Spring is officially in full swing! We reached out to celebrity makeup artist Billy Gene for the scoop on spring trends and expert tips for everyday makeup. Billie Gene has worked with celebs such as Keke Palmer, Tia Mowery, and Jennifer Hudson just to name a few. We had the chance to chat about spring trends for everyday women like you and me.
1. What are some of your favorite beauty/makeup trends for Spring 2015?
This season is all about pretty powerful pouts, think Kylie Jenner or Kerry Washington! Keeping the palette neutral and putting all the attention to mouth is the primary focus for achieving this look. Try an orangey red or fuchsia on the lips for a daring look. I also love the focus on skin this season. Using just enough foundation for coverage but still being able to see the skin through it. This gives the face a flawless finish with a healthy glow.
2. What are the 3 makeup essentials every woman should have in her purse/makeup bag?
Every woman should always have a lash defining mascara, a neutral lip-gloss, and a coverage building concealer. With these 3 things at minimum you can conquer the world.
3. Most women of color struggle with finding the perfect foundation shade for their skin complexion. What tips do you have for finding the correct color? What are some of your favorite foundations for your clients?
Foundation shopping can be extremely difficult and I didn’t realize this until a few weeks ago when I ventured out into the market to find some fresh new products. Take advice from the beauty expert but also use your own expertise. First you want to determine your skin’s undertone, look at the back of the wrist to determine if you see more golden tones or warmer tones. This will help a great deal when choosing a color. However, don’t be afraid of buying two shades, sometimes by mixing you will create your perfect shade. Also recognize that your face may also be a few different shades as most African-American women have hyperpigmentation, but have no worries just focus on matching the color that is most dominant on the face.
Some my favorite foundations include Nars Sheer Luminous Glow, Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation and Make up Forever HD Foundation.
4. Highlighting and contouring has been become very popular. What tips do you have for everyday women who want to recreate that look?
Try highlighting only 1-2 shades above your skin tone, you want to keep this looking as natural and effortless as possible. Contouring is great skill for slimming the face and adding more dimensions. When applying this look be sure to diffuse out the line so it will look soft and natural.
5.When working with celebrities like Keke Palmer, how do you ensure that the makeup look stays fresh all day long?
For makeup that will stay fresh and last all day it is very important to primp and prime. These first steps are essential to how the make-up will look on the skin and how long it will last. I’m big on eye cream before concealer; this prevents dryness underneath the eye area. If you’re going for a long wear look I strongly suggest the use of a foundation primer, which is great for hiding pores, fine lines and/or texture.
6. We’ve seen KeKe Palmer rocking a very subtle smokey eye and rosy pinks lips lately. What tips do you have for brown skin women who want to wear pink lipstick? What are some of your favorite brands of pink lipstick?
Keke love’s pink lips!!! When choosing your pink lip, remember that your lip liner is your friend and helps with balancing out the pink especially if you have fuller lips. I also suggest using a brown liner very close to skin tone if needed. Some of my favorite brands that carry pink lipsticks include Lancôme Lipstick Love It, Mac Lipgloss Ample Pink, and Nars Lipstick Catfight.
To learn more about makeup artist Billie Gene check him out on Instagram.