As the fifth and final season of the Dynasty reboot comes to a close (the series finale is September 16 on the CW), its leading lady has some career choices to make. Obviously, acting is a strong option for Elizabeth “Liz” Gillies, especially any role that showcases her incredible singing talent. She’s also tested the directing waters, taking on the head job for a couple of Dynasty episodes. But there’s another route she could take: makeup artist.
“I love doing my friends’ makeup,” says the 29-year-old actress. For a girls’ night out, she will always do her own face first “so I have ample time to do [everyone else’s makeup].” What’s more, she stepped in as the makeup artist for her wedding to music producer Michael Corcoran in 2020. “It was a 12-person wedding at the height of COVID-19 and we couldn’t have any more people, so I just did it myself,” she explains, sharing that she did her mom and grandma’s makeup as well as her own. “There’s a good example of why it pays to know how to do makeup,” she says, exposing her dry sense of humor.
So where does her know-how come from? For starters, from being thrown into the deep end when she was appearing in 13 on Broadway, at the age of 15. She and Ariana Grande — who she remains close to — were sharing a dressing room and there was no makeup artist available for them, so the two read tutorials on how to create a smoky eye.
Just like she took an interest in directing and immersed herself in the craft by shadowing directors and going into the editing room, she has always quizzed makeup artists and hairstylists for their top tips. “Everyone has their own style and it’s fun to pick things up and apply them to your own routine,” she says.
Like what? “Never feel like you need to stick to one foundation or concealer color,” she shares, adding: “Buy a few and mix them to create the shade or texture that works for you.” She says the same goes for blush and lip color. “I always felt I had to find the perfect product but that’s so not true. Mix and match — blend. I always get the best results that way.”
She’s also learned a lot about her eyebrows over the years, which she originally shaped to mimic Megan Fox in 2009’s Jennifer’s Body. Her brows have caused the brunt of her beauty fails, “whether it be over-tweezing, over-drawing, boxing them off too much, using the wrong shade of brow pencil…,” she trails off. But her biggest takeaway is not to obsess over symmetry: “It’s important to remember that they’re sisters, not twins.”
On the set of Dynasty, which she’s starred in since its 2017 debut, she handles her own brows. “I always do my own brows, eyeliner, and lip liner,” she reveals. So every time the show’s makeup department head, Amber Crowe, posts a photo of Gillies on her Instagram and fans repeatedly request a tutorial on how she does that liner, they’re barking up the wrong tree. (Side note: Angelina Jolie was the original inspiration for Gillies now-signature winged liner.) Gillies also paints her own nails on set. “I’d sometimes paint them two to three times a day, depending on how many changes Fallon had that episode.” She’s a fan of Deborah Lippmann and Chanel polishes: “They make really rich, beautiful nail polish.” But she also loves Sally Hansen Insta-Dri and Essie Expressie when she’s in a rush. “They have no dry time — they’re life savers!”
And the rest, she trusts Crowe, whom she calls incredible. “She really understands my face, which is so important.” On set, she often uses Tom Ford Traceless Stick Foundation (in Natural 6.0), Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer (in shade 1), Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate Blush Duo, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, and Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo to highlight. For her infamous eye look, Gillies calls KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner her go-to liquid liner. On set, she’s amped up her lashes with L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara and Ardell faux lashes, though she’s sampled lashes from pal Grande’s new r.e.m. beauty line, along with their eyeshadow, cheek, and lip products. How long does an eye look featuring winged liner take her? Unbelievably, she says it takes under five minutes to achieve, “If it’s not a complicated, going out look.”
But it’s not just that liner look that the actress has become known for. It’s also her radiant, flawless complexion. (It’s not uncommon for her to receive compliments about it — just the other day her masseuse told her “she looked glowy.”) And she attributes that glow to Sunday Riley skincare. “Their products have the power to rejuvenate, re-energize and brighten in a way I haven’t really seen with other skincare lines,” she confesses. “It’s remarkable. The products make you look fresh and awake.”
Her main skin concern is keeping her sensitive skin hydrated, as it “can get very dry and tired looking.” She counts the Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment as her “favorite product when it comes to hydration and brightening. I always look like I’ve just had a facial after I put it on.” She applies this lightweight serum — and all her skincare products — with her fingers. Lactic is a practical choice for Gillies’ sensitive skin as it removes dead skin cells and fight signs of dullness and aging as gently as possible.
She’s also recently discovered the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Gel Cream, a vitamin C-infused moisturizer that plumps and hydrates and is suitable for all skin types, from oily to sensitive like Gillies’. “I love how light it is,” she says. “I also love the smell and the color” — a vibrant citrus and tropical yellow, respectively. “It’s one of those products you can really feel and see working immediately.” For moisturizing her eye area, she relies on 5 Stars Retinoid + Niacinamide Eye Serum at night to wake up with “softer, hydrated skin around the eye.” The silky serum boasts buzzy ingredient niacinamide, which helps to minimize the appearance of under-eye circles.
Gillies is vigilant about moisturizing when she travels as well, decanting her skincare into travel-size containers “so I’m not traveling with loads of products for a two- or three-day trip.” Her hydration diligence helps give her skin “a little life” to prevent it from looking exhausted when she arrives at her destination.
Her other big skin concern is thoroughly removing the layers of made-up-for-T.V. makeup. “Wearing all that makeup for the amount of time I wear it definitely takes a toll on my skin,” she says. “It doesn’t give my skin any time to breathe.” She adds that she’s “meticulous” about cleansing before bed. “It doesn’t matter how tired I am, I will never sleep in my makeup.” Previously, she used makeup wipes to cleanse, until her dermatologist advised against them. “It was the best advice I’ve received for my skin,” says the star. Now she’s a double-cleanse devotee, using a pre-cleansing oil and a cleansing lotion before the rest of her skincare routine. “I also use a silk pillowcase because it’s easier on the hair and face,” she concludes.
So let’s pretend Gillies is at home in Atlanta and not planning to see anyone that day — what would her preening entail? She says: “Naturally curly air-dried hair, very light foundation or tinted moisturizer, concealer, lip liner, brows, lip balm, and curled eyelashes,” she says. “I won’t bother with eye makeup if I’m not seeing anyone. Though, if I’m seeing even one person, I absolutely will.”
And those are the basic beauty rules of one Liz Gillies.
We only recommend products we have independently researched, tested, and loved. If you purchase a product found through our links, Sunday Edit may earn an affiliate commission.
