When you look good, you feel good and when it comes to looking your absolute best in the arena, every detail counts. Makeup is used to enhance our natural beauty and allows us to express ourselves. It is what sets us apart and gives us our unique edge. When it comes to competing in the show pen, makeup can be an important detail.
Recently, GoHorseShow sat down with successful equestrian and Professional Makeup Artist, Devin Territo to find out the best makeup products and techniques she uses on her clients to make them look and feel their best in the arena. Fortunately, we were able to use AQHYA World and Congress Champion Deanna Green as our stunning makeup model. Territo was Deanna’s makeup artist during her photo shoot with Kirstie Marie Photography, and GoHorseShow was there to find out some tips and suggestions to achieve the perfect look for your next show.
Starting off with foundation, what is a good foundation that stays on and also photographs well?
When choosing a foundation that photographs well always choose something without an SPF so you aren’t getting a flash back in photos. The titanium dioxide will flash back in flash photos and white out your face. I like to use a foundation that sets with a matte or natural finish on my clients that are showing to ensure a flawless face in photographs. Two foundations that I love for this are Makeup forever HD foundation and Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. Both of these foundations are worry-free, long-wearing formulas that stay fresh and look natural through heat, humidity, and nonstop activity.
Blush is a must, but most individuals never know how to choose the correct color for their skin tone. What are your go to blushes for each skin tone?
NARS ‘Laguna’ bronzer is one of my must haves for lighter skin tones! It gives the perfect sun kissed glow to the face without looking muddy or unnatural. It has the perfect amount of cool and warm undertones so it complements a lot of different skin tones. For warmer skins I like to use Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer.
Blush is meant to be natural and subtle looking. Too much can make you look clownish, too little and you look washed out. I always reach for something with a beautiful glow that will add life back into the face.
Fair Skin Tones
When picking a shade for your fair skin, remember, lighter is better. I love any rosy pink shades for this skin. I recommend MAC Cosmetics “Well Dressed” blush.
Medium Skin Tones
About 80% of all women fall into this category. The best blushes for medium skin tones are rosey pink and deep peaches. I recommend NARS ‘Orgasm’ blush.
Dark Skin Tones
For Dark Skin you want to choose colors from rose to deep oranges. Choosing a shade that is to light will make your skin appear washed out and pale. You want to enhance the natural beauty of your skin. My recommendation is Tart blush “Amused”.
Always make sure to use a light hand when applying blush and bronzer. If you feel that you need more then slowly build the color and blend it out well.
When it comes to eye shadow, what do you recommend to use to define the eye?
You can never go wrong with using warm brown or neutral shades for a natural look that defines the eyes very well. These shades look good on every skin tone without being too harsh or overpowering. For a more smokey look use a black or brown eye pencil in your water line and/or on the upper lash line. I always recommend curling the lashes and adding 2 coats of mascara to open up the eyes.
For classes such as showmanship and halter where you are up close with the judge, what do you recommend?
I like to go all out on my clients for these two classes because I believe it really makes a good bold statement in the arena. Usually I like to focus on one feature of the face whether it be eyes or lips, but for these classes I will pair a bold eye with a bold lip. When done correctly this can look very pretty and flattering on a lot of different faces.
You mentioned the importance of always incorporating mascara in your makeup routine, what are your favorite brands?
My two favorites are Giorgio Armani “Eyes To Kill Mascara” and Benefit “They’re Real Mascara”. Both formulas are extremely lengthening and add a ton of volume to the lashes. These mascaras are also waterproof formulations so they will last all day without flaking or running which is why these are staples in my makeup kit for horse shows.
Do you recommend matching your makeup with your show clothes? What are some things you suggest people do?
Their are certain colors I like to use on clients that compliment (not match) their outfits to bring their completed look together. Instead of matching the eye shadow or the lip color with the outfit, I like to use a color that will complement the outfit or the client.
For instance, if you wear a blue outfit I will normally apply some warm oranges and warm brown shades to the eyes. If you wear a tan or gold outfit then plums and purples will look beautiful with them. Black, white and tan are all colors you can pair with anything so that would be your chance to experiment with whatever you want! If you wear a red outfit, I would suggest a dark green or neutral colors. When in doubt use brown or neutrals, they always look good on any skin tone and with any outfit!
You mentioned earlier that you like to use bold lipsticks on your clients. What are some go to colors that people can use for their individual skin tones?
The right lip color can brighten your complexion no matter how tired you are feeling or looking. Choose a bold color that will brighten up the face. The bolder the better! Most women believe they cannot wear a red lip. On the contrary, you just need to find one that best compliments your skin tone. Here are some of my favorites that I recommend:
Fair Skins
When it comes to brightening fair complexions, the more of a vibrant contrast that you create between your lip color and skin tone, the more “alive” your face will appear. Blue toned pinks and orange toned corals look beautiful on this skin. My favorite red lipstick for fair skin is NARS ‘Scarlett Empress’
Medium Skins
If you have a slightly deeper or golden tan than you can go a little warmer with your lipstick shades. Instead of a blue-based tones, opt for ones with a richer berry undertone. These shades will compliment your skin and brighten your complexion so you will never look washed out. My favorite lipstick for medium skin is MAC ‘Dubonnett’
Olive Skins
You need to avoid anything with a blue undertone or anything that looks too brown on the skin. These can drain the color from your complexion. Orange or vibrant reds look amazing against olive skins. My favorite lipstick for olive skin is MAC ‘Lady Danger’
Dark Skins
If you have darker skin it is easy to find a shade that is going to brighten your skin as long as it is a bright shade. The bold pinks, reds and oranges will look great and you can even confidently wear violets and strong purple shades. My favorite lipstick for dark skin is Bite Beauty ‘Pomegranate’.
What products did you use to create Deanna’s dramatic look for her photo shoot?
For Deanna’s look I decided on something that was going to keep her looking young, fresh, and glowing. I wanted to keep all of the focus on the bold red lip which is her signature look for when she shows. I applied a good amount of individual lashes which opened up her eyes dramatically. A warm bronzer was added to the areas of her face that would naturally get hit by the sun. A rosy blush and highlighter was added to the tops of her cheekbones to get that overall ‘glowing from within’ look. Here is a break down of some of the products I used to create Deanna’s look:
Face: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, Mac Pro Longwear Concealers, Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick ‘Apricot’, Mac ‘Well Dressed’ blush, Too Faced ‘Chocolate Soleil’ Bronzer, Ardell Individual Lashes
Lips: Dior Lipliner pencil ‘Thrilling Plum’, Bite Beauty ‘Bite for VIB Rouge’, NARS Lip Pencil ‘Baroque’
Some people may not have time to do a full face of makeup before their class. What are some quick tricks and tips that can help them get a quick “show ready” look?
If you do not have much time for makeup but still want to look put together a bright and bold lipstick alone can do wonders to brighten up the face. I would also suggest a liner and lots of mascara. Mascara alone will open up the eyes and make you look awake. Another tip that is very popular is applying a nude colored eye pencil in the water line. This will also make your eyes appear bigger and more awake in comparison to the usual black or brown!
Lastly, how much makeup is too much?
I believe the number one mistake women make is not matching their skin with the correct shade of foundation. When your skin is not the correct shade, everything else is going to look off. Natural lighting is the best way to make sure everything matches because it does not lie or make things look different like fluorescent bathroom lights can do. My biggest tip is to blend. Just when you think you have blended enough, blend some more! Even if the makeup is the right shade, if it is not well blended, it will still look like too much! When it does not look natural or well blended, makeup can look too harsh and unflattering. This is the key to achieving makeup that is seamless and beautiful.
