Spring Makeup Reset: How-to Glow With Textured Skin, the New Contour and More Pro Makeup Tips with Smashbox Makeup Artist Lori Taylor Davis

Welcome to Breaking Beauty, the podcast all about the breakthrough people, products, and moments in beauty, where your host, Jill Dunn, and Carleen Higgins.

Welcome back to Breaking Beauty Podcast, everyone. Hey there, Carleen.

Hi, Jill, and welcome to our pod fam. We are too long time magazine beauty editors turn beauty podcasters and each and every Wednesday, we're chatting about the breakthrough people, products, and moments in beauty.

And Carleen, one of the things that I used to love so much about writing for magazines was that like service journalism, the how to stories, those pieces that helped you get back to basics, but also elevated your routine, tips and tricks.

And I think the topic of this week's episodes, it feels like a story I would have written back in the day, but with a modern twist. And it's all about how to transform your makeup for 2026 with tips that will change how you do your makeup for this year.

And joining us in the studio with all of the pro tips on this topic is makeup artist Lori Taylor Davis, who is the global pro lead artist at Smashbox cosmetics, where she spent over two decades shaping the brands for artistry, product development, and pro education.

And Carleen, you and I, we just get along with Lori so well, like I feel like she's her friends. She knows she's amazing.

Like the vibes of this conversation is just like such great vibes. I know that everyone's going to love it. And Lori's work, it's been featured in top publications like Women's Wear Daily, Elle, Brides, and more. And her artistry has graced the faces of celebrities like Sandra Bullock and Paris Hilton.

And by the way, Carleen, over the holidays, I'm going to pat myself on the back here with a little Smashbox tidbit. I was featured in Vogue. You were actually the one who told me.

Yes, I don't know how I clocked it, but I did.

I know. And I was like, I think it's Christmas Eve, but Carleen is reading Vogue. I'm obsessed. And the reason why everyone was because there was a huge beauty moment in the Taylor Swift,

DocuSeries, where she was finally showing which red lip pencil she was wearing. And I made a video about it because I clocked that it was a Smashbox product called Be Legendary Line and Prime Pencil.

It was what she wore on stage for the eras too. And I was like, Taylor, she's just like us. And it wasn't a new pencil, Carleen.

It was worn down to the nub. And I made a video about it. And right away, I guess Vogue picked it up.

Yeah, I know. And I was like, I'm so happy for you. It's so funny because I did a story like that on Celine Dion. I did a TikTok on that.

Okay. And I was like clocking what was on her vanity. And it didn't get picked up anywhere. Nobody cared.

I had like 13 views. Anyway, no, it's it's amazing. And what a lucky day for Smashbox. I'm sure they've been selling out.

The shade is called true red, by the way, for inquiring minds. And that's the thing about Smashbox. The entire brand was designed for photoshoots and to look epic on camera on stage.

So it actually makes a lot of sense. And by the way, we got a full tour of their studios in Los Angeles while we're in town. The energy there is so major still to this day.

So many photoshoots happening there. We were wandering in and out of them saying hi, even though it's been open since 1990. I mean, if those walls could talk.

I wish they were saying Davis. He's like a celebrity Davis. And he was there that day.

Absolutely. And Curly, we missed you in New York just a few weeks ago. I got to attend one of Lori's makeup masterclasses. It was all about contouring with their new contour sticks.

And it was held at Smashbox's studio in Brooklyn, which I did not know that they had. And I didn't get to share this with you yet. But Davis factor himself was also there.

He's one of the co-founders of Smashbox and the current chief creative officer. He came and he did headshots for all of the editors.

So I mean, he shot so many iconic people over the years, everyone from Pamela Anderson and Angelina Jolie, the list goes on. So yeah, basically, I'm a model now.

Oh my god. I need to see this picture.

Yes. It was so fun.

You're going to notice it was so fun.

Okay. Amazing. Well, Raincheck on that one. And we do have an interview with Davis factor that we will link to on our website breaking beauty podcast.

But today we are joined by Lori. And just ahead, she's going to share some great tips on how to transform your makeup routine in 2026.

How to master your makeup finish. I was drilling her on matte versus dewey versus velvet. Like, do you have to have a certain skin type to pull those off?

How she aces skin prep in the Smashbox studios, selecting your perfect foundation shade, the new contouring. We got that sneak peak at the new precision contour sticks.

And I find they really give you better control, but she's going to give you the real story behind that in today's episode.

That's right. And watch on YouTube if you are so inclined because it was all live and in person. So here she is. Welcome Lori Taylor Davis.

Welcome Lori Taylor.

Welcome Lori Taylor.

Swav is one of our show partners this week. Major self care update. Swav is now available in Canada. We've been loving their affordable self care lineup, including deodorant with 48 hour sweat and odor protection and hydrating body wash has made with glycerin and vitamin E shop the full lineup and find your favorite sense for just $3.97

exclusively at Walmart. Once again, shop the full lineup from Swav and find your favorite sense for just $3.97 exclusively at Walmart.

Hi, I'm Dr. Wilcole as a leading functional medicine expert who's consulted thousands of people around the world on their health journey.

I've had a unique position to see so many people how comeize their pain and health problems to their purpose. Now I want the same for you.

Here there will be a fresh infusion of grace and lightness into the art and science of human health. Here will explore exciting ways for you to nurture and understand your physical, emotional, spiritual and relationship health.

Wellness is a sacred art. You are the masterpiece. This is the art of being well. Join me every Monday and Thursday for a new episode. See you there.

Welcome to Breaking Beauty podcast Lori. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. How far back do we go?

Oh, we go back. We go back. I think like 20 years probably. It would say it probably is 20 because I have been at Smashbox 26. Wow. Yeah, 26 solid.

So we I think first linked up at TIFF, which Smashbox used to do a lot during the film festival and it was it was great. It's really great. It's unusual for somebody to stay with a brand for 26 years.

Like were you there since the very beginning with Davis factor? I wasn't there at the very beginning. I will say this. I was there when our OG primer had just launched.

Wow. It was a brand and we only had one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was how I'm like that what she's been there a long time and so incredible. Yeah. Yeah.

And then I remember spending time with you at the LA Fashion Week when Smashbox did all the makeup for LA Fashion Week and that was the front row of those fashion weeks was so fun to watch.

No one can see my grand. But I'm like, that used to be it was one of those things where it was so fun. Yeah. What's so much work. We literally converted the studio into basically Bryant Park. Yeah.

You've ever been to Smashbox studios. It's like a series of parking lots and then empty studio buildings. Yeah.

And just the energy and I all I remember is we'd have like your call time could be 7 a.m. But then the last show wouldn't walk until one. Yeah.

And then you would just be trying to like stay ahead of it for an entire week and you were running on adrenaline and coffee and coke. Diet Coke.

And I remember just and then at the end of it you would have like a day even the models by like then day there.

We always be like, she's like, I'm going to get my hair deep condition. I'm going to have a facial. I was like, I'm going to put my feet up. So yeah, that was a really exciting. Yeah.

I want to ask you just panning out because you have been in the in this industry for so long. So I'm sure you try a lot of products on the market to like competitors and all of that.

So panning out how would you say that formulas have really changed over the past 20 years because Jill and I were talking about this that this idea of glowy or luminous 20 years ago.

And what that look like then compared to now is just apples and oranges like I feel like sometimes I laughed to myself because I'm like this level of like wet skin look.

I think we're going to look back at in 10 20 years and be like, what were we doing? What's your take?

You know, my take on that is I am I think just being a native California and I love to me glowy skin is the skin that everyone should have.

But not everyone actually understands actually how to achieve it or even what is their level of glow.

Right. I was on the whole train. I still I'm on the whole train of, you know, Pat McGrath's glass skin moment. That was a moment.

I watched yeah, I just watched a video over and over and over again. That's again, that's not for everyone.

It is a beautiful, beautiful look. I think that there is a level of glow that every single person can have.

I even the even the skin that is a little bit on the oilier or shiny side. It's just how much glow goes from looking beautiful and ethereal to looking like,

oh, my God, I just got out of this humid like sweat factory.

You know, anyway, yeah, I feel like it kind of also came down to the pigments that were available for foundations because maybe for a long time,

it wasn't as skin like and it was a little flat. And then once people discovered these pigments, they got a little crazy with them.

They did. It became just like your disco. It could be like a disco ball effect, right? Or like, you know, some foundations might have might get in

number. What have you? And I feel like it got the pigment change really defined that.

I agree with that. I definitely agree with this. One of those things where it's like, I love it when someone's layering like a shiny

primer with a shiny foundation and then a shiny powder. And then after a while, you're like, okay, we need to,

your skin just or your skin or your face just becomes almost like this super glowy, almost like it has no dimension.

And now it's time to take a step back. You've got to start putting in things that kind of you can still have that shine.

Again, I'm on team glowy and shine, but you have to have a great balance of areas that need and should be met.

Right. And areas that need to be more contoured and almost kind of like set back.

Everything can't be just like light bulb that's coming at you. Right.

A lot of it has to be things where it's like, okay, and you also mentioned something about face shape, which I actually love.

And I feel like a lot of the education on where glow or contour or any of these things need to go depends on your own

either face shape, eye shape, anything. And I think we're starting to understand the importance of knowing and how to

customize glow or even that for you, for your lifestyle, for your face shape, for your time in life and for things like that.

Yeah. Yeah. I think that's a great point. And I want to pick up on something you said earlier, which is this idea that even if you have oily skin

that you can pull off the glowy look, because again, I think people are always trying to hide almost what they have.

And back in the day when there were fewer brands and fewer options, it really did feel like, okay, if I have dry skin,

I'm going to go for the luminous foundation. If I have oily skin, I'm going for the matte. Whereas now it's like their brands are trying to

come more toward the middle with their formulas. So now you have a natural matte and you have different levels of glow.

So it's like, you don't have to be stopped by your skin type to achieve the finish that you want.

So I always say to anyone that who's makeup, I'm doing a client, a model or whoever, that the way you start will dictate how you finish.

So I always say, if you're an oily or skin, and you really want to do something as glowy and don't have to really be regulated to matte foundation

things that are a little bit on the flatter side, start by first applying a primer. And that is literally what can save your almost the level of products that you

have to apply. And also it will also help with longevity. And I think primers, one of those things, I think some clients get it.

I think some makeup wears get I think some makeup wears still are like, I don't use a primer and I was like, I understand that.

So there are there are also primers that you can use over your makeup that will kind of almost like do targeted

mattification, which is so let's say you've got an oily skin client in front of you and you're creating a a dewy, glowy look.

So which primer are you going to start with? I always type of formula.

I think I'm always going to start by putting the primer that is going to help to control shine closest to their skin.

So that's the first one that goes on after all of their skin care. You put on all your skin care and then you have something like

Smashbox's control primer. It's an oil control primer. It literally just goes on. It helps your skin can produce all the oil once it kind of keeps the oil away from the makeup.

Then you can actually choose any type of foundation you want to use on top of that. We have a gorgeous tinnemoy strizer that I am like halo.

I mean, I'm not name drop the tubes. I have emptied of that. It's so good.

I that is my absolute favorite foundation is so beautiful because it gives you skin like kind of perfection.

But it does have a good amount of coverage. So because it does have a lot of have a radiance, then I'm going to take you and I'm going to take our

always on loose powder and I'm going to targetly apply that because it it's smooth and blurs itself and that is going to help you make you

matte, but it won't get rid of all of the shine still had you still that gorgeous luminosity.

So when you're talking about targeting or you're talking about T zone or it could be T zone for sometimes it's literally like

death definitely T zone because that is all up the place that most oily skins tend to produce.

But I'm also going to maybe even take a little bit because I want the glow high on the cheekbones.

I'm going to take a little bit and I'm going to start to carve out the lower part of the cheeks.

So that's more matte and this is the more you make something that the more the glow pops forward.

Right. That's just a makeup artist tip. So I'm going to mattify certain areas to make the glow come forward, which is fantastic.

I love that idea. So it's creating dimension with different textures finish.

Yes. Versus you know just tone like we would you know with contour and highlight with that's a great great tip.

I love that.

And the thing I like about something like that is it still keeps it very skin like and you said sometimes you'll put like a

mattifying primer on top. I do the makeup. So is that instead of the powder or I think it's in I think in it's it's an addition to the powder.

And that and that is we have our we have a poor primer which is so fantastic.

And I love it because I will take the cheat and I'll take it in a brush and almost just kind of bounce it in areas where I wanted to stay

a little bit, although it's four pores, it does have a very matte consistency to.

Okay. So it fills and it gives you this beautiful kind of velvety finish.

Yeah.

And that actually helps to kind of keep the shine at bay as well.

Ooh.

Okay. So maybe I'll try that where I see my and also where I see my visible pores just like headed at the end with a brush.

What kind of brush?

You know, I love we have this there's a blurring foundation brush. It's almost like a dual fiber.

It's more rounded and more domed.

And I literally just kind of load all the product into that and almost like press it like a think of it as a powder puff.

Yeah.

Or like let's say even like a beauty blender, but I like a brush because it just kind of sits on top and you just can kind of press it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's almost like you're buffing it into the skin.

Yeah.

It's not just sitting on top because sometimes if you think of it as layered cake.

Yeah.

You're just layering product on top of product on top of product when when you're buffing it or bouncing it.

It gets it almost attaches.

Yeah. And you're not swirling your color swirling it all around it.

Exactly.

What about textured skin?

Like I can give an example today.

I have giant jaw zits.

And it's in like makeup artists have always said it's like you can cover the color, but the texture is so challenging, right?

So what are your tips about the finish?

You should choose how you should go about that.

You know, the one thing I say about textured skin is you really again, you have to do a like I said, you have to do the work for and working with a texture you have.

It's one of those things where again, something like our poor minimizing primer from switch boxes is amazing.

Sometimes I'll even kind of do like a spot treatment wall to pours and things where I'm trying to fill and then I'll do the OG because it also was blurry.

The original smooth and blur primer. I'll do that.

But then I love any product that's going to really kind of almost like work with your texture.

So something like the halo tinted moisture.

Right.

Which is so fantastic because it is a lighter weight, but it does have coverage.

And then again, finishing with something that does blur.

I mean, blurring is the new kind of I think that's the word we're going to be seeing a lot in 2026.

We're hearing it now, but now it's really all about just blurring and smoothing and not adding more texture to the skin.

So for something like that, it's like I said, it's like bouncing the product into the skin and really kind of watching the formulas that you are using.

So sometimes creams or things that are liquidy and can pull in a poor.

So you want to do things that are almost like rolling product into the skin with like any type of sponge is also really nice.

And then just getting back to using your fingers.

We've gotten so far away from finger applications with most things.

Everyone's like, there's a foundation brush with this brush is that brush.

When I started in makeup, there was maybe five brushes.

Now there's like 35.

So really almost like padding and buffing and warmth the warm through your skin can actually also help you.

So for you, I would say, you know, so I would say you can wear just about any formula.

It's literally how you layer or lasagna it to get in certain areas that will really help.

I think the texture, a lot of people try that and then it's like cake face too many.

Right? So how do you make sure you don't end up with a cake face?

I mean, again, less is more.

That's all one thing I said.

Thin layers.

Thin layers.

There are times when I have certain clients that I'm working with, I literally will start by doing their on bare skin, doing just like a creamy or blush or something or even just contour.

I'm going to start with that.

So then I'm going to add literally layers, light layer by light layer.

So you don't overuse.

Because if you think about it, if you put on a complete layer of foundation, a complete layer of powder.

By the time you get finished, you do have cake face.

I think we love products so much that we love to use it and we love what it looks like.

But if you're starting with a lot, then you just feel like you have to keep putting on a lot.

Yeah.

So it's almost like choose what you choose, what you're trying to enhance that day.

Sometimes it's just an eye day.

Other times it's just a lip day.

And once you kind of do that, then that will be your gauge in how you want your skin to look.

Because if I have on a super smoky eye, then I really want to put on a foundation that's going to really kind of go volume.

But if it's just kind of a lip and gloss day, what's something that's just going to be fresh and beautiful?

So it's almost like knowing how to layer in your products.

Quince is one of our show partners this week.

It's officially spring everyone.

So maybe you're craving a little wardrobe refresh.

And that's why I'm excited to share quince with all of you.

Quince makes high quality wardrobe staples using premium fabrics like 100% European linen, 100% silk and organic cotton poplin.

I just got one of their 100% silk shells to wear under blazers for spring.

Absolutely great quality.

They also have lightweight cotton cashmere sweaters.

Perfect for layering and changing between seasons.

And you can't miss their seasonal colors and the prints that they have for spring.

Everything is versatile, well made, pieces, and they're going to make your mornings easier.

So you can get dressed without any fuss.

And quince uses 100% European linen and their cotton poplin is crisp and it holds its shape.

The gauze is soft without being flimsy and everything that quince makes is built to hold up season after season.

Really the stitching, the fabrics, the fit, everything is great.

And I am a big fan of their leather goods as well.

I have the Italian leather hand woven to vote.

Truly, I get so many compliments on it and it fits so much.

So if you want to check out quince yourself right now, go to quince.com slash breaking beauty for free shipping and 365 day returns.

That's a full year to wear it and love it and you will.

Quince is now available in Canada too.

So don't keep settling for clothes that don't last.

Go to qi and see e.com slash breaking beauty for free shipping and 365 day returns.

That's quince.com slash breaking beauty.

We'll link to this offer in our show notes and on our website.

Now back to the show.

Substitute is brought to you in part by qualia life.

Okay, my parry menopausal friends out there and people just, you know, lacking in sleep in general working out and feeling dead tired afterwards and not being able to recover.

You need to know about qualia magnesium plus because magnesium in general is something a lot of us lack.

I've been learning and also magnesium differs from brand to brand.

We know there's a lot of supplements out there.

I'm going to tell you why qualia magnesium plus is different.

Qualia magnesium plus is the only product to combine 10 bioavailable forms of magnesium with more than 70 trace minerals that help fuel magnesium support.

So it's really considered a full spectrum magnesium that helps to deliver magnesium's full potential because it really does go beyond sleep.

It can help you to think sharper recover faster, support muscle strength, steadier mood and stress response and really help with a better energy metabolism.

That's what I've noticed as I work out and take it.

And again, a lot of people are lacking in it.

So they don't realize that it's not just for sleep.

It can help you in so many other ways as well.

Experience the most trusted magnesium for purity, potency and performance.

Plus it's non-gemo, vegan and gluten free, making it a choice you can feel good about.

Go to qualialife.com slash beauty for 50% off.

And here's a bonus, use the code beauty for an additional 15% off your order.

That's q-u-a-l-i-a-life.com slash beauty and use code beauty.

Thanks to qualia for sponsoring this episode.

And now back to the show.

I want to ask you because some people just prefer Matt and they always will.

So I'd like to ask you about the modern way to wear Matt

because I do think that's also a trend coming in for for 2026.

And is there an occasion like maybe it's under certain lights or whatever where Matt works better.

So maybe you could give us some tips like you did with the glowy skin of how to wear Matt, how to layer it so that it does still look fresh.

Especially if you do have dry skin because I think some of our listeners maybe have always used Matt

since they were younger.

Their skin might be more dry and they're still using their Matt product.

So what's the way to just freshen up like they can still use the Matt foundation

but make it look fresher and more 2026?

The one thing I think I love too is Matt now has changed because now there's like velvet Matt.

I love a luminous Matt.

And I was like, okay, make it make sense.

But anyway, we're going to go it.

I do love one of those kind of almost like I think back in the day we might even call it like a dimmy Matt.

I do love something that does look like your skin is as healthy as it can be.

So for a Matt skin, it's one of those things where you're going to use something that's going to control the oil.

I think we tend to love, like you said, you started off using a Matt foundation

and that's just what is always work.

And this is where you want to go.

And I think we're also using Matt simply because we want things to laugh.

You feel like Matt really is like, that's going to be my bulletproof product.

That's really just going to go the distance and be on all day.

So I think sometimes we have to get the formulas and the formula changes into our head and understand

that there are other ways to wear a more Matt look.

So again, I mean, I'm going to go back to primer because it just kind of always is that thing first.

You know, something like like again, a control primer, if you're extremely oil oily

or something that is like a poor minimizing primer or just even the original smooth and blur.

It has a more of a velvety Matt finish that right.

It's going to help with everything looking more skin like.

Yeah. So it's how you're starting your makeup. That's how you finish it.

And then Matt makeup again can just or Matt foundation can just be applied to the areas where you are more oily.

It can just be a T zone, a T zone item.

You start by applying it first application in the T zone and blending out and up and stop there.

Yeah.

And then you would then jump to maybe setting it with a tiny bit of loose.

I love a loose setting powder. I really do.

It's just one of those powders that tends to be lighter and more airy than something that's a problem pack

which I think is for more for touch ups.

Yeah.

And then you stop and almost like applying that again with a puff.

Not if we're not dusting it all over, we're actually creating another layer that then helps to lock everything out.

From there, you want something to we want to freshen up the under eye.

So it's almost like you're pulling the areas of your face apart and doing it in quadrants.

And layering certain quadrants and other quadrants can be kind of have a softer application.

I love a concealer that is very almost fresh and almost airy and less maybe a little bit more radiant and not so Matt.

Because there's no oil glands underneath here and you know on your lower eye.

So you can actually just apply something that has a little bit of radiance there.

So that's going to adding that mat with a little bit of radiance immediately takes the mat down and gives you a little bit kind of almost brings the two together.

Yeah, because that's where we cake with the fine lines is the crow's feet and under and around the mouth.

That's another one.

Yeah, we don't it's we don't under eye and around the lip are the two to most delicate.

We all heard that's the two most delicate areas of the face.

So something that is literally like more radiant for underneath the eyes.

Great. That then is going to then you can actually take a little bit of highlight and put that higher on your cheekbones.

I think also placement is so important.

Yeah.

So we're getting older, we're realizing that things the placement of things like contour and highlight have changed.

We want to be lifted.

We want to be natural.

We want to snatch it on back.

So knowing where to place your highlight and knowing where to place your contour and knowing which which of what type of those products you should be using is also key.

And you mentioned that you could use a mattifying primer with a sort of glowier or more luminous foundation.

Could you do the inverse if it was someone with dry skin where you're using a hydrating primer and add a matte foundation or is that going to pill?

No, it shouldn't pill if you're using the right formulas.

Again, you have to know your formulas.

So photofinish, we have a primerizer which is 70% hyaluronic acid.

So it's super hydrating.

So for someone that loves a matte foundation, I like the coverage.

They'll have the foundation that they love.

I would start by first giving the ultimate hydration.

So yes, you can definitely do that.

And I do have, I have some clients that just, this is my foundation.

I'm not changing it. This is my color.

And I'm like, absolutely.

I changed your primer.

100% change your primer.

I want to ask you.

So we got a great tutorial on finishes and skin type.

How do you keep going with the next, the products that come after?

Because when it, when we're talking about bronzers, blushers, eye shadow, it comes in every single finish under the sun.

So let's say you've started your base just like we talked about.

How do you know, like when to go in with a cream blush versus a powder, a cream luminizer versus a powder, a bronzer?

All of that, like, is there a formula where it's like, I should stick with all creams?

Or I've also seen cream blush with a powder duo.

So like, give us some rules of engagement.

Okay, let me, so I am of the belief that your skin will dictate what products you're using at any given moment, what you have going on.

Sometimes it's the environment you're in.

I know if you're anybody that travels, it's one of those things where it's like you go somewhere and you're like, oh, okay, this isn't working.

Or it's winter to summer.

So there's a lot of kind of factors that come into place.

I'm a blush girl.

So we can start with blush.

I absolutely think it's the best thing that, you know, the makeup gods ever created because I think it's real.

I agree.

And you know what I mean on Monday, it's all about blush and some glasses and we're ready to face the world.

I have seen a lot, definitely a lot of different ways to apply it.

And it's kind of almost like it's the finish that you really want to achieve.

I think there are times when it's just all about powder.

And maybe those are your textured girlies or oily girlies that you're going to use that blusher.

The powder to actually also do the work of helping to put shine at bay.

Because that's another thing.

It's like you can think of your makeup.

It's not just a blusher.

It's a powder based product.

Therefore it can do a few different things for you.

I think there are times when some of the, I can oily skin also just wants that luxuriousness of a cream product.

So then would you apply your, sometimes you can apply your powder first and then you can apply your cream on top of that.

I know you can.

You definitely can.

I know it seems like I'm breaking all the rules.

But it's how you're applying it.

So you can apply your powder product and then you can take your cream product with a brush.

Not really maybe with your fingers because that can move the powder and you can buff that into, buff that over the powder.

And it just helps to, they almost kind of melt together and create this almost like kind of like creamy powdery goodness.

So that's also something to do dry or oily.

Yes.

Okay.

And then there's sometimes they're just really great.

I'm sorry to see so many different textures in with blusher.

There's sticks.

There's cream.

There's all these things.

And sometimes those you can just take a little teeny tiny bit and just almost like warm it up between your fingertips and almost just do spirit fingers on your face.

And then that's just giving you a little bit of product and that hint of color that we need.

So you can do just to, just to clarify.

Yes.

So you can do the powder over top of cream that helps with staying power.

But you can also do the cream on top of the powder and that's just going to give it an extra pop.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

I love that.

So switching gears a bit.

We need to talk about contouring and sitting right in front of us on the table.

These smash box new contour sticks.

I have to say they're like skinny.

They're like very demure, very mindful.

So these have just come out.

And what's your favorite thing so far about using them?

All right.

The thing I love.

Okay.

There's so many things to love.

It's almost having like, you're not supposed to pick your favorite.

And I was like, this is my favorite.

And let me just say also everyone who's listening, they're kind of look like an eyeshadow stick.

They're very slim and like a cream base angled tip, five different shades.

So the precision contrast stick is actually just that.

It is all about precision.

We wanted to give you, first of all, something that could fit into your makeup bag.

Yes.

That you wasn't like carrying around, although powder is great, powder and a brush.

If you wanted, if you want to apply this on the go, all you need to apply it, again, are your fingers, which is great.

We decided to do cream because cream is the most skin like it.

I feel like one of the pain points of contour is, and everyone loves, there's people that love a cool, they're on team cool contour.

And there are people that are on team again, on team more for it to look more like skin or more something that's like easy to apply and more.

We decided we were going to do cream as a brand, wanted to be skin like, and we wanted to melt into the skin.

And the thing about them is, it's the applicator we chose at an angle, so that it almost is ergonomically and kind of can hug the areas of not only your jawline, but eye, sides of nose.

And down, definitely on your chin.

The sides of nose is important because these can also be worn to carve out the eye area.

There are certain areas where what we thought of as a brand that are always, that to us, it just is kind of like, oh yeah, everybody does that.

Because I guess we're in the studio, so we're using it underneath in the studio, but then we were almost like, no, everyone's not doing that.

So we almost one of these products that wanted us to be, when you pick it up, it automatically tells you how you can use it and where you can apply it.

So that was the first thing. The formula itself is so creamy that it melts into the skin, but it lasts and it stays.

Aside from knowing that you can easily contour the eye area, we also were saying that people are starting to do lip contour, where they're getting a little bit of shadow on the lower lip line to give that more fall lip, and they're doing lip flips and they're doing all these things.

So we really wanted it, wanted you to be able to literally take it.

And from one side to the other, you can go flat side largest on the more chiseled side, inner eye, and at the bottom of the lip easily.

So you're not getting so much product that you really have to really, you're forced to really have to try to blend it in.

It blends in nicely, and you can actually build.

We did five tones, the fairest being the most cool, because the fairest needs the most cool contour.

That's me. That's your go.

The other ones are on the slider. We'll say, I don't want to say warm side, but they're more like skin tones, because really beautiful contour that's easy to apply is more like skin.

Then it is like having to chisel or put something on that's too cool that you didn't have to cover up with bronzer.

So we took out that bronzer step with the creams, and just made it so that you can literally like, I lip cheap jawline, all of that that you can actually create.

Natural.

Natural.

Natural.

Let's see these.

Go for it.

I need to see them.

I need to swatch them.

And a little bit goes along, you don't need a lot of it.

I feel like sometimes I'll watch people and they'll kind of try to build color.

And I'm like, it's with Smashbox, it's literally like draw, draw, draw.

One of the products that we are also bringing back, and she also got a facelift is on step by step contour kit, which would be one of the first brands to ever do a contour.

I remember that.

Yes.

So she kind of got a face, she got it, she got a little glow up.

And that one's powder.

And what we did is we modernized the tones that we use.

And we also literally wanted to make it easy, because there are some people that love a cream.

And then they want to put a powder over it.

We have a really great tutorial.

And we have a tutorial on your own basic contouring, but for the step by step contour and for the contour pen.

I like to call them, it's a contour pen.

We are giving you contour for each individual face shape.

We took the most popular.

So it's heart shape, oval, square, round.

We are giving you just a little year ABC's and one, two, three's on how to contour it for your specific shape, which is great.

I love makeup for dummies because I love it.

I'm a dummy.

And you know what?

Some things just need operating instructions.

Yes.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I really like this idea of the contouring kind of crayons because I do like to do my eyes sometimes when I'm having like a really lazy day or I just don't want.

I don't feel like wearing too much makeup, but it's funny the way I've come around to contouring because I am like a, I'm not a heavy makeup wearer.

But now I find it's almost a desert island product for me is a contour product because it just brings so much life to my face.

I agree.

I think for me too because I am fair.

It's like it's giving me tone.

And it's just creating that dimension where it's like the way that people use mascara sometimes because they need that definition.

For me, I need a contour.

And so if I'm lazy, like I'll just do it.

I'll do it in my eye too.

I'll do it.

You can like basically line your lips like kind of blend it in like an eyeshadow and like you're done.

It's like it could be a one and done.

If you were having like a quarter no makeup day or a hundred percent agree.

And that's that's the thing we're starting to again products that do double duty.

This is almost like I like to say that the precision contour sticks are like at the Swiss Army knife of makeup now.

Yeah.

Because it's that one thing.

If you have like you said you have a mascara and a gloss.

Yeah.

You're pretty much done.

Yeah.

Also, and then your tone would be that your style you're watching would be the fair.

And that's where you can kind of create that dimension.

Especially if you're feeling like like I just need like a little bit of life.

We love to say that any type of contour stick or contour kit is like having your own like lighting system.

Right.

That you're carrying around in your pocket.

And for us, you know, in the studio lighting is so important.

So this is like you literally like you're almost like lighting here.

If once you kind of create the shadows, it's that I think that's where the life is going.

You create the shadows and then all of the other dimension comes forward.

Exactly.

Exactly.

And while we're on this topic and you mentioned curling because she's fair,

she would use the fair one and those tend to be cooler undertones.

If you're deeper skin tone, how do you choose the right contour shade?

Because I feel like that is a little bit confusing.

I would say the deep one, it almost looks like it has a bit of a red undertone.

It's a definitely has a lot of warmth and we do that because that gray tone on a deeper tone on a deeper skin tone.

They don't, they don't need that.

That's not, you know, that's, that's not something that's bothering.

Not at all.

Not just bothering.

R&CO is supporting our show this week.

R&CO was founded by a collective a world renowned hair stylist.

Think about the people who are shaping trends working on major fashion shows

and editorial shoots.

And the brand is really known for combining high performance ingredients

with modern technology.

Think misler powered dry shampoos, weightless volumizers, and heat protecting styling bombs.

Their products are designed to be layered and customized plus all of their formulas are vegan,

leaping buddy certified gluten free and color safe.

And they do not contain parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, and petrolotum.

A couple of my favorite products from the brand are actually the television perfect hair shampoo and conditioner.

This is actually the shampoo and conditioner that they use at my salon that I go to.

And I really love it for those, you know, camera moments, especially because it gives you everything you need.

Body, shine, strengthening, softening, and smoothing like the shine that I get from a blowout with this shampoo and conditioner is just chef's kiss.

I really love it.

And it does give you perfect hair.

I also really like their outer space flexible hairspray because it's lightweight.

It's brushable.

It locks in style.

There's no stiffness.

It reminds me of a hairspray you would be using on set at an editorial shoot, like back in my magazine days,

because the hair you have to keep reshaping it and molding it for different looks.

And I find that they really delivered in this product as well.

So great news.

If you want to try R&CO, we have a special promo code.

Visit R&CO.com and use code Beauty20 at checkout for 20% off for 20% off your first purchase.

That's R-A-N-D-C-O.com and use code Beauty20 for 20% off your first order.

We'll link to this offer in our show notes and on our website.

Today's episode is brought to you in part by Blissie.

So we've been talking all about the magic of makeup today to transform your look.

Now I want to share with you a hack for transforming your skin and hair as you sleep.

I'm talking about Blissie.

Blissie uses 100% silk pillowcases.

There's no satin, no polyester cotton blends here to help as you sleep to reduce frizz breakage and help preserve your style when it comes to your hair.

And then with your skin, the silk helps to reduce fine lines, those creases that you get as you sleep breakouts as well.

And that's because Blissie uses silk that's natural cooling and gentler on skin and hair.

They use the highest quality silk.

It's 22 mom. It's called M-O-M-M-E.

6-A grade 100% pure mulberry silk.

And so that's naturally cooling and breathable, hydrating and hypoallergenic.

But Blissie has also been dermatologist tested and recommended as well.

I like that it's not too precious. I throw my Blissie pillowcases into the washing machine.

They don't have to be hand washed.

And people just love them.

They've sold over 3 million of them.

It's been featured in Vogue, Oprah Daily, Good Morning America.

They've won multiple awards.

And they make such a great gift too.

I personally love my sleep mask.

I'm all about that sleep hygiene.

It's got to be dark for me.

And they have crease preventing scrunchies and bonnets as well.

So if you want to try it because you're a listener, Blissie is offering 60 nights,

risk-free plus an additional 30% off.

When you shop at Blissie.com slash breaking, that's B-L-I-S-S-Y,

.com slash breaking and use code breaking to get an additional 30% off.

Your skin and hair will thank you.

Give us some tips for, you know, snatching, lifting, lifting a drooping nose that, like,

what are your contour tricks?

My contour trick again is always to, of course, first just don't let's not go crazy.

We don't want to walk out and look like a Mariana.

You want to look like yourself.

So for any type of nose, it's almost like, I think I have a few clients that

feel like their nose is very long.

So you just almost want to kind of do a V right at the tip of the tip.

And using your nostrils as the indicator of, like, I'm going to go here.

I'm going to go there.

And then you're just going to kind of blend it in.

It's almost like an X shape you're drawing at the edge, like a very tip of the nose,

like one swipe on each side.

And you're so good.

I love sometimes too.

If someone feels like their nose is a little bit more flat and wide,

contouring on the sides to really kind of create that shadow and almost push it in.

And then, of course, anything you want to bring forward, you're going to,

you're going to shade it on either side and then do a little bit of highlight on the tip on the bridge of the nose.

I think also I have some clients that I really want to build up almost like the bridge of the nose.

So I'm going to almost use the, the area in this corner of your eye to start and then come down.

Maybe you don't come down all the way if you need it, but just kind of really working in there.

And one of my favorite tips for counter is don't be afraid to really,

if you're somebody that they're feel like, because I'm seeing it, my eyes are starting to,

they're, they used to be straight.

And now one of them is doing its own little thing.

I literally have to build back up that natural crease that I had.

Right.

So really kind of carving out the crease and opening the eye and then blending the counter up to create that to build up your crease.

Yeah.

It's like that thing when your, your eye lid starts to wobble.

Where is that condom?

Exactly.

Stop it.

Stop it.

Oh, probably.

Just prop up my lid with this anyway.

Okay.

I love those hacks.

And what about pairing contour and blush these days?

What's your go-to move?

Again, I'm a blush girl.

So contour, I always say what I like to say.

Some people will blush first and then contour.

I'm like, if you're going to mish it all together and it's a cream,

then just make sure that it doesn't look heavy.

And I would like to say dirty.

You know, sometimes people will put so much contour on and you're like,

whoa.

Yeah.

I'm more like, you're going to, and I think the area now where we're contouring has also changed.

We used to carve out our cheek.

Right.

Now it's higher.

We want to go higher because we're really trying to create that lift.

Like right under the cheekbone.

Right.

It's almost like, if the cheekbone is here, it's literally on top of the cheekbone.

Yeah.

And then whatever kind of blends, yes, what kind of blends down is what blends down.

Before we used to start in in the carve and then you didn't have having it almost dragging the face down.

Right.

So for new contour is literally it's high and it's lifted.

It's going back towards the ear.

Right.

It's almost kind of really going a little bit up towards the temple depending on your face shape.

And then always pair it with blush.

I mean, blush is again, blush is like wearing your favorite sneaks.

It's just like, you got to put them on if you want to feel great.

Yeah.

Oh, blush is like blush.

And that's something that you can literally like if you want to, like again, I like a cream

blush.

You can almost again, spirit fingers over that contour.

And then next thing you know, they're all cheering great together.

But yeah, you can definitely, definitely pair them together.

Okay.

What about highlighter?

What is one surefire place to put highlighter to instantly brighten the face?

My new kind of hack that I've really been doing, it's kind of like, it's high on that cheek

bone.

It's the temple.

Again, it's certain quadrant to the face.

I use the temple to where I'm going to highlight to the temples, to the gods, to the temple

gods.

So it's literally like, I'm going to start high on that cheek bone and back.

I feel like sometimes we bring color too close into the center of the face where if you start

back and you kind of get that almost like again, pulled or a natural look, when you get

that look, then you can always bring it forward.

But if you start forward, it's almost like you're just trying to like kind of calm down

the fact that you bring all that color to the center of the face.

Got it.

Right.

Okay.

And I feel like, and did you say you prefer powder or do you prefer cream?

I, I like them both.

I make a part as you know where you have them.

But if I had to pick one, I'm going to say team cream.

Yeah.

I like a cream.

I like anything that can melt, can really kind of become part of the skin.

When should you reach for powder versus a setting spray to help make up blast?

Just like, how do you make that choice?

Is it based on the person's skin type or is it based on like a overall finish you're

trying to achieve?

You know, I think that's a trick question right about now because now we have settings

praise that are, they're luminous.

That's like the newest thing.

Right.

And mattifying.

And mattifying.

And mattifying luminous at the same time.

We'll figure that one out.

So I definitely think for me, one of the, it's, it's what, where you're going when you

believe my chair is to dictate when I'm using a setting spray, but I also have clients

that they love to lasagna it powder foundation setting spray powder, and they are literally

just applying it.

I do see that the definite need for them, like if you want a bullet proof, I mean, back

in the day, do I say that we used to use hairspray, which was, you know, not the best thing.

So setting powders are definitely that thing where I love to finish with a setting powder.

I will still put powder and then a setting powder kind of goes over that because there

are setting powders out there that literally can almost, they're like, finishers.

But even now that's starting to separate.

You have a makeup finisher.

That's kind of like the new thing we're seeing, makeup finisher and the event setting spray.

So it just depends on, it's the environment you're going to be in.

It's how much you, how long you need your products to, to wear.

And last, what are you doing, or, I mean, if you're a gymnast at the Olympics, that

I get it.

Or if you're a bride and you, you know, you're at a wedding and you're makeup artist is not

staying with you, then I get it.

But sometimes powder, good old powder just doesn't seem as cakey and then setting sprays.

Some people just don't love the feeling of it.

Yeah.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Laura.

This was so fun.

This was so fun.

It was so fun.

We're so appreciative to have your expertise.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for spending time with us.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for listening.

You can find details on every product mentioned in today's episode, along with our exclusive

promo codes on our blog at breakingbeautypodcast.com.

While you're there, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Every episode will be delivered directly to your inbox so you won't miss a single thing.

And get social with us.

Let us know what you think of the episode.

You can follow us on Instagram at BreakingBeautypodcast.

And did you know we also have a private Facebook group just search BreakingBeautypodcast

chatroom.

You can even leave us a voicemail at any time with questions or feedback at 1-844-2270302.

And don't forget to subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts fixed.

Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast, where you can show us some love by

writing a review.

See you next Wednesday.

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products

and services.

Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products

or services referred to in this episode.

This message is brought to you by AppleCard.

AppleCard members can earn unlimited daily cashback on everyday purchases wherever they

shop.

This means you could be earning daily cash on just about anything, like a slice of pizza

from your local pizza place or a latte from the corner coffee shop.

Apply for AppleCard in the wallet app to see your credit limit offer in minutes.

Subject to credit approval, AppleCard issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City branch

terms and more at AppleCard.com.

The bird looks out of your league anyways.