ColumnTaking natural makeup to dizzying heights.

This is Kristen Arnett’s first column in her new weekly foray into detoxing our makeup bags and giving us healthier cosmetic options. Expect to be wooed by everything from runway makeup trends to celebrity makeovers.  Arnett is an internationally renowned makeup artist and founder of the Green Beauty Team, styling high profile celebrities and runway models as well as being a sought after beauty expert, educator and teacher for other makeup artists.

When Jennifer Lopez arrived at the Met Gala this year, she was showing off not only a stunning Gucci dress, but a sophisticated, sexy makeup look which rightfully grabbed plenty of attention.  That night I was tucked away with a team of makeup artists in one of the many rooms at the Met working on other ladies, but had I known that upstairs J Lo, with her show-stopping face was walking the red carpet, I may have just run past the guards to get a close-up peek.  Since a photo is about as close as you and I are going to get, let’s break her red carpet look down so you can mimic at your own free will.

1. First, slick back your hair into a tight chignon.  Makeup like this must stand on its own without competition.

2. Next, to create a warm, glowing complexion, choose a foundation that isn’t overly matte in texture.  I suggest using something like Youngblood Liquid Mineral Foundation.  Be a perfectionist and cover up all the darkness and discoloration you can on your skin, because red lips accentuate red and purple tones on other areas of the face.

3. Get a bronzer and a big fluffy powder brush to give yourself some defined cheek bones. Avoid glittery bronzers; no extra sparkle is needed on the face for this look. I love the matte bronzers from Alima Pure. Their shade in Trinidad is perfect for this makeup.

Pro tip: tap your brush to remove excess powder to avoid getting an uneven streak.  Start in the hollow of the cheekbone from the side of the face and work inward towards the apple of the cheek.

4. On to the eyes. Take the same bronzer from the cheeks, but using a smaller eyeshadow brush, sweep the color into your eye socket.  Keeping the color more concentrated towards the outer two-thirds of the eye and softly diffusing towards the nose.  With a smaller brush still, drag a little bit under the lower lash line.
On the lids, use a light, shimmery eyeshadow, working from the center towards the tear ducts.

Jenny From The Block doesn’t ever leave her house without four pounds of false eyelashes on.  For those of you aren’t comfortable venturing into the realm of false lashes and glue because they’re too difficult to wrangle or you want to stay away from anything toxic, layer on lash primer and use mascara to boost what you’ve naturally got.
Concentrate your lash thickness towards the outer two-thirds of the eye. Don’t forget those lashes on the bottom. They need some love too.

5. With liner, draw a black line along the top lashes that starts very thin in the inner corner of the eye and widens out towards the far edge without giving yourself wings.

6. Fill in your brows so they have a thicker shape and a strong arch.
Pro tip: To make brows look soft, yet strong choose a color that is two shades lighter than your hair color (unless you are a blond). Pretend you are drawing on individual hairs, and finish by blending with a spooly brush.

Finally, we’re on to the most crucial part of the whole look: lips.

These head turners are no small feat and shape is crucial. Start with a deep red liner to outline the whole mouth. Use the above photo for direction, see how her mouth is very almond shaped and the peaks at the bow of the mouth are connected with a semi-circle in the middle? It’s defined, yet soft. Don’t be afraid to take the liner up over your natural line a bit.  It may feel like a bit much at first, but this level of drama and sexiness demands it.

Fill in the lips with the liner, concentrating on the outer corners of the mouth and working inward, and leaving the center area of the bottom lip almost untouched. Then with a super glossy, red lip shine just about two shades lighter, go over the lips starting at the center of the mouth to add color in and working outward.

Pro tip: apply the gloss to blend the lip color works best with a large lip brush.  Avoid getting too much gloss into the corners of the mouth or you’ll have a runny mess.

As the final touch, glisten up those arms and legs! Try Youngblood’s Mineral Illuminating Body Tint for a gorgeous, golden glow to last all night.

Editor’s note: Got a celebrity look you’d like to copy or a trend you’d like to see incorporating healthy, non-toxic makeup? Send your questions to High Definition columnist Kristen Arnett at beauty@ecosalon.com

New York City based Kristen Arnett is an internationally renowned makeup artist and founder of the Green Beauty Team, styling high profile celebrities and runway models as well as a sought after beauty expert, educator and teacher for other makeup artists.

Image: BinsideTV

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