In a world where celebrity names are too-easily ascribed to private label product lines, genuinely expert-led beauty brands stand out. It is no surprise that celebrity makeup artists often produce the crème-de-la-crème of cosmetics. Take Lisa Eldridge, for instance, whose passion for shade-matching complexions makes her skin tints some of the very best. This is also why celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath was tapped to oversee the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton.
Then there is celebrity makeup artist Natasha Denona, founder and creative director of her eponymous makeup line with some 1.9 million devoted followers on Instagram. She is known for bold eye aesthetics which ease dramatic pigment into cohesive, statement-making looks. Her beauty line’s eyeshadow palettes give rise to these creations, whose evolved gradients are typically topped by a glint of shimmer. Though a far cry from soft glam or “naked” makeup, makeup artist Diane Caranica references a certain “softness” to Denona’s glam.
“Even if it’s intense, it’s still soft,” Caranica says on a phone call with Forbes.com. “All of her products, like the concealer, are intense, but still buttery. Everything is so deliciously creamy. She does bold liners and colors, but there’s still a softness to it.”
This includes the line’s best-selling Hy-Glam Concealer, $30, which was my own “gateway product” into Denona’s line. The formula, which Caranica once called “the most innovative of the year,” is highly pigmented yet sufficiently elastic to transfer smoothly and without creasing. My first tube of the concealer came directly from Caranica’s own kit, when, forgetting it was not my own, I touched the applicator directly to my face. Inadvertently contaminating the wand, this led Caranica to gift it to me. Ever since, it has been my favorite concealer for the face and under-eye.
The unique needs and textures of the eye area makes applying cosmetics challenging. From selecting a crease-free concealer, to color-correcting dark circles, to the use of eyeliner and eye shadows to elongate or accentuate eye shapes, the entire process can feel elusive. This is precisely where Denona’s techniques to prep, conceal and blend pigments on the upper and lower eyelids become priceless.
Below, celebrity makeup artist Natasha Denona shares a step-by-step tutorial for perfecting eye makeup. Then, she weighs in on how to create gentle copper lids, the perfect seasonal makeup trend.
How To Prep Skin For Eye Makeup
Celebrity facialist Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine revealed in his pre-glam Oscar’s facials that skincare is critically important for makeup’s wear and longevity—particularly so around the eye. The thin, delicate skin of the under-eye can easily become dry and flaky, but too emollient of a texture can lead makeup to shift or smudge.
Denona explains that the product used to prep the skin and eye must strike the perfect balance between hydration and viscosity. “Don’t get me wrong, I love using rich eye creams, but never underneath or as a base for makeup,” she writes in an e-mail to Forbes.com. “I find that creams are too heavy under the eye and might make the makeup move throughout the day.”
Her preferred formula is the lightweight, plumping and hydrating HY-GEN Primer Serum, $48. It can be applied to both the upper and lower lids, peeping the skin but avoiding the risk of exacerbating makeup’s creasing with each blink and smile. She then follows with her eyeshadow base before she begins applying makeup.
How To Color Correct Dark Circles
Even if you apply your pigmented eye makeup first, the thought process intuitively leads to preparing a bright and even base against which eye makeup will pop. When under-eye darkness is not caused by discoloration, Denona points out that a concealer will be enough to sufficiently brighten.
Other times, color correctors—which use color theory to block out unwanted blues, purples, reds and browns—are game-changers for discoloration, melasma and especially dark circles (which are caused by everything from anatomical hollowness, thin skin and age-related fat loss, to allergies and poor sleep). She created a range of six Hy-Glam Serum Color Corrector, $30, concealers for this step.
“If one has more blue-toned [dark] circles, they should use an orange-based color-corrector,” she explains of the peach-hued butters, creams and liquid products to emerge. “But if your circles are more brown-toned… always use a pink or red-toned concealer, like our R range of Hy-Glam Concealer.”
Color correctors have been around for ages, but have recently boomed in popularity as brands like Huda Beauty, Kosas and Ciele all launched new peach- and pink-hued butters, creams and powders for brightening the under-eye.
But if you are wondering why so many loose powders have emerged of late, it was probably to fill the void left from Givenchy’s reformulation of their Prisme Libre loose powder. Internet drama all but dethroned the former cult-favorite, with number of loose pink powders emerging in its wake. The good news is that they can be used over concealer and color correctors.
“You can definitely use a pink-y powder over a peachy corrector—it’ll help to brighten more,” Denona says.
Smudging Your Lashline
Then it comes time to pick your eyeshadow or multi-shade palette, which Denona is known for. For everyday neutrals, she recommends her line’s Mini Eye Sculpt Palette, $27, as an ideal introductory eye palette. It features five, matte selections in versatile neutral shades that can easily become everyday staples for beginners and pros alike.
Next you will want to pick up a clean, mini smudger eyeshadow brush with precise and taut bristles. For reference, Rephr Brush 29, $18, makes an industry favorite, but the Morphe M382 Detail Smudger Eye Brush, $6, is a great price point. Then, use the brush pick up shadow in a shade that is “darker than your skin tone” and begin to thinly blend the product onto the upper lid, following the lash line. This technique, Denona explains, will help to “open the eye and emphasize the lash line.”
If you have hooded lids, not to worry. Denona recommends using a larger, medium-sized, fluffier eyeshadow brush to buff the shade all over the whole upper eyelid. By including the fold of the lid while the eye is still open, she points out that it will help to provide the same eye-opening effect.
Shadow Lining and Eyeliner
Eyeliner is applied to strategically accentuate the shape of the eye in order to look widened or elongated. But applying a precisely-tipped eyeliner can be tricky, especially when you aim to create a subtly smokey look. This is one reason by buttery kajal textures like the industry-beloved Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liners are so popular.
Before starting with eyeliner, Denona recommends “shadow lining.” Using the same brush and shadow, you can create a softer template for where the liner will follow. This, she explains, will help to guide your placement of the precisely-tipped eyeliner that you draw on next.
“Go back in with the eyeshadow to fan out the line and soften [its] precision,” she says. “If you are not very good at drawing eyeliner, the eyeshadow will help to blend it and give it a more effortless, seamless look.”
Using Macro Tech Eye Crayon, $24, you can then create definition in precisely placed strokes of the pencil, beginning at the inner corner of the eye and working your way outward in sections. Once you reach the outer third of the eyelid, you can widen the line ever so slightly to create lift. The creamy texture of the crayon prevents the pencil tip from dragging or pulling at the skin, while its high color-payoff leaves behind a fine outline in either Black, Brown or Burgundy.
How To Create Gentle Copper Lids
Using the techniques described above, I then asked for her advice to create her dream iteration of the “gentle copper” eye trend. Copper hues are known to make green and hazel eyes stand out, but my inspiration was based on a discontinued shade of Tom Ford eye color, Burnt Peach, that I fell in love with with after working with celebrity makeup artist Vanessa Vieni.
This led to the iteration of smokey copper lids by celebrity makeup artist Katrina Klein above—and my seasonal fixation was born. As luck would have it, Denona’s recently launched Bloom Eyeshadow Palette, $69, contains ideal eyeshadows for my desired look.
“Using Bloom, smudge the eyeliner with the shade ‘Bark,’ a warm brown, with a mini pencil brush,” Denona begins. Something along the lines of Rephr Brush 23, $24, or BK Beauty 210 Mini Pencil, $16, will do the trick.
“You can build this up with a fluffy medium eyeshadow brush and blend it up to the crease with the shade ‘Brick,’ a stunning terracotta brown,” Denona continues. “Then, diffuse the shadows into the crease with the shade ‘Robin,’ a dusty peach.”
As is her signature, she would top the lid with a shimmering metallic shade that can be smudged on with your fingertip—almost like a highlighter for the eyelid. In this instance, she selects the shade ‘Ember,’ a metallic medium copper.
Denona’s version of the trend calls for either the Brown or Burgundy shades of the Macro Tech Liner to help define the eye shape. After all, brown mascara and liner are certainly having major moments. But in a final twist, she suggests adding both black and burgundy mascaras.
Black mascara will coat the upper lashes “to open the eye even more.” The bottom lashes, however, will receive trend-right burgundy mascara to “tie in the color of the shadow and give more dimension.” A go-to luxury burgundy mascara to try would be the Hermès Trait d’Hermès Revitalizing Care Mascara, $68 in 03 Rouge H. Alternatively, the price of Colour Pop BFF Mascara, $6.75, in Wine O’Clock, is hard to beat.
Face, Lips, Mascara, Set and Go
As a general rule of thumb, once your powdery eye makeup steps are completed, it is then safe to apply your foundation, blush, contour and highlighter without the risk of powdery, pigmented fall-out. When selecting corresponding tones for your blush and lips, Denona suggests sticking to the same shades.
“I’d say a warm mauve color would look best—I wouldn’t say a warm brown, because although I love that shade, it would be too overpowering with the [copper] eye look,” she says of her line’s new HY-BLUSH Cloudy Cream Cheek Duo in Fresh Mauve, $42. But when paired with the copper lids above, mauve “will brighten you and give you a flush.”
The HY-BLUSH collection is an on-trend cream blush, best applied using a dense brush, sponge or the fingers, onto the high points of the apples of the cheeks and blended upwards. Then, once your lips and brows are complete, you’re ready to set your glam and go.
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