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The much-anticipated season four of Emily in Paris just dropped, and along with Emily’s adorable fashion sense, I haven’t been able to stop admiring the makeup looks on the show. In preparation for the premiere, I spoke with the show’s head makeup artist, Aurélie Payen, to learn about the inspiration behind the looks and the exact products she used on set.
“Emily in Paris is the type of show where you have to show new trends and new ways of thinking about makeup,” Payen detailed over Zoom. “It’s always a process thinking about what color would go best for this season, what shape of the eyeliner, what kid of lips. We evolve the character to go with the trends.”
This season, you’ll find that the beauty melds both American and French culture resulting in lots of color, glowing skin and lethal winged eyeliner. “Lily Collins‘ character started in season one with a very American vibe,” says Payen. “She has really grown into the French culture as time has gone on and I wanted to blend both the American and French cultures into her makeup looks — taking the best of both cultures. So for example, we have this clean, fresh glowy skin. I know in the US it’s a little bit heavy with more contour and everything, but in France it’s more like light makeup/no makeup. So I took that from French [trends]. In France we also love red lips but the US likes more colorful lips, so I created very bold matte lips in red or pink or even black. All of the colors!”
Keep reading to discover the exact products she used to make the cast so glam. You can buy a majority on Amazon so you can start recreating your favorite looks from the season in about two days!
Payen is a firm believer that skin prep is at the heart of a good makeup look — especially since glowing skin is a major trend in France. Before she starts to layer any products on, she washes the actors’ faces with Foreo’s cult-favorite cleansing device. The gentle vibrating bristles dislodge any makeup, dirt and sweat lodged in pores and gives you a relaxing facial massage in the process. “This is life-changing,” she says. “When you wash your face with this it gives you really fresh, smooth skin, which is really the best. After I use this skin is really ready for makeup.”
If anyone needs some extra lift, Payen says this handy device produces a “young effect.” The Bear sends mini shocks through facial muscles to lift and tone features, almost like a workout for your face. P.S., This may or may not be the secret behind Collins’ youthful appearance. (Can you believe she’s 35? We can’t!)
Red light masks are the beauty tech device of the moment, and Payen believes the hype. Her top pick that she used on set was this new design from Foreo. “The different lights allow you to address different problems you may have on your skin,” she explains. “Before I apply makeup the actors wear the red light to give them a more glowy complexion.” What sets this mask apart from others is its wide array of colored light options, which has been a blessing for Payen to address multiple skin concerns while filming.
“We’ve shot in Rome where it’s very sunny and hot, and having this little guy was very helpful because if you have a sunburn you can use the yellow light [to diminish it.] If one of the actors had hyperpigmentation the green light helped. I’d also use blue if anyone was dealing with blemishes.”
The skincare products Payen used varied from actor to actor (everyone has a different skin type!) However, one item that remained consistent was this luxe face cream. “I always have this in my kit. It’s a beautiful vegan brand made from up-cycled grapes,” she explains. The lightweight anti-aging cream deeply moisturizes skin and works to even out fine lines and wrinkles over time courtesy of resveratrol, a natural anti-aging ingredient found in the skin of grapes.
The reason Emily has the sharpest winged eyeliner on the show is because of this eyeliner developed by makeup artist Lisa Eldridge. “As a woman and a fellow makeup artist I love to lift up my peers in the industry by using their products,” says Payen. Out of Eldridge’s entire line, this is the product Payen loves the most for because of its inky black hue, precise application and ease of use.
The cast’s eye looks sparkled brighter than the Eiffel Tower thanks to this luxe eyeshadow. “All of the brand’s eye palettes are very beautiful,” says Payen. Available in eight complementary color ways, you can find a velvety combination that brings out the sparkle in your eyes.
Believe it or not, skin prep extends to the lips! Before Payen applies lipstick on anyone, she swipes on this trusty drugstore favorite. “It’s tiny, but I think it works the best for making a smooth canvas,” she jokes. Try using the ultra-conditioning iteration when you’re struggling with dry cracked lips — it will return them to baby-soft standards within a week.
All of those bright, bold lip looks from season four? Most of them are courtesy of this Makeup by Mario lipstick. “I love it, I love it,” raves Payen. “Again, a makeup artist created this brand, so I’m very happy to work with this product.” Unlike many matte lipsticks, this one doesn’t dry out lips, but rather stays comfortable and vibrant through long days.
