When it comes to celebrities who have stage makeup down to a science, Ariana Grande takes the cake. From her Broadway days to her iconic “Dangerous Woman” era cat eye, matte lip and waist-skimming pony to her now glowier, more ethereal beauty aesthetic, Grande has gone through her fair share of beauty evolutions. Now, as the owner of her beloved makeup line, r.e.m. beauty, Grande seems more in her own self than ever, rocking soft, fairy-like skin, shimmery lids and pretty much anything Galinda-core.
Creating a signature look is one thing, but making it with products that can last from curtain up to final bow is a whole different ball game. Enter, the “pop star beat.” Coined by none other than Grande’s makeup artist, Michael Anthony himself, the pop star beat is made to last, and the key isn’t packing on loads of products, but rather using expert tricks and a delicate hand to create a glowing complexion worthy of it’s own Grammy. This week, I had the pleasure of attending a masterclass with r.e.m. beauty led by Anthony, where he dished all the dos and don’ts of the ultimate pop star beat, including the trick to Ariana’s iconic button nose.
Creating a Pop Star Beat: Dos and Don’ts
Do Take Your Time
While Anthony is no stranger to having to create stage-worthy makeup in a time crunch, one of his biggest tips for creating a base that not only looks satiny and radiant but lasts for hours is to simply take your time. “Instead of swiping foundation on, really take your time patting it in and working the product in with a brush,” he advises.
Do Set Your Under Eyes Right Away
Learned from watching Ari do her own makeup, Anthony says that the Eternal Sunshine singer ensures that the pesky under eye area stays bright and cake-free by setting with powder immediately after applying under-eye concealer. For the rest of the face, Anthony recommends using all your cream products first and finishing with powder to allow for more movement and sculpting along the way, but when it comes to the under eyes, take it from Grande: set ASAP. Anthony also likes using the r.e.m. beauty Dream Cloud Full-Face Blender ($17) to help pack concealer under the eyes before setting with powder.
Do Start With a Glow-Enhancing Base
Nowadays, all the pop star girlies are embracing that extraterrestrial type glow, and Anthony is on board too. Before starting any of Grande’s looks, he goes in with the just-returned Dream Glow Highlighter Serum ($26) across the face, neck and décolletage using a fluffy brush to help create a radiant, diamond-like base for the rest of your complexion products. Pro tip: add some more Dream Glow atop your face makeup for an extra-blinding shine.
Do Carry a Tissue or Blotting Paper with You
While using expert-approved application techniques can help your pop star beat last in a major way, touch ups will be inevitable, and for Anthony, the best thing you can have on you for a long day of glam is a blotting paper to remove any excess oil that starts to peak through throughout the day. If you’re without a blotting paper, try this hack Anthony learned from none other than Cyndi Lauper: peel a tissue in half until you have just the thinnest layer left, place it over the face and tap all over with a fluffy brush.
Don’t Use Too Much Powder
If you’ve ever tried touching up your makeup while transitioning from day to night and were displeased with the results, Anthony’s word of wisdom is to try less powder. “If you use too much powder, it’s hard to adjust or work in any new product onto the face, so try not to go too heavy with powder, especially in the beginning of your routine.”
Don’t Go Too Hard with Foundation
While we usually think of foundation as an all-over product, one of Anthony’s pop star beat secrets is actually to go lighter on the foundation. Instead of coating your complexion in product, Anthony recommends using foundation sparingly to help even the skin, remove redness and prime the face, and then using concealer and bronzer to help sculpt and define.
Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself—DO Embrace Your Unique Beauty
Towards the end of our masterclass, a fellow editor asked for tips on concealing smile lines (and while, in a practical sense, he recommends avoiding heavy concealer in the area and instead opts for a color corrector if needed), his advice is much more holistic. While Grande herself has been insecure about her smile lines in the past, she’s now focusing on embracing her skin how it is and using makeup as a tool for self expression, which is a core value for Anthony himself and r.e.m. as a brand. “Embrace your smile lines and any expression lines you have,” Anthony says. “You’ve earned them from living!”
Bonus Tip: The Secret to Ariana’s Button Nose
Unsurprisingly, the question arose during our masterclass as to how Ariana creates that fairy-like, utterly adorable button nose, and it’s actually more simple than you think. According to Anthony, Grande discovered the technique while experimenting with r.e.m. products one day, and found that adding a dot of the r.e.m. Hypernova Satin Matte Bronzer ($28) and a poke of highlighter on top makes for the ultimate button nose effect.
