From Vogue to Viral: Makeup Guru, Max May on the New Rules of Glam!

He's one of Australia's top makeup artists and the trusted hand behind the flawless looks of Mel B, Drew Barrymore, and Bec Judd. This week on The Formula, Kelly McCarren is talking to the master of effortlessly cool beauty, Max May.

Max reveals how he went from defining high-fashion editorial pages for Vogue and Bazaar to mastering digital glam for the iPhone screen. We dive into how beauty accessibility has made people "a little bit lost," the nostalgic beauty relics he still keeps (and why he never got into matte lip kits), and his legendary skin prep obsession—and why he's anti-primer.

Plus, why today's teens are makeup geniuses, his controversial blush obsession that has him saying "I'd rather leave the house without mascara than blush," and the technique he was doing 20 years before Kim Kardashian made it go viral. Get ready for serious insider knowledge and Max's definitive list of five makeup products he can't live without.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer $20.99

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes $86.99

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer $50

Becca Champagne Pop Highlighter $72

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush $45

Dior Backstage Rosey Glow Stick $79

Nude Sticks Multi-Use Colour $63

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation $120

Dermalogica Circular Hydration $108

Naked Sundays Primer $58

NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream $72

Make Up Forever Outlining Pencils $37

YSL Lash Clash Mascara in Brown $70

Paula's Choice Liquid Exfoliant $54

One Size Pore Refining Primer $64

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CREDITS:

Hosts: Kelly McCarren

Guest: Max May

Producer: Sophie Campbell

Audio Producer: Tegan Sadler

Video Producer: Artemi Kokkaris

Just so you know — some of the product links in these notes are affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you buy through them. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps support the show. Happy shopping!

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