Since getting engaged to her love Mike Hill, model and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey has been splitting her time between Lake Bailey, her beloved oasis in Atlanta, and Los Angeles where Hill resides. She’s moving from one sunny city to an even sunnier one. But with threats of a pandemic resurgence pushing many of us back indoors, and wearing masks whenever we’re outdoors, getting that beautiful summertime glow that we waited all winter for is proving difficult. Fortunately, Bailey’s got a workaround.
During ESSENCE Festival of Culture’s Beauty Carnival virtual stage, the 53-year-old beauty shared the products that give her that kissed by the sun look when that daily dose of vitamin D just isn’t a reality. Joined by beauty influencer and mommapreneur Ellarie, who walked us through a quick tutorial, and tennis star Sloane Stephens, Bailey got us excited about summer makeup with just a handful of products.
“I love [Estée Lauder] Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation which is amazing,” she said. “And I love it so much because it’s light. It doesn’t feel like I have anything on my face really but it also gives me a very finished look. I don’t want light and then it doesn’t look like I have anything on. If I’m going to put it on, I want to look like I have a little bit on.”
Stephens said she loves the Stay-In-Place foundation because it lasts through long days and sweat—which as an athlete, she does a lot. She also finds it easy to find her color match.
The brand’s virtual shade finding tool will tell you what shade you are and match your undertone as well. For those that might be more novice to makeup, like Stephens, it’s important to note that your undertones can change with the seasons just like your skin tone. Some of us are lighter and have neutral or olive undertones in the winter but have warmer undertones in the warmer weather months.
While all the ladies started out serving skin, it was fun to watch them get a light beat together and add just a couple of products for a radiant glow. It was a great tutorial in how to do a natural look that still pops but also doesn’t take up your entire morning. It’s a true go-to for all those virtual meetings that we’ll be continuing to have until we are pandemic free. And it’s achievable with just foundation, concealer, bronzer and illuminating powder.
Bailey, who started the segment with a stunning light beat and praise-worthy glow, also shared that she became such a pro at doing her own makeup out of necessity.
“Before I was a Housewife, I was a model,” she explained. “And honestly, all the models that I came up with—Naomi, Tyra, Iman—all those girls, they all know how to beat their faces. We had to know how to do our makeup because back in the day we didn’t have a lot of different shades and a lot of times we worked with White makeup artists and they didn’t always have our color. So we always brought our own makeup and we always knew how to touch it up if we didn’t get the beat that we wanted. So trust me, all those ladies, those talented beautiful models that I came up with can beat their faces probably better than any makeup artist can ever do it.”
Now, if only they could find a way to bottle those coveted Cynthia Bailey cheekbones.