Cate Blanchett’s ‘Carol’ Makeup Tutorial
VIOLET GREY re-creates Cate Blanchett’s flawless beauty look from her new film, Carol.
Written By JESS BASSER SANDERS
She’s played a Virgin Queen (twice—in Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age), Bob Dylan (I’m Not There), and an Elf (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit), and won Oscars for her portrayals of Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator and a mentally unhinged socialite in Blue Jasmine. And in this fall’s Carol, the ever-luminous Cate Blanchett inhabits a 1950s New York City housewife whose refined façade belies a fraught inner life. The Todd Haynes–helmed picture, based on Patricia Highsmith’s groundbreaking novel “The Price of Salt” (among the first to portray the complexities of a same-sex relationship, it was originally published under a pseudonym), explores the frisson between Blanchett’s titular character and Rooney Mara’s young, curious department store clerk—and both the romance and the devastation that ensue.
Pivotal in establishing the film’s moody brilliance is key makeup artist Patricia Regan’s pitch-perfect ‘50s beauty, especially Carol’s meticulous face (that signature lipstick remains intact through all the tumult). And to celebrate the movie’s release, VIOLET GREY Brand Ambassador and celebrity makeup artist Kira Nasrat re-created a look from the film, channeling Carol’s upper-crust polish. The film is set at Christmastime in New York (Mara’s and Blanchett’s characters first meet during the latter’s holiday shopping rounds at a Manhattan department store), so the look is ideal for infusing a little Golden Age glamour into your holiday party attire. Here, Nasrat explains how to achieve the Blanchett effect.
THE CAROL BEAUTY TUTORIAL
BY KIRA NASRAT
THE ARTIST: Kira Nasrat | @kiranasrat
THE INSPIRATION: Cate Blanchett’s refined 1950s housewife in Todd Haynes’ Carol.
WHERE TO WEAR: A holiday party at the Rainbow Room; Thanksgiving dinner in the snow.
1 / 9
IN HER PRIME
“This is one of my favorite primers to help control oil, but it’s not only for oily skin. It’s also great for the acne-prone or sensitive-skin types. The formula glides on smoothly, stays on longer, and keeps makeup looking matte.”
LAURA MERCIER FOUNDATION PRIMER - OIL FREE
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2 / 9
FILM-STAR FINISH
“This foundation is great for any skin type, especially combination or oily. I love the subtle powdery, soft focus finish—it looks natural, it blends beautifully, and you don’t need to set it with a powder. It’s lightweight but has buildable coverage, so skin always looks flawless. Just use your fingertips to apply.”
GIORGIO ARMANI MAESTRO FOUNDATION BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15
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3 / 9
A CAROL COMPLEXION
“I love everything about this concealer—the creamy texture, the coverage, and especially the light-diffusing technology, which gives a radiant finish. It also helps that it’s buildable. Skin looks beautiful not only when being photographed, but also in person. It never lets me down and is great for those who worry about major creasing. Use your ring finger or a Beauty Blender to tap on the concealer—you don’t want to rub or pull it. It’s perfect for covering up under-eye shadows, so start from the inner corner of the eye and work out, patting gently as you go.”
NARS RADIANT CREAMY CONCEALER
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4 / 9
PEACHY KEEN
“Soft and finely milled, this blush is easy to blend and the color payoff is brilliant. It’s a warm peach that looks beautiful on almost every skin tone. Using an angled brush, like this Utowa, start at the apples of cheeks (because that’s where you blush naturally!) and follow the cheekbone up toward your ear, blending all the while.”
KEVYN AUCOIN PURE POWDER GLOW BLUSH DOLLINE
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5 / 9
PERFECT BROWS
“The combined wax-and-gel formula glides onto brow hairs, adding color and vibrance, and leaves them looking rich and full. It holds each hair in place, and I love that you can also use it for shading. Use Utowa’s eyebrow brush to fill in brows, but make sure to use it only where hairs are sparse. You want to keep them looking natural, not overdone.”
LAURA MERCIER BROW DEFINER
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6 / 9
COME-HITHER LASHES
“These lashes add lushness and enhance the shape of the eye. They’re fuller on the outer corners, making eyes look effortlessly flirty. You don’t need to apply any mascara, and the band is pretty black, so it gives the effect that you’re wearing eyeliner as well.”
VELOUR LASHES YOU COMPLETE ME MINK LASHES
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7 / 9
LUXURIOUS LIDS
“I love this formula! It goes on so smoothly and the matte finish is velvety and lightweight. You can use your fingertips to give a wash of color across the lids, or for a more intense hue go for a flat brush and layer it.”
DIOR DIOR SHOW FUSION MONO MATTE LONG-WEAR PROFESSIONAL EYESHADOW IN MIRAGE
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8 / 9
FINISHING TOUCH
“There’s so much drama in this color. It’s super rich in pigment and has a matte finish without a drying effect. I love that it contains peppermint oil to soothe the lips, and vitamin E and apricot oil to moisturize. You don’t need a lipliner because it doesn’t feather out.”
LIPSTICK QUEEN VELVET ROPE LIPSTICK IN BRAT PACK
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9 / 9
SCARLET NAILS
“Tom Ford makes beautiful, rich shades in high gloss that stay shiny throughout wear. This red complements the lipstick color without being completely matchy.”
TOM FORD NAIL LACQUER IN SCARLET CHINOIS
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Get Cate’s look from “Carol” & more at VIOLETGREY.com
