If you’re anything like me, you love makeup but are relatively clueless about applying it correctly, especially when it comes to anything beyond your typical day look and one evening look. New Year’s Eve is coming, so I thought a makeup tutorial by an expert was just the thing to get you ready to party.
Meet Essie Cohen (@essiecohenmakeup), amazing makeup artist and all-around lovely person. She’s going to walk us up to an evening look, step-by-step, including giving us all the information on the products and tools she loves, and alternatives for a day look. And, because she really loves us, we made mini instructional videos for nearly each step.
Before you start, consider the brushes you have at your disposal, as they can make a huge difference to your finished look. Essie loves MAC makeup brushes for face and eyes. Not in your budget? Morphe brushes are a great and more affordable alternative.
Step One: All About the Base
Essie likes to prep each face using Weleda Skin Food Original — available everywhere including Amazon and Whole Foods — using a brush to apply. Next, Essie primes the face. For me, she used Smashbox Photo Finish Reduce Redness Primer. You’ll notice that it’s green, which helps neutralize redness in faces that need it. She likes all of the Smashbox primers, so if redness isn’t your issue as it is mine, head over to a beauty store and find the best formula for you.
Step Two: The Eyes Have It
Most people like to do the rest of the face and then start on the eyes, but Essie warns that this is a mistake, especially if you’re doing a more dramatic eye. Application of an eye can be a little messy, which will mean that you might have to do your face twice. Essie suggests always using an eye primer when doing an evening look. It sets the makeup and keeps it from smudging or fading. Essie’s all-time favorite in this category is the MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour Eye Base. Use a flat brush to apply to the lid.
Next, Essie used Nars Nepal Single Eyeshadow as a base eyeshadow — a pretty pink/taupe color great for daytime as well — applying it to the entire lid with a fluffy brush.
From there, you’ll build your enhanced, smoky look. Essie used the Morphe Copper Spice palette on me. Slowly build the smoky eye look. First, Essie used a slightly-less fluffy brush with a darker, more shimmery shadow from that palette in the crease to build dimension.
Next, Essie adds more pigment. To add a smoky effect, you’re going to add a darker eyeshadow to the outer crease and outer corner of each eye. Slowly build to the level of intensity you want with a still-denser brush.
Once you’ve added as much drama as you want with the eyeshadow, you’re going to move on to eyeliner. Essie used Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineline Ultra-Skinny Gel Eyeliner in Black on me. Essie is a fan Marc Jacob gel eyeliners because they’re super easy to apply, even for a novice like me. For a day look, you’d just line the top lashes but since we’re building to a nighttime look, line those bottom ones as well.
Next, curl those eyelashes! Most people skip this step, but Essie thinks it makes a huge difference to the final eye look.
After curling, apply your mascara to lashes. Essie applies the mascara to the top and bottom of the eyelash for a full, fluffy look.
Step Three: Conceal with Appropriate Colors
Your eyes are done and looking great, so now it’s time to move on the concealer. Essie explained that it’s important to think about what you’re concealing when choosing a concealer. For under your eyes, you’re going to use a pink- or peach-toned concealer, depending on your skin tone. For blemishes, you’re going to use a more yellow-toned concealer to neutralize the pink of the blemish. Essie also recommends a brush application for this step, as she doesn’t think she gets the same level of coverage with other application tools. Essie used Tarte Shape Tape Concealer on me, but Covergirl TrueBlend Concealer is a great inexpensive dupe.
Step Four: Building a Foundation
Next, we’re going to move on to foundation. Essie actually used Purlisse BB cream for my look. Essie loves this particular BB cream because it’s a US brand that’s based on Asian beauty principles. She applies with a stippling brush. A dime-sized amount is enough for the entire face.
Step Five: Lips and Cheek Sync
Essie taught me that when it comes to color on your face, it’s most important to make sure that your lips and cheeks coordinate, but consider your eyes their own separate entity. Start with blush and sweep on the apples of the cheeks. Essie used Nars Blush in Torrid on my cheeks.
For more dimension, add bronzer. Essie used Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna on me. Everyone’s face is different so use bronzer where you want to contour and recede. Use a brush that isn’t too wide and is tapered for targeted application. Essie recommends this Morphe brush.
Next, you’ll apply your lip color. Essie went with a more dramatic red look using Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Stylist, followed with Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. She finished the lip look using Marc Jacobs Beauty Lip Laquer in Hot Hot Hot. If you’re more comfortable with less color on your face, start with a pink-ish lip liner that works well with your skin tone. For a less dramatic look, Essie suggested Smashbox Always Sharp Liner in Rosebud for me, paired with Neutrogena Hydro Boost lipgloss in Berry Brown to complete the lip look.
Step Six: Set Your Face
To set your face, Essie says that you can use a setting powder or a setting spray. For my look, she used her preference, Skindinavia Setting Spray, which lasts 12-16 hours. You can also use a setting powder, and Essie recommends Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. If using a setting powder, use sparingly, as it can look caky if over-applied.
Any we’re done! If you have any questions about anything Essie did here, please let me know in the comments and I’ll pass it along to Essie.
Happy Holidays!
