If you've been keeping up with red carpet events like we have, then you've probably noticed how unbelievably bronzed and sculpted celebrities have been looking lately. (We've definitely been taking screenshots of makeup looks for inspiration.) These, of course, can be credited to the talented individuals working behind the scenes to bring their look to life: makeup artists like Mai Quynh and Gita Bass.
Between these two makeup artists, their extensive clientele lists include everyone from Ali Wong, Michelle Yeoh, and Emma Roberts (Quynh) to Elizabeth Olsen, Tina Fey, and Laura Dern (Bass). We had the awesome opportunity to speak to both of them about their tips, tricks, and advice for creating iconic makeup looks that are as sculpted as they are luminous. Keep scrolling to find out everything you need to know about their process and discover a few pivotal products along the way.
How to Apply Sculpting + Bronzing Products
"For most skin tones, bronzers add a healthy glow that can accentuate your features and give you a more youthful and rested appearance without the dangers and premature aging that can come from the sun," Bass explains. Recently, Bass created a brilliantly bronzed makeup look for actress Toni Collette at the Mafia Mamma and decided to use bronzer to complement the actress's white Valentino gown. For anyone looking to add some warmth and dimension to their makeup look, investing in a bronzer may be a game changer.
As with any makeup product, there are ways to ensure your makeup looks its best. "The biggest mistake with bronzer is using a color that doesn't work for your skin tone," says Quynh, who just worked with Wong for the premiere of Beef to create this sun-kissed look. Luckily, for every makeup difficulty, there's a tried-and-true solution. "Foundation colors mimic skin tones better, so it will be easier to blend and look more natural and less orange," Quynh continues. "You want to go at least three to four shades darker than your skin." Her biggest tip for application? Focusing the product on the chin, forehead, and cheeks before guiding it up to the hairline before lightly blending down to the center of the face for a finished look that mimics where the sun would hit the skin.
If you feel inspired to give bronzing and sculpting your face a try, keep scrolling to discover which products our experts gravitate toward and which ones we're adding to our shopping carts ASAP.
Quynh's Go-To Products
"If you want to try my darker-foundation-shade trick but you're worried about blending, then I'd recommend True Botanicals Everyday Skin Tint SPF 30 in a deeper shade. It's a light, buildable formula that blends in effortlessly, so you don't have to worry about streaks or blotchiness." — Quynh
"It's important to use a dense foundation brush to help blend in the darker shade. My favorite is the True Botanicals Everyday Flawless Angled Brush." — Quynh
Bass's Go-To Products
When it comes to cream bronzers, this one from Chanel is one of Bass's favorite products to use on her celebrity clientele on and off the red carpet.
Bass also loves using this talc-free powder bronzer to give her makeup looks an effortlessly natural-looking, sun-kissed glow.
The Best Red Carpet–Worthy Bronzer Palettes
Featuring three shades of ambient light powder, this palette uses high-tech, soft-focus finishing powder to capture, soften, and diffuse the appearance of light on the skin.
This three-in-one palette features six pigment-packed shades of highlighter, bronzer, and blush in Smashbox's best-selling signature contour shades to add dimension and depth to any makeup look.
Available in four versatile shade palettes, the Vieve Modern Bronzer glides onto the skin and gives it a delicious wash of bronzed color while also delivering a hint of barely-there shimmer.
Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo has a new and improved formula that blends seamlessly into the skin for added dimension. Use the darker shade for depth and the lighter shade to enhance the high points on the face.
Use this limited-edition bronzer and highlighter palette by Fenty Beauty to carve out and enhance your best features with two new, never-before-seen highlighter shades and the brand's Sun Stalk'r Bronzer.
This bronzing trio includes two matte powder bronzers (in a medium and deep tone) and a shimmering highlighter to create a custom bronze look year-round.
A must for achieving a sun-kissed and contoured makeup look, this duo features a bronzer and a highlighter that can easily be buffed, blended, and smoothed.
Make Up For Ever's easy-to-use cream face palette has everything you need to conceal, contour, and highlight the face for a bronzed and sculpted look.
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