The Hollywood glitterati showed up and showed out for Wednesday night’s People’s Choice Awards.
Per usual, our eyes were peeled for the fiercest red carpet moments and unsurprisingly, Yara Shahidi came out on top. Adorned in an artsy frock from Off-White, the Blackish star elevated an otherwise predictable red carpet with her fashion and beauty choices.
For this standout moment, the wise-beyond-her-years 16 year old collaborated with celebrity makeup artist Tasha Brown for a look that was completely inspired by her dress. (People has the full scoop on Yara’s fashion for the night, which actually included an outfit change!)
“The dress is art!,” Brown exclusively told ESSENCE before the show. “It’s such a standout piece that we didn’t want to compete with it and let it shine. We decided on just a pop of color to balance it out.”
Together, Brown and Shahidi decided on a ravishing red lipstick from Laura Mercier that not only left them speechless, but put our rouge lippies to shame. Seriously, we absolutely need this before Valentine’s Day:
“Yara creates a really safe space for artists to express themselves,” Brown continued. “As a team, we are all so passionate about our work that we love throwing out ideas. At the end of the collaborative process we somehow all end up on the same page inspired by and building on each other’s ideas.”
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As for the rest of her makeup — which was purposely subdued in contrast to the statement lip — it depended heavily on a moisturized canvas. For brown skin specifically, Brown recommends steering clear of primers with white or pearl frost since they can “show through and turn” the foundation. Instead, “opt for golds and bronzes to bring out the beautiful brown tones in your skin.”
In addition to doubling down on moisturizer, women of color should also be mindful of switching up their foundations and mixing with luminizer during the winter season.
“One shade is not going to work year round, Brown told ESSENCE. “You should consider a lighter shade in the winter as the skin is less exposed to the sun. Use products with a bit of luminizer in them…to help fake the warm summer glow.”
The biggest takeway from Shahidi’s latest slay is that “red carpet makeup” doesn’t always require a huge production. Brown, whose celebrity clientele have been prepped in as little as five products, values quality over quantity.
“It does not have to be heavy handed or trendy, just simple, elegant and refined.”
Get the full breakdown of Yara’s People’s Choice Awards look below–including the deets on that perfect red lipstick!
Tasha shared, “this provided enough coverage, but also let her beautiful skin shine through.” She followed up with a dusting of the Translucent Loose Setting Powder in Medium Deep, which won’t be available until next month.
Using “Shade 6,” the best option for those with deeper undertones, Tasha created a slight contour over Yara’s glowing skin.
Completing her flawless complexion, Tasha swiped the “Shadore” shade onto her cheeks.
Tasha applied the lightest shade, Metallik Pewter, all over Yara’s eyelids to catch the light.
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Tasha shared, “This is the first time Yara has worn a statement lip on the red carpet, so she wanted it to stand out.” Using the “Addiction” shade, she smudged the color into the center of Yara’s mouth and blended it to the edges of her lips, keeping the look soft and easy, with no hard lines.
