Get Carmen Ejogo's Bedroom Eyes
THE BEDROOM EYES TUTORIAL
Your step-by-step guide to master actress Carmen Ejogo’s tousled hair and alluring stare.
Written By Lexy Lebsack
Photography By Guy Aroch
Makeup By Jillian Dempsey
Hair By Peter Butler
Nails By Tracey Sutter
Styled By Samantha Traina
Being photographed in lingerie requires a very specific beauty look: Soft, imperfect, and utterly sensual. When hairstylist Peter Butler and makeup artist Jillian Dempsey took note of the wardrobe selection for the first shot in VIOLET GREY’s cover shoot with actress Carmen Ejogo, they followed in kind by crafting touchable hair and enticing makeup in response. The result? Curled-then-rumpled locks and a smudged, kohl-rimmed eye that is as sexy as it is wearable, out of the bedroom, too. Their step-by-step guide to get the look at home, below.
THE BEDROOM EYES TUTORIAL
By Jillian Dempsey
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SKIN
For a radiant complexion, Dempsey applied Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation to Ejogo’s just-moisturized skin, then covered any imperfections with Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer using a small, stiff brush.
KOH GEN DO MAIFANSHI AQUA FOUNDATION 113
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CHEEKS
For a light, natural-looking flush, Dempsey dabbed and blended Kevyn Aucoin’s The Creamy Glow Blush in Tresbelle onto Ejogo’s cheeks. To add definition Dempsey dusted Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder under the actress’ cheekbones, along her hairline, and under her jawline.
KEVYN AUCOIN THE SCULPTING POWDER MEDIUM
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EYES
The trick to Ejogo’s sultry, smudgy eye? Dempsey used a heavy hand and Kohl Eyeliner in Jet Black from her namesake collection along Ejogo’s top lashline, using a classic shadow brush to immediately blend the color up and over the lid (don’t let it set), creating a sultry wash of smudged pigment. She then traced the pencil along the bottom lashline, quickly smudging it with a smaller, stiff brush. A sheer wash of the silvery hue from Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow in 1 Maestro over the actresses lid gave he lids a subtle, metallic sheen. (Violet says: arm yourself with Utowa’s Regular Eye Shadow Brush 10 and Pointed Eyeshadow brush 7P to accomplish this look.)
GIORGIO ARMANI EYES TO KILL EYESHADOW PALETTE 1 MAESTRO
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LASHES
A coat of Charlotte Tilbury’s Full Fat Mascara in Glossy Black defined the top and bottom lashes, then Dempsey applied individual false lashes, Cluster-Holic Mink Lashes by Velour, placed throughout the top lashline to add fullness. Dip each lash into Duo’s Eyelash Adhesive with a pair of tweezers,wait for 5 to 10 seconds to allow the glue to become slightly tacky, then press into the lashline.
VELOUR LASHES CLUSTER-HOLIC MINK LASHES
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LIPS
The focus of this look should be on the eyes, so keep the lips very minimal, Dempsey says. For Ejogo, this called for a mixture of hues from M.A.C. Pro Lip Palette in Modern Browns lightly dabbed onto her pout.
M·A·C PRO LIP PALETTE MODERN BROWNS
THE BEDROOM HAIR TUTORIAL
By Peter Butler
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PREP
Carmen arrived on set with clean, dry hair so Butler gave the actress’ locks a dose of texture and grit (necessities for holding a lived-in style) by spraying dry shampoo through sections of her hair, from roots to ends. This trick also gives roots ample volume.
SERGE NORMANT META REVIVE DRY SHAMPOO
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CURL
Next, Butler set Ejogo’s hair in large pin curls. His trick? Spray a two-inch section of hair with Phytolaque Soie Hairspray, allow it to dry, then curl that section with a 1.75-inch iron. (Violet says try the T3 Bodywaver Styling Iron.) Pin the curl against the scalp to cool before moving onto the next section. (Violet says Y.S. Park’s Pro Clips are perfect for this.) Direct the hair on the top of the head away from the face and the rest of the sections under for volume. Allow the pin curls to set for a minimum of 15 minutes.
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FINISH
Release the pins and run your fingers through the hair to break up the curl pattern, Butler instructs. He then smoothed Ejogo’s hair into place and blasted it with Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray. This gives the hair texture and brilliance, but doesn’t dry it out [the hair], Butler says.
ORIBE APRÈS BEACH WAVE AND SHINE SPRAY
See the complete Bedroom Eyes Tutorial and more from the Carmen Ejogo cover story at VIOLETGREY.com.
