1:42pm Friday 31st October 2003
Beauty is only skin deep, we all know that! But even the world’s best-looking stars wouldn’t step through the door without putting their face on first. And, with the festive party season just around the corner, we’re all wanting to make sure we look our best.
No-one’s pretending they can magically transform themselves into Penelope Cruz or Nicole Kidman but maybe the stars do have a trick or two which we can make our own.
Madrid-born Penelope Cruz was a star in her native Spain before becoming a leading lady in such Hollywood films as Blow.
Though her life has been transformed by movie stardom (Tom Cruise, anyone?), the 28-year-old’s look hasn’t – Cruz retains the poise and classic beauty she developed as a ballet dancer. Her exquisitely chiselled features need very little makeup.
For Penelope's look, achieved without eye shadow, makeup artist Deborah Grayson suggests the following steps:
Step 1 Begin with the eyes so that if any eye makeup tumbles onto your cheeks it will be easy to clean off. Apply black eyeliner pencil, making a generous line above the entire upper lash line. (If your lids are not as large as Penelope’s, make a slightly narrower line.)
Using a Q-tip, sponge applicator or your finger, gently smudge the line. Next apply liner inside the lower lash line. And then apply it underneath the outer third of the lower lash line. Curl lashes by crimping them at the bottom, middle and ends of the lashes. Apply mascara on the upper lids. Brush eyebrows up.
Step 2 Apply a small amount of concealer under the eyes, around the nose and on any other trouble spots. Make sure you use the bare minimum and blend it well, too much concealer can result in creasing.
Step 3 Apply foundation or tinted moisturiser very lightly all over the face. Cover with a sheer dusting of medium-toned translucent powder. Using a wide, fluffy blush brush, gently dip the brush into a brick-coloured blush and sweep it over your cheekbones. As with all makeup application, always start light and build slowly to get the desired finish.
Step 4 Apply a semi-matte lipstick in a brick-maroon shade. It’s that easy!
It’s fair to say Nicole Kidman doesn’t need a lot of work to look beautiful either. With her endless curls, amazing body and perfect skin it would be difficult to make her look anything but.
When it comes to makeup, she also keeps it simple, choosing to accentuate one feature rather than looking too made up. If you’d like to imitate Nicole’s chic style Prescriptives makeup artist Darak suggests the following steps:
Step 1 The goal for this look is skin that appears soft and dewy. Pour a small amount of a sheer light-reflecting foundation into the palm of your hand. Using a foundation brush, dip it lightly into the makeup and apply to the face using downward strokes. Use your fingers for additional blending.
Step 2 Apply a stick concealer slightly lighter than the colour of your foundation under the eyes, lightly on the eyelids, around the edge of the nose and to any spots that may need extra coverage.
Blend by patting the concealer with your ring finger. Lightly dust loose, talc-free powder only on your cheeks, chin and brow.
Step 3 Start work on your eyes by applying one coat of black mascara. Apply a beige shadow all over the entire eye using a flat shadow brush. Working from the lash line, apply a light brown shadow all over the lid and up into the crease. Use a smaller eye shadow brush to apply a warm brown to the lid only. Line the top and bottom lashes with a soft black eyeliner pencil and smudge the line for a soft, smoky effect. Using an eyeliner brush, go over the liner only on the top lash line with a warm charcoal eyeshadow. Blend up and out at the edges. Apply a second coat of black mascara. According to Darak, your eyes should now be “the celebrity of your face.”
Step 4 To contour the face, use a light brown cream blush stick. Always use browns to contour, never colour (the idea is to create shadows). Lightly draw a line with the blush directly under each cheekbone and blend well with your fingers. Use your fingertips to dot small amounts of colour along the jawline, starting just below the ear and working down to the chin. Blend in downward motions. To warm the face and accentuate your features, dot a little of this colour along the hairline, starting at eye level and blending up and back toward the hair.
Step 5 Your cheek colour for this look should be very subtle so first dip your blush brush into a little loose powder, then onto your powder blush palette to dilute and soften the colour. Smile and dot the colour on the apples of the cheeks, blending down and back. Also apply a little colour onto your forehead, nose and chin for a soft, sun-kissed look.
Step 6 Using a lip brush, apply a neutral taupe lip colour. Use a lip liner in a complementary colour to balance and fill out the lip as needed. Finish the lips with clear gloss only in the centre of the lower lip.
Sheryl Crow sang backup for some of the hottest stars in rock before she broke out on her own. But her glowing beauty could never be second to anyone. To get Sheryl’s shimmering fresh look, follow the advice of New York makeup artist Deborah Grayson:
Step 1 Apply an eye shadow base all over the eyelid. Using a shadow brush, sweep a peachy pink and gold shimmery shadow onto the inside corners of the eyes, right up to the brow. Next, gently sweep the same colour shadow under the lower lashes as an under-eye liner.
Step 2 Using a very fine black liner pencil, dot along the upper lashes to form a thin black line which makes lashes look longer. Curl lashes with an eyelash curler then apply two coats of mascara to upper lashes, and one coat to lower lashes.
Step 3 Using a sponge, lightly apply cream concealer under each eye, on the outside creases of the nose and on the chin. Next, apply a very lightweight foundation (using a very light touch) all over the face, blending at the neck. Brush on translucent powder, and finally, apply powder blush onto the apples of the cheeks using a wide blush brush.
Step 4 Apply a pink lip liner to the outside of your lips and fill in with coral-tinted lip gloss.
Who knows, film stardom might still be a distant dream but perhaps your make-up will make you star of the party.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk