Makeup Artist Gina Brooke Shares Madonna's Beauty Secrets

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December 29, 2011 by Makeup Artist

When you're working on the Material Girl, your skills better be up to par. No one knows that better than makeup artist Gina Brooke, who collaborated with Madonna on the makeup looks for three of her worldwide concert tours

Madonna.

And it was a makeup emergency on stage that sent Brooke running to the cosmetic aisles in search of a solution.

"I never used primer until I worked on tour with Madonna. She would dance and sing for two and a half hours straight on stage, and her makeup would totally meltdown. I went crazy looking for a primer, and that's how I stumbled across Hourglass's Mineral Primer Base," Brooke tells StyleList.

The oil-free base contains SPF 15 protection, and absorbs oil as it reflects light for a soft-focus finish. It contains no parabens, sulfates or phthalates, and is completely fragrance-free.

Brooke was so impressed with her new makeup kit must-have that she recently became the new artistic director of the Sephora-sold brand. Previously, Brooke had spent five years working with Shu Uemura, and is credited for transitioning the company into a cult-lash brand by creating the lash bar concept.

Unlike other celebrity makeup artists, Brooke doesn't use deep colors to contour cheekbones and jawlines, instead preferring to highlight with light instead.

"When you use light instead of darkness, it softens the whole face and creates the illusion of a fresher, younger-looking appearance. Artists always tell me they want to look like they've been sleeping for days, and using light gives you that glow," says Brooke.

Makeup Artist Gina Brooke Shares Madonna's Beauty Secrets

To capture the bright look preferred by Madonna, Brooke says to skip pink tones and instead use a yellow-based highlighter to counteract any redness in the skin. Sweep it across the arch of the brow and down to the apples of the cheek, finishing with a swipe down the bridge of the nose and jawline.

"When light reflects off your face, you'll create the illusion of a bone structure that pops, which looks young," says Brooke.

For high-demanding clients who need to look flawless for performances and appearances, Brooke first treats their skin for thirty minutes with an Intraceuticals Rejuvenate serum, which she infuses onto the skin using oxygen under pressure.

Now that's some high-tech skincare!

The serum contains pure oxygen, green tea extract, aloe vera, and vitamins A, C and E plus hyaluronic hydration for a boost to skin that improves collagen and elastin production.

"It hydrates and heals the skin instantly," says Brooke.

Makeup-wise, Brooke always opts for creamy matte lipstick finishes on Madonna, so that the songstress can cycle through songs for hours without a touch-up.

Plus, that leaves the material mom more time to design clothes.

source: stylelist.com

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