When it comes to celebrities who appear on the stage in science, Ariana Grande takes the cake. From the Broadway era to the cat’s eyes, matte lips and waist-scheming pony of the iconic “dangerous woman” era, to her now-shining, more etheric beauty aesthetic, Grande has experienced a significant share of beauty evolution. Now, as the owner of her beloved makeup line, Rem Beauty, Grande looks more like herself than ever.
Creating a signature look is one thing, but making it with a product that lasts from the curtains to the final bow is a completely different ball game. Please enter “Pop Star Beat.” Pop Starbeat, created by Grande’s makeup artist Michael Anthony himself, is the last one, and the keys don’t pack a huge amount of product. This week I was able to attend a masterclass at Rem Beauty, led by Anthony. There he cooked all the DOs and DOS of the ultimate pop star beat, including Ariana’s iconic button nose trick.
Creating Pop Starbeats: Dos and Dos
Take your time
Anthony isn’t used to having to create a suitable makeup for the stage with a time crunch, but one of his biggest tips for creating a base that not only looks shining with Satie, but also lasts for hours is simply taking the time. “Instead of swiping through the foundations, really put it on and spend the time working on the product with the brush,” he advises.
Place it under your eyes immediately
Learned from watching Ari do her own make-up, Anthony says the singer of the Eternal Sun Song will ensure that the area under the eyes will remain bright and cakeless by setting the powder right after applying the under-eye concealer. For the rest of the face, Anthony recommends using all cream products first and finishing with powder to allow for more movement and engraving along the way, but along the under eye, take it from Grande:Set Asap. Anthony also likes to use the Rem Beauty Dream Cloud Full Face Blender ($17) to help pack concealer under the eyes before setting up the powder.
Start with a base that strengthens your glow
Today, all pop star girls embrace the extraterrestrial type of glow, with Anthony on board. Before beginning Grande’s looks, he uses a fluffy brush to create a sparkling diamond-like base for the rest of his complexion product, using a fluffy brush to cross his face, neck and decolletage, just recovering dream glowing high lighter serum ($26). Pro Tip: Add more dreamy glow over your face makeup and sparkle blue glow.
Carry tissues and absorbent paper with you
Using expert-approved application techniques helps popstar beats to be the last in the main way, but touch-ups are inevitable. For Anthony, the best thing you can have for a long day of glamour is the absorbent to remove excess oil that peaks all day. If you don’t have blotting paper, try this hack Anthony has learned other than Cyndi Lauper. Peel the tissue in half until the thinnest layer is still there, place it on your face, and tap it with a fluffy brush.
Do not use too much powder
If you’ve tried to put on makeup during the day-to-night transition and are unhappy with the outcome, Anthony’s words of wisdom are to try less powder. “If you use too much powder it’s difficult to adjust and work on new products to your face, so don’t make the powder too heavy, especially at the beginning of your routine.”
Don’t go too hard with foundation
We usually think of foundation as an all-out product, but one of Anthony’s pop star beat secrets is actually lightening the foundation. Instead of coating complexion with products, Anthony recommends using modest skin to help the skin, remove redness, lift up the face, and use concealer and bronzer to assist in sculpting and definition.
Don’t make yourself too difficult – don’t embrace your unique beauty
Towards the end of our masterclass, fellow editors sought tips for hiding the lines of smiles (and in reality, he recommends avoiding heavy concealer in the area and instead opting for a color corrector if necessary), his advice is much more overall. Grande herself has been unsure about her smile lines in the past, but she is now focused on how to embrace her skin and using makeup as a tool for self-expression. “I embrace your smile line and every line of expression you have,” Anthony says. “You’ve acquired them since you were alive!”
Bonus Tip: Ariana’s Button Nose Secret
Naturally, questions arise during the masterclass about how Ariana creates a completely adorable, fairy-like button nose. It’s actually easier than you think. According to Anthony, Grande discovered the technique one day while experimenting with REM products, adding dots from the REM HyperNova Satin Matte Bronzer ($28) and poking a highlighter over it would be the ultimate button nose effect.
