We’re used to seeing Anna Maxwell Martin with minimal makeup, so it came as a gorgeous surprise to see her glamming it up on the red carpet last night. Appearing at a screening for Apple TV’s Star City in London, the Motherland star, 48, looked very different with a vampy black outfit and sultry new makeup to match.
Her piercing blue eyes were enhanced with jet-black liner, applied directly into the upper waterline and framed by immaculately groomed brows. Her skin looked radiant with a satiny base, while her lips and cheeks shared a tonal rosy glow that brought her whole look to life.
‘It really shows how a few touches really add up to a makeup look that feels completely fresh and different,’ says celebrity makeup artist Hannah Martin, who cast her expert eye over Anna’s ageless glow-up for GH.
And if you’re struggling to pinpoint exactly what makes Anna’s look so youthful, let Hannah enlighten you.
‘What you need to notice are those beautiful bright under-eyes, which are a revitalising aspect for anyone,’ she explains. ‘But what makes it extra revitalising is how it combines with the gorgeous glow on her cheeks. You see how the glow comes up high, so it’s actually kissing the edge of her concealer. That’s such a flattering look.’
Anna’s glow has been also cleverly elevated by using an anti-ageing alternative to traditional highlighter, which allows mature contours to gleam without looking sparkly or shiny.
‘It looks as if the makeup artist has taken that glossy balm you see on her lips and dabbed it on the cheek to get the same kind of glowy texture,’ says Hannah. ‘It’s a great trick for anyone – for instance, I love it because I personally struggle with dehydration lines and pillow creases there, on the side I sleep on.
‘If you have that issue with your cheeks, adding a hydrating gloss is really flattering on older skin. A highlighter that’s pearly or shimmery wouldn't have the same youthful effect – it would look almost metallic. A dab of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream works well, too.’
To get that ultra-bright ‘concealer kiss’ à la Anna, Hannah recommends using a hydrating concealer – ‘Use something soft like Armani Luminous Silk Concealer, and tap it in with your finger pads so the heat melts it into the skin,’ she advises. ‘Then, on the cheek, it could be something like Clinique Nude Honey Lip Oil on the lips, then pressed on to the cheekbone for an expensive glow.’
Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil
So there you have it: the concealer kiss technique. In a word: mwah!
