You’d be forgiven for thinking Nicole Kidman, 59, and Sandra Bullock, 62, have been indulging in witchcraft to look so youthful at the Practical Magic 2 premiere. The pair put on a spellbinding performance in London last night, and it certainly didn’t look like 27 years had passed since the original film was released.
So what’s the secret? Actual magic? Well, yes sort of – but from the work of their makeup artists. While the pair are very different in skin and hair colouring, they both follow the same key makeup method – one that instantly lifts the face and ensures Hollywood’s midlife superstars look better than ever.
‘Nicole and Sandra look incredible,’ says celebrity makeup artist and By Cassie brand founder Cassie Lomas, who broke down their look for us. ‘Both show that the key to really flattering makeup is using ultra-light layers of blurring and radiant textures, with barely-there tones to highlight and enhance the key areas of the face.’ Here's how.
Rule 1: keep it consistent.
While it’s possible that their glam squads will have conferred on their ‘same but different’ soft glam, Cassie says the magic is down to knowing what works for each woman, rather than anything too experimental. ‘A-listers have their glam teams, and largely stick to them because they’ve learnt their face shapes, their skin textures and exactly how they look their best,’ she says. ‘So when it comes to those huge red carpet moments, no mistakes are made and they look flawless.’
Nicole’s makeup, for instance, was the work of her regular MUA Wendy Rowe, who conjured up this look with a full face of Clé de Peau Beauty, including trusted stalwarts like the Radiant Fluid Foundation. 'We wanted Nicole to embody the spirit of an enchantress: glowing, powerful, and effortlessly beautiful,' says Wendy. Job done.
Rule 2: Lift in all the right places
As Cassie explains, ‘Both women show how soft tones lift the face in all the right places, defining the cheekbones and eyes without anything looking too heavy. Creamy eyeshadow sticks, soft kohl pencils and cream blushers are perfect because you can blend and soften everything into place with a brush.’
Rule 3: Layer, don’t cake
Building the makeup slowly is really important,’ says Cassie. ‘It allows you to blend everything together and create that naturally glamorous look where you can still see the skin. Adding tiny amounts of powder products to set everything will smooth the skin.’
Rule 4: Get the tone right
Another secret employed by Sandra and Nicole is to avoid anything too bright or jarring. ‘As they show, choosing blush and lip tones that are only a shade or two deeper than your natural tones keeps the definition really subtle,’ says Cassie. ‘For the lips, a neutral wash of colour with a lip liner in the same tone gives you that little bit of definition while still keeping everything soft and natural.’
Rule 5: Don’t overload the eyes
Makeup that’s too sooty and/or weighs down the lashes can end up closing the eye. Sandra and Nicole have both side-stepped this by opting for softer, brown eyeshadow tones, and mascara that’s lifted, not overloaded.
‘Their makeup shows how a wispy, fluttery lash really opens up the eye,’ says Cassie. ‘A lengthening mascara makes the most of your lashes without them looking heavy or clumpy.’
