I have to admit that while I’m a big fan of mixing and matching drugstore with prestige finds I’ve never tried anything from CoverGirl. It’s actually surprising because I love their off-beat choices of celebs for their campaigns. Ellen DeGeneres a CoverGirl — genius! If you’re going with a celeb over a model for an advertisement campaign I love when brands don’t go for the same boring run-of-the-mill choices (kind of like Agent Provocateur picking Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daisy Lowe and Peaches Geldof…nice to see some new faces!). All that good stuff said I was able to get some tips from Sam Fine who did Queen Latifah’s makeup for the Grammys. Along with the tips he gave us a list of CoverGirl products to use to achieve the natural look he helped Queen Latifah achieve — seriously she looks like she’s wearing no makeup! “Often clients make requests,” says makeup artist Sam Fine. “Queen had one request: she wanted to look natural with wonderful skin, sparse lashes and a great brow. Most of the time was spent perfecting the canvas.” See specific tips after the jump!
Face – Use a cream foundation to give skin a supple, flawless complexion. Next, apply a bit of powder to the t-zone only. This allows the outer perimeter of the skin to glow naturally. Layer on bronzer to add a glow, then follow with a bit of blush on the apples of the cheek.
“Since Queen was wearing a strapless dress, I applied a thin layer of moisturizer to her shoulders and collar bone. Then I dusted on some bronzer to make draw a bit of attention and make them shimmer,” says Sam.
Products to Try:
CoverGirl Queen Collection Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder – $8.18
CoverGirl Queen Collection Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer in Ebony Bronze – $8.18
CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Foundation – $10.99
CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush in Shimmering Sands – $10.99
Eyes – Apply a small amount of highlighter to underneath the brow bone. Then use the same bronzer as a shadow and sweep it lightly across the eyelids. Use a smokey black pencil liner to line the upper lid and then smudge it with a deep ebony shadow. Apply a few coats of mascara.
“I used barely any eyeshadow when creating this look. Very less is more,” advises Sam. “An alternative to the deep ebony shadow could be a dark navy. As always when creating an eye for an awards show or event, don’t forget your false lashes.”
Products to Try:
CoverGirl Eye Enhancers in Shimmering Onyx, $3.47 at Drugstores
CoverGirl Outlast SmoothWear All-Day Eyeliner in Onyx – $5.76 at Drugstores
Lips – Line the lips with a liner that is one shade darker than your natural color. Then apply a matching shimmering lip gloss on top. Voila!
“The lips were extremely nude to compliment the rest of the classic look,” says Sam.
Products to Try:
CoverGirl Wetslicks AmazeMint Lip gloss in No Care Bare – $7.26 at Drugstores
CoverGirl Wetslicks Outlast Smoothwear Lip liner in Nude – $6.25 at Drugstores