How to Get the Supernatural Skin of a Nina Ricci Girl: A Backstage Cheat Sheet Inline

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    Photo: Courtesy of skinstore.com
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    Before starting with makeup, de Mey preps the skin with hydration. “I use a very light moisturizer all over the face. In France, I love the La Roche-Posay moisturizers, they’re probably my favorite. They’re very gentle and calming. When I need something a little heavier, Weleda Skin Food is very rich.”

    La Roche Posay Toleraine Ultra, $37; skinstore.com

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    Photo: Courtesy of Sephora
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    Once the hydration is absorbed, it’s time to cover redness and dark shadows on the face. “I prefer not to use foundation,” says de Mey, who puts “concealer around the edges of the nose and on any spots using a very fine brush instead, which takes more time, but it’s worth it.” For covering darkness under the eyes he uses Givenchy Mister Light or YSL Touche Éclat “because they’re creamy and very light-reflecting without being too heavy.”

    Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen, $35; sephora.com

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    Photo: Courtesy of Benefit
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    Creating a few strategic points of light on the face with a highlighting cream—at the inner corners of the eyes, down the bridge of the nose, high on the cheekbones—quietly brightens everything. “It’s almost like the actresses of the forties or sixties,” he says of the soft-focus, natural look. To create a subtle contrast elsewhere, he powders the nose, skipping most other areas and is careful to allow “the roses of the cheeks to show through.”

    Benefit Watt’s Up! Soft Focus Highlighter For Face, $30; benefitcosmetics.com

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    Photo: Courtesy of MAC
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    A soft sheen on the center of the eyelids “brings a dewiness to the skin,” says De Mey of using a clear, high-shine dab of MAC Gloss Crème Brillance. “It’s very much like oil-on-water,” he says of the effect, which is much like “contouring the face without color.” To camouflage redness, he also traces a rimming of cream-colored eyeliner along the inner rims.

    MAC Gloss Crème Brilliance; MAC Pro, NYC, 212-229-4830

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    Photo: Courtesy of Barneys New York
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    Lashes should be defined in the most subtle way possible. De Mey curls them before applying mascara with a fan brush: “It’s easier that way to apply the color much heavier at the roots and flick it up. That way you can get away with three or four coats and build the intensity without looking like you’ve got a lot of makeup on.”

    Claudio Riaz Lash Touch Brush, $65; barneys.com