I am not a frequent wearer of makeup, but that does not mean I hate makeup — that I would admonish those who wear it, or frankly, that I believe I’m going to feel this way forever. I don’t opt out of wearing makeup because I’m trying to make a point. Historically, I have genuinely preferred how I look without it, so the reason I don’t wear is motivated by the same vanity that would probably compel me to wear it. Which, by the way, I have been thinking more and more about. Maybe I haven’t liked to wear makeup because I just don’t know how to do it — how to make myself look less like a dying turtle and more like through hell or high rain counts, spring is around the corner.
With help from La Mer’s lead makeup artist, Patrick Ta (he is, coincidentally, the man responsible for Gigi Hadid‘s face), I learned a five-step beauty process that takes 15 minutes and made me feel like I was going to a gala. A gala! This is how it goes:
Step 1: Primer; the product we used was called The Concentrate. It’s a La Mer product packed with their “Miracle Broth” (it’s made from sea kelp that grows six feet EVERY SINGLE DAY in Vancouver — who knew?) that is supposed to give your skin energy, like coffee down your throat, for example.
Easy enough, right? Just rub it all over your face like you’re giving yourself a lymphatic massage.
Step 2: Create a combo-platter foundation. Patrick used La Mer’s Renewal Oil and the Soft Fluid Longwear Foundation (SPF 20). On a plastic surface, he mixed the two products together (and was really scrupulous about recommending a medium-to-full coverage foundation because it stays on much better; if it’s not your bag, you can always make the texture lighter by adding an oil). Then he brushed the entirety of my face. It was very luxurious.
Oh! And pro tip! When you’re brushing, Patrick recommends starting at the center of the face and working outwards. This eliminates harsh linez.
Step 3: Spruce up your eyelashes. Start by curling them because it opens up your eyes. You should do this even if you don’t plan to use mascara but Patrick says, “use mascara.” Patrick curled the S out of my lashes (so much so that I thought my lids were going to look like Kim Kardashian’s hair), and then applied a layer of mascara. I totally get what he means by “open up your eyes.”
Step 4: The goods! For step four, an orange-y blush (YSL’s Volupte in Passionnee) and lipstick (Tom Ford’s lip color matter in Flame) were introduced to my face. He danced around my cheekbones with blush and then, with a smaller brush, he applied lipstick. I never understood why makeup artists use brushes to apply lipstick, but it’s so much more precise. My lips feel huge. I am Kylie.
One other thing I’ll say: I tend to stay away from red lipstick because I feel like it ages me, but orange kind of does the opposite, which is potentially also because the foundation/oil combo gave me a glow.
Now you’d think we were done, but actually the most important step comes next and last.
THE FACE MIST!
You finish with the mist (the one he used was La Mer) by spraying it lightly on the perimeter of your face. You want to concentrate flow on the outer edges of the face, keeping the center more matte. Now I look dewy in a good way, no? Not like Gigi Hadid, but more like myself. Which is very much the point.
The entire process, again, took us 15 minutes. I tried it myself on Monday night when I was getting ready for a dinner and this is what I looked like:
Yes, I’m wearing self-tanner. But never mind that; if you try it, can you send a selfie — preferably annotated? Cheers!
Oh! And the earrings!! They’re Dolce.
Photos by Edith Young.
