Wouldn’t you like to make an entrance like the stars at red-carpet events? You can! Celeb beauty pros reveal how you can recreate the dewy skin, smoky eyes, shiny tresses and sexy curls you covet. (Getting an invite to an awards ceremony is up to you.) Here are their insider tricks:
MAKEUP
Go steamy. Open and cleanse pores — making skin look its best — by adding two tablespoons of an herbal laxative (such as Swiss Kriss) to a pot of boiling water. Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a moist towel, then lean over it for two minutes, says James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist to Taryn Manning.
Let it glow. Squeeze equal parts of your liquid (or cream) foundation and moisturizer on the back of your hand. Blend with a sponge, then apply to your face. “That thins out the foundation and softens skin,” says Saisha Beecham, celebrity makeup artist with Cloutier Remix for Vanessa Hudgens.
Beecham then dusts loose pearlescent eye shadows to add strategic shimmer in a vertical line down the ridge at the center of the nose, on top of the cheekbones and at the Cupid’s bow at the center of the upper lip. Or try Vincent’s technique: Apply blush or bronzer to cheeks before putting on foundation for “a natural flushed glow.” When you’re done, set with a dusting of loose translucent powder on the forehead, under the eyes and down the sides of the nose. “Never cover up where you put shimmer,” says Beecham.
Erase fatigue. For everyday, use a concealer that matches your skin tone exactly. For special events and photography, use one that’s barely lighter than your skin if you’re really fair, and two shades lighter if you’re dark complected. Dab on lightly with your finger on the darker areas underneath your eyes.
Amp up your eyes. For eyes that pop, start with a thin line of waterproof eyeliner, starting at the outer edge and moving inward. For a smoky eye, use a gold or bronze liner and blend outward and upward.
Pump up your lashes. Once you apply your mascara, run a fine metal lash comb through to remove clumps. Apply two more coats, letting the mascara dry between coats. Finally, run the tip of the mascara wand along the outer ends of lashes.
Get primed. For perfect Hollywood lips, exfoliate first with a soft-bristle toothbrush on which you’ve applied the contents of a vitamin E capsule. Follow with a lip stain or liner. After applying a matte lipstick, dust loose translucent power along the lip’s outer border.
When in doubt, use restraint, says Vincent. “Nothing is as unflattering as overdone makeup!”
HAIR
Extend yourself. If your hair isn’t movie-star perfect, consider getting a little help. “There isn’t one woman on the red carpet without extensions,” says Gregory Patterson, hair stylist to Anne Hathaway. “They add volume, hold a curl, and add highlights and dimension that deflects light on camera, which reads shiny.”
Go for the shine. A dry scalp in the winter months is common, but who wants dandruff dusting the shoulders of your favorite party dress? For glossy flake-free locks try using an anti-dandruff shampoo in place of your ordinary bottle. Lightly spray your hair with dry texturizing spray before using a flat iron. Starch-and-silica combos are best because they absorb oil while still adding shine. When you do wash your hair, use leave-in conditioner and at most a nickel’s worth of light oil while hair is still wet, says Michael Dueñas, founder of Hair Room Service and stylist to Mariah Carey.
When you use your dryer, point the nozzle down, which will make the hair cuticles lie flat and reflect light, says Jenny Balding, senior stylist at New York City’s Cutler Salon and backstage for Marc Jacobs runway shows. Finish with a blast of cool air, then a spritz of light hairspray, followed by a little shine spray and a final pump of hairspray, Hold spray canisters 8-12 inches from your hair to avoid adding too much product.
Get star curls. The trick to waves is to spray hair lightly with texturizing spray, says Patterson. Then hold the curling iron vertically, wrapping hair in 1-2 inch sections and curling in the same direction each time. Brush your hair (use a little hairspray on the brush first), then spray your ‘do lightly. “Add an ornate headband, a metal brooch and you’ve got magazine-worthy hair.” If you prefer a braid or bun, try weaving or wrapping a necklace through the style, securing it with pins. Voila — you’re best-tressed!
