I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen a celebrity on the red carpet at an event and thought, “Wow, she looks FLAWLESS.” The truth is, it usually takes quite a lot of makeup to create that flawless looking face, especially if the event is being photographed. Photography tends to wash out makeup, especially when flash is used, and red carpet makeup takes that extra layer of drama in order to really show up on camera. This particular look that I put together is not one that I personally would go out with during the daytime. It’s quite heavy makeup, especially on the eyes, and it’s perfect for those nights when you’re out on the town, going out with your girlfriends, or even if you’re doing a photo-shoot and want to look your absolute best. I’ll share some of my “red carpet makeup” tips and tricks inside, as well as a look I put together!
The products above are the main components to this look. You can use what you have in your makeup drawer, but I highly recommend these ones. All of them except for the lipstick are drugstore products!
- Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Palette in “The Naked Truth.” Wet n Wild makes some excellent eyeshadow palettes that are very pigmented and only cost a couple of bucks. This is a great neutral toned palette!
- Rimmel “Stay Matte” Foundation in “200 – Soft Beige.” This is a new foundation from Rimmel and I cannot sing enough praises about it! It has a mousse-like consistency, and it is medium to full coverage, making it perfect for those occasions when you’re going to be photographed. It also will keep any oil or grease on your face at bay.
- Eylure Katy Perry False Lashes in “Oh My!” Very dramatic, doubled-up lashes that really make your eyes look incredibly doe-eyed.
- Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in “Native.” This is a great lipstick shade that is universally flattering. It’s a nude-pink shade that works well with a smokey eye.
For the eye makeup, I used Wet n Wild’s “The Naked Truth” Palette. I applied a satin grey shade over the entire eyelid, then applied a sparkling chocolate brown into the crease. I darkened up the outer corners of my eyes with the dark brown shade and blended it all out well. I applied black eyeliner to my lower water-line and upper lash-line, and applied my super dramatic false lashes. I highly recommend going all out with your eye makeup if you know you’re going to be photographed. I typically prefer more natural looking lashes than these ones, but they show up beautifully in photographs. The shimmer in the eyeshadow really shows up on camera, adding a sparkle to your eye without reflecting too much light. The black eyeliner adds definition to your eye makeup and enhances your eye color when the flash goes off. You can top off the look with a light shimmering shade in the inner corners of your eyes and along your brow-bone. It will help reflect the light when your picture is taken!
You can see the subtle, yet noticeable shimmer in the eyeshadow above. It’s just enough for the product to bounce off the light without looking like a disco ball.
For the face, I used Rimmel’s “Stay Matte” Foundation. I cannot recommend this foundation enough, especially if you’ve got oily or acne prone skin. I have oily skin and trust me, oily skin doesn’t look good when your picture is being taken! Keep oil at bay with a matte finish foundation. This one is drugstore available and provides medium to full coverage, so if you’ve got uneven skin or acne marks to cover up, this will do a great job by itself. I also applied shimmer to my cheekbones so when the flash goes off, it catches the light. This is another great “red carpet” trick for making your skin look flawless on a big night.
I finished the look off with a light pink lipstick shade. It goes well with the dramatic smokey eye and keeps the overall look light and glowing. Lipstick shades like this one always look nice when the camera goes off because it helps makes your lips look large, healthy, and pouty.
We may not be celebrities, but we can look like them for a special occasion! The key is to apply makeup with a slightly heavier hand than you normally would, and really focus on highlighting your cheekbones and skin where you want the reflection to be. Keep your foundation matte so you don’t look greasy or oily, and keep your eyes dramatic so they don’t look washed out when the flash goes off.
[ALL PHOTOGRAPHY ON THIS SITE IS TAKEN BY REBECCA KAZIMIR. NO PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.]
Courtney says
Love this look, especially the use of the WNW palette! I think people get so hung up on high end palettes that they forget they can look great for $5.