Zendaya caused quite a stir when she debuted a pixie cut on the red carpet at last night’s BET Awards, but critics of her cropped ‘do need not worry: it was only a wig. What isn’t up for debate was her understated, perfect-for-summer beauty look, which makeup artist Allan Avendano says “was inspired by the crystal embellished, iridescent shirt dress and pixie hairstyle she chose for the red carpet.”
“We focused on soft pastel shades that complemented the jewel tones of her dress, contoured cheeks and defined brows and a muted sandy pink tone on her amazing full lips for a modern fairy princess look,” explains Avendano, adding that Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, had a lot of input in creating the look. “They definitely had a vision of the entire look so we collaborated to create the perfect beauty look to coordinate with her impeccable style.”
To create her makeup look, Avendano started with an eye primer to prevent any creasing, then applied Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow in Sweet Candy, a pink shimmer, in the center of eyelids and Purple Stilettos, a matte deep violet, on the outer corners of her eyelids to enhance Zendaya’s brown eyes. To diffuse the deep purple shade, he buffed Sweet Dreams, a blue shimmer, and added Fairy Princess, a rich plum, into the crease to give the eyes depth. Avendano then smudged a white shimmer shadow with a beige shimmer on the bottom lash line for a subtle shimmery look that opened up her eyes. To give her eyes additional definition, he used three coats of Sephora Collection Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara, brushing out the lashes after each coat so they looked full and feathery. To finish off the eyes, Individual False Lashes were applied for additional volume.
For her complexion, the Sephora Collection Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish Foundation was used in two shades to add depth and dimension. For her cheeks, Avendano used Sephora Collection Highlight Lowlight Face Contour Duo and Contouring 101 Face Palette on the hollows of the cheeks, jawline and nose to define the overall look. Her lips were kept neutral with a muted sandy pink shade to offset her shimmering eyes. Zendaya always does her own eyebrows for both the red carpet and everyday and used the Eyebrow Editor Complete Brow Kit to define and fill in her brows.
When it comes to red carpets, makeup doesn’t stop at the face. Avendano used a very sheer layer of Vita Liberata NKD SKN 1 Day Bronzing Tinted Lotion in Matte Medium to “bring out the richness of her skin and make her look sunkissed.” After it set, he used Passionflower and Argan Dry Oil with SPF 50 for a dewy, radiant finish. Avendano warns, however, that “too much glow can be overwhelming and can look greasy instead of dewy. I think people should be a bit more reserved when it comes to shimmer, even on the body. When trying to recreate Zendaya’s body glow, it’s really important to pay attention to streaks and making sure that everything is blended.”
Avendano’s tip for a perfect, streak-free faux tan? Tanning mitts, which give “self-tanner freedom from streaks and uneven color. It’s really important to make sure you use the Mitt and blend quickly.”
