Hanne Norgaard: Makeup Artist, Entrepreneur, and Mental Health Advocate

Hanne Norgaard, also known professionally as Hanne Kim Norgaard, is a prominent makeup artist, businesswoman, and writer best known as the ex-wife of acclaimed actor Idris Elba. Throughout her prolific career, Norgaard has worked on various high-profile television shows, films, fashion shows, and ad campaigns. She is also the founder of her own cosmetics company, Kim Elba Cosmetics.

Additionally, Hanne Norgaard has been remarkably transparent about her struggles with mental illness, having been diagnosed with chronic anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression. Her willingness to openly discuss these sensitive personal issues has made her an inspiration for mental health advocacy.

While Norgaard has largely eschewed the spotlight and maintained a low-key public persona despite her A-list connections, her professional achievements and philanthropy efforts highlight her as a trailblazing woman of color making vital contributions to the beauty industry.

Early Life and Career

Hanne Norgaard was born on April 5, 1977, in the United Kingdom. She is of mixed British-American and African-Asian descent.

In her youth, Norgaard worked as a model, appearing in various commercials and print ads in the UK. However, she eventually relocated to London to pursue a career as a professional makeup artist.

Her big break came when she was hired to work on makeup teams for British television shows like “Absolutely Fabulous” and the BBC series “Birds of a Feather.” This early exposure enabled her to quickly establish herself as an in-demand artist.

Marriage to Idris Elba

Hanne Norgaard first met acclaimed black British actor Idris Elba at a party in London in 1998. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, they forged an immediate connection.

They married the following year in Las Vegas in 1999, later settling together in New York City when Elba began achieving fame for his work on American series like “The Wire” and “Luther.”

In 2001, the couple welcomed their daughter Isan Elba. Motherhood and marital bliss seemed to align perfectly with the height of Elba’s early career success.

However, the relationship was relatively short-lived – Norgaard and Elba divorced in 2003. While the split is said to have been amicable, they’ve both moved on to remarry other partners in subsequent years. Nevertheless, co-parenting their daughter remains a priority.

Career as a Makeup Artist

Professionally, Hanne Norgaard continued her ascent by working as a makeup artist throughout her relationship with Elba and following their divorce.

Her client roster grew to incorporate musicians like Angie Stone and Avon, while still collaborating with major British television networks like BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and Sky.

Some notable shows she contributed her makeup talents to include:

• “The X Factor”
• “Britain’s Next Top Model”
• “Cash in the Celebrity Attic”

She also worked with celebrities like Thandie Newton and Idrissa Akuna Elba.

In 2016, Norgaard achieved a career milestone by launching her own makeup and skincare brand – Kim Elba Cosmetics. The company focuses on providing quality products specially formulated for multi-ethnic skin tones.

Personal Life

In her personal life, Hanne Norgaard has been remarkably transparent in discussing her struggles with chronic anxiety, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression. She has recounted battles with suicidal thoughts and the everyday difficulties of coping with mental health issues as a woman of color.

Norgaard married again in 2009 to a man named Gary. Together they have raised her daughter Isan (now in her 20s) along with two sons named Kai and Mingus. The family resides together in Catford, London.

While she does not publicly disclose her income or net worth, it is estimated to be around $900,000 – accumulated between her makeup artist salaries, cosmetics business profits, and previous modeling work.

Hanne Norgaard is also reportedly involved in various philanthropic endeavors as well, though she tends to avoid publicity for these activities. However, she has indicated plans to launch more formal foundations to give back to mental health organizations in the future.

Legacy and Impact

Despite her natural inclination to avoid fame and media attention, Hanne Norgaard’s legacy as an artist, entrepreneur, and role model is multi-faceted:

Influence on the Beauty Industry

As a frontline industry makeup artist for over 20 years working with brands like M∙A∙C Cosmetics and Avon, Norgaard’s portfolio of work across commercials, television, and high fashion has been far-reaching. She has had a hand in shaping contemporary beauty standards.

Additionally, the successful 2016 launch of Kim Elba Cosmetics was pioneering as an early makeup brand specifically targeting women of color. The company fulfilled a profoundly underserved market need – helping to expand representation and inclusion around ethnic skincare.

Role Model for Women of Color

Beyond just makeup and cosmetics, Hanne Norgaard also stands out as an inspirational figure herself. As a mixed-race woman who found success across modeling, and television production, and now running her own company – she has trailblazed across industries where minority representation has sorely lacked.

Despite facing immense personal challenges around mental health, she has forged ahead with quiet persistence and grace. In doing so, she epitomizes the strength of women of color.

Mental Health Advocacy

However, Norgaard’s transparency around her mental health likely remains her most impactful contribution to public discourse. By opening up about her anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation at the height of a seemingly perfect career and family life – Hanne Norgaard catalyzed more conversations about getting help, the importance of therapy, and medication when necessary.

For communities of color especially, where social stigma around mental illness has silenced so many for so long, Norgaard’s vulnerability has been revolutionary. She has undoubtedly saved or changed lives by empowering people to stop suffering in secret.

In many ways, this radical self-disclosure to alleviate suffering is Hanne Norgaard’s most admirable form of philanthropy.

Conclusion

In summary, Hanne Norgaard’s multifaceted career and personal experiences as a woman of color navigating family, relationships, unprecedented success, and vulnerability have revealed incredible humanity.

As an artist, Norgaard has had her hands on shaping culture’s very beauty and self-image. As an entrepreneur, she is working to reshape it further by expanding inclusion around ethnic skin tones.

But most importantly, as a mental health advocate sharing her harrowing triumphs over deeply entrenched trauma – Hanne Norgaard embodies the best of what visibility, representation, and empathy can achieve. She gives voice to struggle, to inspire all of us.

FAQs

What are some of Hanne Norgaard’s notable works as a makeup artist?

Some of Hanne Norgaard’s most notable makeup artist jobs include working on popular British TV shows like “Absolutely Fabulous”, “Birds of a Feather”, “The X Factor”, “Britain’s Next Top Model”, and “Cash in the Celebrity Attic”. She has worked with major networks like the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and Sky TV.

Norgaard has also done makeup for musicians like Angie Stone and Avon cosmetics campaigns. Additionally, she has worked closely with celebrities like Thandie Newton and Idris Elba’s daughter, Idrissa Akuna Elba. Over her decades-long career as a makeup artist, Norgaard has contributed her skills to numerous commercials, fashion shows, films, and stage productions as well.

How did Hanne Norgaard transition from modeling to makeup artistry?

Early in her career, Hanne Norgaard worked as a model doing commercials and print modeling jobs in the United Kingdom. However, she decided to relocate from the UK to London to pursue a career pivot into professional makeup artistry.

Her first big break came when she was hired to work on the makeup teams for popular 90s BBC sitcoms like “Absolutely Fabulous” and “Birds of a Feather”. These high-profile television gigs provided invaluable training and networking opportunities, allowing Norgaard to quickly establish herself as an in-demand makeup artist. She leveraged these early opportunities to continue building up her portfolio and client base across entertainment mediums like film, theatre, music videos, and fashion.

What inspired Hanne Norgaard to become an entrepreneur?

After two decades of working as a professional makeup artist, Hanne Norgaard was inspired to parlay her industry knowledge and experience into a related business venture. In 2016, she founded Kim Elba Cosmetics – a makeup and skincare brand specifically formulated for multi-ethnic skin tones.

Norgaard was motivated to fill a profoundly underserved market need she perceived firsthand over years of working with models and talent of varying ethnic backgrounds. The existing mass market of beauty products routinely failed women of color by not offering quality products adapted to their skin types. By launching her own company, Norgaard sought to address this diversity gap while also empowering women of color to feel beautiful and represented.