What it takes to put together a red-carpet make-up look

Deepika Padukone and Anne Hathaway’s make-up artists take us behind the scenes

The red carpet is back in all its glory—the Met Gala, the Cannes Film Festival and upcoming IIFA awards are proof enough. Celebrities from around the world have been showing up dressed to the nines—sans mask!—to support each other and celebrate, after large-scale events were cancelled for over two years owing to pandemic-induced lockdowns. But what it takes for these gorgeous looks to come together is a solid team behind the scenes. The fashion stylist, make-up artist, hairstylist, manicurist, all need to work in synergy, multitasking and creating the final look for the event. And no, they don’t always have plenty of time on their hands. We spoke to two make-up professionals—Sandhya Shekar, the artist behind Deepika Padukone’s many looks at Cannes, and Florence White, the artist to credit for Anne Hathaway’s radiant debut at the film festival—about what goes into creating a make-up look for the red carpet.

The event and outfit

As you would expect, the scale of the event and the agenda dictates the outfit, which then dictates the rest of the look. “Firstly, the outfit would have been decided as much as a few weeks ago or if not, the fitting is the first thing that happens before we start the glam,” says White. “All of us (the client, stylist, hairstylist, make-up artist and manicurist) then discuss the rest of the look. A good team always listens to everyone’s ideas and opinions. Then it is like a dance between the hair and make-up as we work together, stopping in turns so the hair at the front can be prepped, or when I need to do something carefully like curl the eyelashes or intricately like paint on a liquid eyeliner.” Shekar adds, “It’s a team effort to understand and move in a certain direction. You look at the outfit and what the hairstylist is thinking of in terms of the hair. But you also largely keep in mind the theme, the larger perspective of where the event is and what the actor is doing at the red-carpet event, and post the red-carpet event.”

On deciding when to experiment versus sticking to classics, Shekar says, “For most of the looks for Cannes, we couldn't go OTT because Deepika was still going to go for a screening after [the event]. The first day was a sari and we wanted to do something dramatic. It also depends on what the celebrity is feeling at the end of the day. Even if you do something experimental, if the person isn’t feeling it, it’s not a look they’ll pull off easily. Going with a classic look is the safest especially when you don't have time."

The moodboard and plan

“I love creating moodboards,” says Shekar. “For me, it gives me a direction for the different elements I can play with.” However, she isn’t able to have one in place for each look. “At Cannes, there are so many last-minute changes, we’re only getting to see the clothes either a day prior or just a few hours before the appearance.” When deciding the look, multiple factors are taken in consideration, apart from the actual outfit. “I always try to bring a unique look tailored to the actor’s face; however, how the actor is feeling and the occasion is always taken into consideration,” says White. “I often arrive with new products to experiment with and that can be exciting. Sometimes, however, it is great to have your long-time trusted favourites to support you, especially when time is tight.”

Prepping the skin

The actor’s skin health and base make-up is extremely crucial for the fresh-faced glow to shine through. “Skin work is something that we focus largely on because there’s no room for errors when you’re creating a red-carpet look,” says Shekar. “You’re constantly under the scanner of so many cameras, lights and flashback. A person can look gorgeous in front of you, but lighting can be very tricky. There’s a lot of skin prep that goes in, to boost the vibrancy. We do icing and massages. I focus on a lot of massaging because I feel it changes the way your skin looks. Matching the skin tone is very important as is using as less foundation as possible; the lesser you use, the better your skin looks.” White loves giving her clients a collagen boost with The Light Salon’s Boost LED Mask; 111 Skin eye sheet masks; and Sisley Paris Black Rose Mask, when time permits. “I always like to cleanse the skin and then moisturise it, not only to plump it but also to feel the natural architecture of the face. This guides me where to play with light and shadow to enhance the natural beauty of the actor.”

The final look

While the decided look is what the artist works with on most occasions, sometimes, it can all change at the last minute. “When we were at Cannes in 2019, for the black-and-white Peter Dundas gown [for Padukone], we did the iconic graphic eyeliner,” recalls Shekhar. “The initial idea was to go with a purple or mauve lip colour and we tried it with the liner before she wore the outfit. After wearing the outfit, it didn’t work so we changed it into a powder pink at the last minute, making the look softer as opposed to experimental.”

Shekhar and White work with some of the biggest names in the industry, but that doesn’t mean they always have the luxury of time to work without rushing through. “Generally we have about 1-2 hours to get the celebrity ready for the red carpet,” explains Shekhar. “This time, at Cannes, it’s been a real test. We’re changing 3-4 times a day where Deepika is going to screenings, brand meetings, the red carpet, back to a screening, a glamorous dinner. It’s been challenging—it’s incredible that we’ve been able to churn out looks. The maximum [time] we’ve had is two hours, the day she wore the red [Louis Vuitton] outfit. Everything else has been done in under an hour and a half: hair, gel nails and make-up. When she wore the Sabyasachi sari, we got her ready in under one hour—the elaborate hair, the dramatic eyes, nails—I don’t know how we managed to do it but we did.”

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