Your Personal Makeup Artist Make Up Tips, Tricks, and Techniques from Professional Make Up Artists

Celebrities always seem to be a little bit ahead of the game, and Rihanna is a fantastic example. Anyone can see that she always has cutting edge style, whether it be in her clothes, hair, or makeup. Makeup is a fantastic place to start, so I am going to tell you the best way to get this specific Rihanna makeup look, perfect for any dramatic or glamorous event, à la the red carpet! Even if you don't have a red carpet to go to, this is fun for a night out or any other evening that you may have coming up in the future.

First, for any makeup application, you have to focus on your skin. Rihanna has a beautiful rich color to her skin with darker tones, so look for a specific cosmetic line that caters to that if you have a darker complexion. Make sure that your foundation matches exactly so that there is no line of demarcation on your jaw line, which will make a huge difference. Also, less is more, so even if you are going out for the evening, you want to start out light in your makeup application so that your skin still looks natural. If you apply too much, then it will just look like a mask and draw attention away from the rest of your face. Apply concealer first to your under eye area, which needs to be flawless to really bring out the eye dramatic look. Remember to use concealer in the corners of your eyes that meet the bridge of your nose because that can often be dark and purpleish, and many women neglect to conceal that area.

For this more dramatic eyeshadow application, apply an eyeshadow base to help the colors last longer. Your first step in this dramatic cat eye look is to use neutral brown colors that will best complement your skin tone. Start with a medium brown, and use your contour brush to highlight the crease of your eye. Use a lighter khaki brown on your eyelid to blend into the darker color that you have used in the crease. To bring out the brow bone, use a beige or taupe color to blend your first two colors together all the way up to the eyebrow. This lighter color will set the look and cause it to appear less harsh.

Next, you will apply your dramatic eyeliner, so it may be best to use liquid eyeliner for this occasion. Hold the skin of your eyelid taut, and start from the inner corner of your eyelid to work your way out. Obviously, you will need to apply several coats of this eyeliner, with it being thicker toward the outer corner of the eye. Use a steady hand to create a winged look, and it is up to you as to how large you would like the wings to be at the end of your eyeliner application. You will then hold the bottom corner of your eye taut, and apply from the inner corner to the outer corner of your lower eyelid. Do not apply inside the eyelid because it will irritate your eyes and make them look smaller. Make sure to connect with the top line on the inner corner of your eye, as well as the outer corner of your eye. Again, make the line thicker as you reach the outer corner of your eye to draw your eyes open and create the winged look. Curl your lashes, and finish with several coats of mascara to open up your eyes.

To finish your entire look, use a dramatic lipstick that pops, as you can see that she did in this picture. This does directly depend on your skin tone, so if you have warmer tones, look for a pink lipstick that has orangey undertones, and if you have a cooler skin tone, look for a pink lipstick with blue undertones. The point of the matter is not to use a traditional red lipstick, but to use a fuchsia or berry color that is vibrant and makes this look different. Sweep your cheeks with a very light blush color or even a bronzer to not overdo your entire face. A perfect makeup application is all about balance, so it may be best to use a bronzer in this situation so that you do not have too much color all over your face, causing it to look more like costume makeup.

That's all you need to rock this dramatic look, just like Rihanna!