Search Results: Audrey Noble
As an avid eyeliner lover for most of my life, incorporating my trusty waterproof liner in my makeup routine is a non-negotiable. From a short-lived emo phase to finally perfecting the classic cat-eye, I’ve done it all—or at least I thought I have. While getting my makeup done before a dinner, the makeup artist worked her magic on me and asked if I wanted to tightline my eyes. When I asked her what tightlining was, she just smiled and told me to watch. The rest was history.
What is tightlining and how can you do it on your own? See what this genius makeup technique entails, below, straight from the experts.
What Is Tightlining?
According to celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty, tightlining is the makeup technique of creating the “invisible liner effect.” You fill the space on the top waterline to make the lash line appear to have no blank spaces, thus making your lashes look fuller and darker. “It’s a great way to incorporate liner in a foolproof, non-intimidating way,” Bhatty says.
Tightlining comes with other benefits too. Celebrity makeup artist Dani Parkes says that you’ll bring out the color in your eye, make liner look more seamless, and give you the appearance of a lash tint when apply this technique to your overall makeup look.
How to Tightline the Eyes
There are a couple of ways to do this. Bhatty likes to use a gel liner and a thin angled liner brush to line the top waterline. She says to dip the brush into the liner, but be careful not to coat the brush all the way to the base. (Get excess product off onto a palette or the back of your hand, she says). Then you’ll press brush onto the top waterline until you get your desired effect.
“It should blend seamlessly and make it look like there is no blank space between your lashes and the lash line,” she adds. “If there is any transfer to your bottom waterline, feel free to remove with a q-tip and eye makeup remover.”
Parkes likes to use a waterproof eyeliner pencil for its longevity. She says to lift your lid with one hand and while you look down, draw in the top lash line (the same way you would draw on the bottom). She adds that she likes to draw liner and press it into the inner corner for that “feline look” without being too overt.
You can use any color you’d like to tightline your eyes. Bhatty likes to reach for black to match the color of most lashes and mascaras; she says it’s the best option to get that invisible liner effect. She says that she likes to use something like the Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Gel Liner or the MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Fluidline Eyeliner in Black Track. She also likes Chanel Calligraphie de Chanel with the Chanel Angled Liner Brush.
Parkes loves to use brown. “Brown is my favorite color and brings out eye colors such as green and blue,” she says. “It also makes your eyes look more sultry. I think it’s really cool [to wear] no mascara but tightline my eyes with a brown liner.” Her go-to is the Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro in Perfect Brown, but also likes the Revlon Pencil Eyeliner as they will last all day and come in great colors.
So if this has piqued your interest, give it a try. Chances are high you won’t regret picking up this eyeliner technique. “It’s a beautiful way to make your eyes pop without using a lot of product or skill,” says Bhatty. “It’s really a wonderful way to elevate any makeup look.”
With #beautytok, there’s never any shortage of viral hacks and products to pique our interest. But a particular trend that has flooded everyone’s FYPs has less to do with what moisturizer or blush and more to do with our overall well being. We’re talking about cortisol.
A quick search on TikTok shows that the hashtag #costisol has over one hundred thousand posts, with many people pointing to this hormone for the cause of unexplained weight gain, brain fog, and other health problems. The current fascination with cortisol and why it’s quickly becoming the wellness buzzword of the moment can be explained quite simply: we’re all stressed and will dive in head first to any hack that will help chill us out.
“Our lives are stressful for many reasons and people are searching for ways to manage that stress and improve their health and lives. Cortisol may be a factor for some in the pursuit,” says Samantha Dieras, DCN, RD, registered dietitian and director of ambulatory nutrition services at Mount Sinai Hospital. “Engaging in healthy eating, regular exercise, quality sleep, and mindfulness practices to support stress management will have an overall positive impact on the health and wellness of many.”
“Chronic stress is now being linked to many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatigue, prediabetes (preDM) and diabetes (DM),” adds Elizabeth Sharp, MD, IFMCP, board-certified medicine physician and founder of Health Meets Wellness. “I emphasize prevention with my patients, intervening early to reduce stress levels before they lead to chronic diseases can make a significant difference in overall health.”
So what exactly is cortisol? And how much should we really care about it? Dieras and Dr. Sharp break down everything we need to know. See what they say below.
What is cortisol?
According to Dr. Sharp, cortisol is a hormone that is released by our adrenal glands as a response to stress. Also known as the “flight or fight” stress hormone, it is naturally produced and plays a vital role in helping the body manage situations under duress. “I would say it is the stress hormone,” she says.
What does cortisol do for the body?
Cortisol does a lot for the body. Dieras says that it is involved in a wide range of biological and psychological processes, such as how our body responds to stress, our metabolism, our inflammation, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, and maintaining your sleep-wake cycle. “Maintaining normal cortisol levels are necessary to maintain bodily functions,” she says. “Elevated or depressed levels can negatively affect overall health.”
Causes of high cortisol levels
Many things can cause your cortisol levels to spike. Dr. Sharp lists chronic and acute stress, obesity, insomnia, steroids, and adrenal conditions (such as pheochromocytoma, cushing’s disease, and pituitary disease). Dieras adds that cortisol levels are impacted by the time of day, with a rise in the morning and dip in the afternoon. While that fluctuation is to be expected, she says that prolonged and consistent high cortisol levels can lead to negative health outcomes such as cushing syndrome.
Symptoms of high cortisol levels
How can you tell if your cortisol levels are too high? There are a couple of things to keep track of. Dr. Sharp lists anxiety, delayed wound healing, irritability, thinning of the skin, and increased hunger as some of the symptoms you might experience. But she also says that it’s first important to note that the symptoms will differ between acutely elevated cortisol levels and chronically elevated levels. Acute elevated cortisol levels, she says, will actually increase your energy levels. Chronically elevated cortisol happens under chronic stress and you’ll most likely experience symptoms of fatigue.
Dieras adds that you’ll most likely experience weight gain, muscle weakness, and high blood pressure and blood sugar. For women specifically, she says they might notice excessive hair growth. Additional symptoms can include acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
But both experts discourage self diagnosis. While it’s helpful to keep note of these symptoms, you’ll still want a professional opinion. “See a doctor whenever elevated cortisol levels are detected, so a thorough examination can be conducted to identify and address the underlying cause,” says Dr. Sharp.
“Without consultation from a physician and laboratory results it’s difficult to say that your symptoms are related to elevated cortisol levels,” agrees Dieras. “While dysregulated cortisol may be contributing to these symptoms, there can be additional factors within your life that are contributing to the negative symptoms being experienced that should be addressed.”
How to lower high cortisol levels
There are several ways to get your cortisol levels back to a normal level. The first and most obvious way is to manage stress. Though this is easier said than done, Dr. Sharp recommends engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise and getting adequate amounts of sleep whenever possible can help a lot.
Dieras adds that eating a balanced diet and limiting caffeine can also help. She says that foods high in magnesium, omega-3, and vitamin D have been known to lower cortisol levels. Though research is limited, there are small studies that show that herbs and natural supplements such as ashwagandha can also help reduce stress. But she says it’s important to note that supplements are not highly regulated and if you are interested in taking them, choose ones with third party testing that validate the ingredients. And as always, consult a doctor just to be extra safe.
Sofie Pavitt knows what we’re all thinking: the world doesn’t need more beauty products. But even with product launch fatigue, the cool kids know to make an exception for the renowned esthetician simply because, in true New York fashion, IYKYK.
“No one has any business launching a beauty line in this day and age—I’m very aware of that. [But] I want to draw a line in the sand and say that we’re an acne brand,” Pavitt tells Beautycon over Zoom. “I don’t think people have the guts to do that a lot of the time. They want to do a bit of everything: they want to do a hydration line, they want to do an anti-aging line, they want to do a problematic skin line, etc.,” she says. But Pavitt doesn’t want those with acne-prone skin to feel like an afterthought anymore. “We’re going to take care of you and we’re going to clear it up for you,” the esthetician says.
And speaking of clearing things up, her newest product, Reset Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Treatment Mask, launching today, will do just that. “I love using Benzoyl Peroxide products with my acne clients at my skincare studio,” she shares in the press release. “I love it in this short contact application that minimizes the risk of irritation,” Pavitt continues about the product that can be used twice daily. Not only is it sensitive skin-friendly, it’s also jam-packed with oil absorbing kaolin clay, hydrating pantheon, niacinamide for maximum suppleness, and exfoliating glycolic acid.
Leading up to this moment, Pavitt has amassed a cult following of devoted skincare enthusiasts who want a no-frills approach to tackling their acne. But her beauty origin story actually started when she was a designer at Michael Kors, where she found herself traveling to Seoul every 12 weeks. She quickly fell in love with K-beauty’s innovation in the skincare space and decided to go back to school and train to become an esthetician.
Her effective techniques and singular focus on this one skin concern earned her the trust of skeptical insiders and A-list celebrities (she counts “It” girls like Zendaya and Lorde as clients), with long waitlists just to book a consultation at her Chinatown studio. Naturally, the high demand is what inspired the launch of her very own brand, Sofie Pavitt Face.
“When I started online consults, I noticed that there weren’t any really beautiful acne products in the world; they were all drugstore [products],” she says. “My clients– who were quite discerning and liked to shop in Sephora, Bergdorf, Violet Grey, and all the fancy places– were all asking for problematic skin products. So, that really got me thinking about my own product line.”
Her eponymous line currently consists of four products: the Mandelic Clearing Serum, the Clean Clean Cleanser, the Nice Ice Toner Pads, and the newly launched Micellar Cleansing Pads. Each product sticks to her ethos of being acne-focused, separating it from the many that try to be a catch all for every skin concern possible. Plus, they work—and they work damn well.
And just like her treatments and products, Pavitt’s insights on skincare are fun and straightforward. With acne? Do your research on what type of esthetician you need to see and use her ingredient checker to see which ingredients will clog pores. TikTok trends? There’s a lot of B.S. and she confirms that rubbing a raw potato on breakouts won’t cure acne and beef tallow as moisturizer will clog your pores. A hot take? She hates oils and balms for acne-prone skin.
She praises skincare brands, such as Dieux, for their transparency with consumers when it comes to manufacturing processes and commitments to sustainability practices. (“[Its] products are also really cool,” she adds). She’s a huge fan of Soft Services and Experiment and is even a fan of a celebrity beauty brand. “I think Rhode is actually a really fun brand,” she says. “I think Hailey [Bieber] really did something new and everyone loves her. The lip tints are really fun.”
As for the best beauty advice she’s ever received and wants to pass onto others? She says to follow these three tried and true skin commandments: always wash off your makeup, always wear sunscreen, and don’t eat too much sugar. “It will give you wrinkles,” she says.
From Lupita Nyong’o award ceremony beats, to your favorite editorial shoots (for those of us who still get a high from picking up a physical magazine), it’s likely that that look was created by one of the top Asian makeup artists in the game.
To celebrate their artistry for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and beyond, we’ve rounded up the Asian makeup artists that have created some of those beloved makeup looks. Below are 11 game-changing Asian makeup artists that you should be following for any and all beauty inspo needs.
Scroll through and celebrate these trailblazers, as they deserve to be.
Daniel Martin
An OG in the beauty space, celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin has already established himself on the pantheon of greats in the beauty industry. Martin has worked on everyone from A-list celebs such as Rachel McAdams, Michelle Yeoh, and even Meghan Markle’s classic glam wedding look. But his work doesn’t stop there; he also serves as the director of artistry and education for skincare brand Tatcha.
Gabbi Pascua
Two-time Emmy Award winner and celebrity makeup artist Gabbi Pasua has pretty much done it all. From working on set on CBS’s The Talk to numerous editorial shoots for Elle, Vogue, and more, Pasua is known for her love of working with natural makeup products to create some of our favorite glam looks. But she’s definitely a beauty chameleon: she’s also a founder of her own media company, ASOB Media, a trained esthetician, and a beauty contributor for Vogue Philippines.
Nick Barose
In Lupita Nyong’o’s makeup artist we trust. Celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose has been working with the Academy Award winner for years and has a storied career that makes him one of the top authorities in the biz. He’s studied under makeup legend Kevyn Aucoin and counts on many stars as regular clientele, such as Lily Gladstone and Tracee Ellis Ross. Turn to him for classic Hollywood looks for times you want to look extra glam.
Allan Avendano
Inspired by vintage makeup looks (think 1970s disco or 1940s retro), celebrity makeup artist Allan Avendano creates some of the most fun, nostalgic looks on the red carpet. Avendano counts Rachel Zegler, Joey King, and Lana Condor as regular clients and is currently a L’Oreal makeup artist.
Kirin Bhatty
Celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty is trusted by all the cool girls when they need to hit the red carpet. Bhatty– who learned to master her crafter under makeup icon Lori Taylor Davis– has worked with the likes of Jenny Slate, Kate Upton, Tessa Thompson, and more. She is known for her playful glam that accentuates natural features with a splash of fun colors.
Grace Ahn
Bold, playful, and all-around exciting, celebrity makeup artist Grace Ahn is the queen of editorial shoots. After a quick scroll through some of her most recent work on social, it’s clear that Ahn loves to play with bright colors and interesting finishes. Turn to her whenever you’re feeling bored and need a spark of makeup inspo.
Nina Park
To say Nina Park’s resumé is impressive would be an understatement. The go-to makeup artist for A-list stars such as Zoe Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Brie Larson, and more, Park studied under makeup legends Diane Kendal and Peter Philips. She is known for her simple, elegant looks and currently serves as a Chanel artist.
Patrick Ta
Name a supermodel you love (think: Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls and Jasmine Tookes ), and chances are Patrick Ta has worked his magic on their most iconic makeup looks. Ta quickly became the go-to MUA for today’s “it” girls. He launched his eponymous makeup line to give beauty lovers rich pinks and neutral tones, some with the prettiest shimmers, for all their glam looks.
Hung Vanngo
Selena Gomez’s go-to makeup artist, Hung Vanngo is all about Old Hollywood glam. A quick scroll on his IG page alone serves as countless inspo for what shade of crimson you should be opting for when you want to wear a classic red lip or learn how to wear a sultry smokey eye.
Nam Vo
You can’t think of dewy, ethereal glow without thinking of Nam Vo. Creator of the “dewy dumpling,” Vo has become synonymous with radiant glassy skin. Come to her page to learn how to harness the power of a good highlighter and stay for the invaluable skincare tips.
Emily Cheng
Emily Cheng is the go-to artist for some of our favorite A-Listers: Simone Ashley, Billie Eilish, and Sofia Richie included. Known for her subtle glam looks on the red carpet, Cheng usually opts for soft pink blushes to accentuate the cheekbone and neutral lips and eyes to highlight her subject’s natural features.
