Celebrity makeup artist Sue Devitt knows what she's talking about when it comes to A-list looks. After all, the Australian-born beauty maven has worked with Jennifer Lopez, Christina Ricci, Julia Stiles, Liv Tyler, and Hilary Duff. Lucky for us, she took time from all that primping and preening to answer the beauty woes you posted on ym.com's message boards, and recommend products from her new range Sue Devitt Studio, which is available at sephora.com.
How do you get a cute look that's perfect for school and doesn't involve too much effort in the morning?
— Glossimer
"I truly believe that a little color and texture go a long way," Sue says. "When you only have a few minutes to get ready for school, I think it's best to focus on your eyes and take care of your under-eye circles — I absolutely swear by our Automatic Camouflage Concealer in Bermuda Triangle $23 (Jennifer Love Hewitt is a fan). Definitely curl your lashes — it serves as an immediate wake up call for your face. Apply a coat or two of mascara, or use one of our colored Lash Tints to spice up the look and give eyes an extra lift. Dab a little bit of cheek gel on for a natural-looking glow. Add a swath of lip gloss to give your lips some texture, and you're ready to head out the door."
Suggested products: Lash Tint in Tanzania, $28; Amplifying Mascara in Hong Kong, $28; Starbrights lip and cheek in Alhena or Electra, $35; Mini Lip Gloss in Fire Island or Martha's Vineyard $18.
Do you have any tips for African-American skin, like colors that look good with brown hair and eyes and skin? Also can you give me tips on doing a smoky eye look?
— Sweetness85
Sue says: "African-American girls look amazing in either earth tones or jewel colors. If you want to stick with earth tones, apply brown, gold, and terracotta shades to the eyes, and dab a little apricot-toned cheek gel on the apples of the cheek — Starbrights in Rana, $35, is perfect. Then put on a neutral lip gloss. I also love dark skin in lavenders and pinks — our new fall collection features these colors, and the shades really pop on dark skin. Try Angola or Sierra Leone, $20, on the eyes — line your eyes with our Kilimanjaro or Zaire Eye Intensifier Pencil, $22, to really draw attention to them. Use the lip glosses from Starbrights in Capella, $35, for a light lavender lip."
Sue says the smoky eye is her favorite for all skin tones. "I like doing it in colors other than your standard gray and black — I've been doing the look on a lot of my celebrity clients using some of our new fall 2003 shades. Here's how I apply a smoky eye: first apply your chosen shadow on the base of the lid. Take your pointer finger and stretch the brow upward at the peak to obtain a smooth surface. Hold your brush upside down and apply the eyeshadow very close to the lash line. The trick? Always use a patting motion, never a sweeping movement. Then turn the brush right side up and apply the shadow on the base of the lid, working your way up to the crease. Take your contrasting or contouring color shadow and apply the shadow deep into the base of the lid. I like to then use a soft, shimmering color under the brow, to highlight. Then take one of our Eye Intensifier Pencils, $22 — Pointe-Noire is a jet-black shade, or Zaire, a pretty plum color — and apply to the base of the eyelid and into the lash line, to really reinforce the color. I promise your eyes will absolutely mesmerize."
I have auburn-red hair, blue eyes, and kind of pale skin. What are good makeup colors for me?
— Texasgirl34
Sue says: "Earth tones look stunning on redheads. If you want more of a contrasting look, go with lavenders. When I worked with Debra Messing, who has a super light complexion and bright red hair, I layered on lots of our Tanzania Eye Intensifier Pencil, $22, and Lash Tint. Tanzania is a sparkling copper shade that really complements this skin/hair combination. If you want the earth tones, try our eyeshadow in Kanga, Ayers, Secret Dreaming, or Land Before Time, $18. If you're more of a lavender girl — try Flinders Ranges, Jewel in the Dust, or Hopetown, $20. Two amazing lip glosses to try: Fire Island, $18, if you want a neutral shade, and I love Georgica, $18, for a sheer wash of amethyst color."
How do you make creamy eyeshadow look really smooth (mine always ends up uneven and chunky)?
— hi_yalls23
"Apply a layer of powder eyeshadow first," says Sue, "then use the creamy eye shadow for texture. Try putting just a touch of the creamy eyeshadow in the middle of the lid, for an effect, not for total makeup application. That should help keep everything nice and smooth."
I play basketball in the same gym as 50 guys. I don't want to look horrible in front of them all, but my makeup mostly comes off and I'm all sweaty. Are there any cute makeup looks that would last?
— my_username_yay
Sue says it is possible to look hot in front of the boys without looking high-maintenance or sweating off your face. You just need a few key products. "Use a high-end foundation as a base — more expensive products have some elasticity to them, which means they will hold up during an intense game. Swipe on a Sue Devitt Studio water-based cheek gel for a natural flush of color. Apply a coat or two of our Amplifying Mascara, $28, which is water-resistant. To give your lips just a hint of color and texture, apply lip gloss in a natural shade." You'll wow them on and off the courts.
I can never get my foundation and powder to completely cover my skin and even out the tone. Do you have any tips on how to make my face look like one color?
— _jellybean_
Foundation can be tricky, our expert says. There are all different formulations out there, providing different kinds of coverage for different skin types. "The trick to applying foundation is to apply it to your T-zone first (your forehead and nose), then move outward. Don't forget your eyelids and under-eye area — and bring it down to your neck so your face and neck are the same color. Once you apply your foundation, lightly dust loose powder over your entire face to set it. The last step should be applying under-eye concealer to the inner corner of the under-eye area. You can then apply a very light dusting of powder again to set that."
I have dark circles under my eyes and it makes me look like a raccoon! I try to hide it with concealer and foundation, but then it looks like I have white circles and it kind of looks cakey.
—dimpleswts
"I am constantly flying coast-to-coast for celebrity bookings, battling different time zones and crazy schedules," Sue says. "What helps me get rid of my under-eye circles is under-eye concealer, which makes dark circles mysteriously disappear. Just apply it on the very inner corner of the under-eye area, near the nose. Use your fingertip to apply and blend it outward. This will definitely help fight the raccoon syndrome!"
