot more pressure, but it was like every other client that I had which is like chill, laid back," Norman said.
She said Union trusted her to come up with stunning looks that would complement her outfits.
"At the end of every appointment she was always like, 'Yep, this is perfect. I don't want anything changed.' It was like a full circle moment!"
This high-profile endorsement could be a game changer. Norman wants women of color to know there are artists in Utah who can do all skin tones.
"The fact that she actually utilized talent here in Salt Lake is huge. It's such a big honor. I did not think like little me who grew up in Lindon, Utah would be doing A-list celebrities."
Norman has come a long way from watching makeup tutorials on YouTube.
Soon she'll launch her own online lessons, so people can achieve a glam look from home.
