Sit down with any makeup artist and they’ll all be in unanimous agreement that great makeup starts with great skincare. But, every makeup pro has their special techniques and tricks for prepping their client’s skin. So, when we had the chance to chat with What Happens Live with Andy Cohen‘s lead hair and makeup artist, Caroline Blanchard, we couldn’t wait for her to share her best beauty tips — for on-screen and off.
Meet the Experts
Caroline Blanchard What Happens Live with Andy Cohen's lead hair and makeup artist
Create an even base
“Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment is like a little miracle in a bottle. No matter their skin type, it balances out their complexion and adds moisture, which is a critical step in makeup application whether you’re on TV or just going about your daily routine. Andy has some dry areas on his face, so I love to use Good Genes on him so his makeup never ends up l looking too cakey. In addition to my clients, I also use this on my own combination skin and it evens everything out!”
Cater to your skin type
“When it comes to prepping skin, I always analyze it first. I’ll take a makeup wipe to make sure to get the skin as bare as possible and see what I’m dealing with: Is it dry? Is it oily? I think not catering to your skin type is the most common mistake that I find people make. After taking a look at their skin, I’ll moisturize and prime accordingly. For instance, if they do have very oily skin, I’ll make sure to use a mattifying face primer so it doesn’t continue to get more oily throughout the day, especially on television. Your foundation should also be based on your skin type. If you use a mattifying foundation or concealer on dry skin, you’re going to age yourself by 10 years with that.”
Conceal acne with matte lipstick
“Icing [to bring down the inflammation] helps a bit before you do your makeup. Please do not try to pop it! I like to use a tiny bit of matte lipstick to conceal a blemish. It’s the best color corrector because once it dries, it’s not going to budge no matter how many layers you have on top of it. If you have a light complexion, I’d go with a shade that’s more on the peach side. If your skin is darker, you can use more or the orange or red family. It’s a fast fix for an event — not really an everyday method. Definitely make sure to wipe it all off at the end of the day to avoid clogged pores.”
Consider your lighting
When you’re on television, you mostly want to go with fuller coverage since cameras are almost like an X-ray on your face. Sometimes you want heavier lashes to bring out your eyes or deep contouring to accentuate your face. But for an everyday look with more natural lighting, I love a great tinted moisturizer that lets the skin breathe. If you’re doing virtual meetings on Zoom all day and the computer is making your skin really dull, first consider a ring light. Then check how the ring light is affecting your makeup. It’s not like you have to go full-on coverage as with television makeup, but you want to make sure everything is still well blended and your face matches your neck because that’s going to show up more on a Zoom. I also love the idea of playing around more with color, like with your eyeliner, since all they’re seeing is your face.”
Experiment with your existing products
“You can bring new life to your products by trying different mediums. It could be adding water to your makeup brushes to give your powder eye shadows more pigmentation. You can even use your shadows as a liner and fuse them out to make them a little softer. I’m always MacGyvering things. Sometimes I’ll even use certain eye shadows as a blush. As long as your products don’t have a plumping factor them, like some lip glosses, I love mix and match their uses.”
Pamper your skin at the end of the day
After removing the day’s makeup, I also love using Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream. It’s like my skin is drinking a gallon of water when I use it. I top it off with Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil. It’s such a comfort for my skin. I can’t explain it. I wake up and I’m honestly amazed and how it works.”
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.
