Get a clear understanding of what it means to create an editorial makeup look, and learn how to get creative with makeup.

There’s this beautiful, creative style of makeup that catches my eye every time I see it. It’s colorful, or angular, or very clean, and stylish, or anything in-between. It’s editorial makeup.

My mission is to dissect editorial makeup. Let’s find out what makes a makeup editorial, which editorial makeup artists I need to know about, and how to create my own editorial looks.

Explain Editorial Makeup

By definition, the word “editorial” refers to anything relating to print. Newspapers, magazines, even websites, and some social media can be considered editorials.

So, how does the word editorial relate to makeup?

Well, simply put, editorial makeup is makeup looks you would see in print.

You see a lot of editorial makeup in fashion photography, cd covers, magazines, beauty articles, billboards, and other entertainment arenas. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Are all images editorial?

Knowing editorial makeup is found in a magazine doesn’t really help us understand why or what makes editorial makeup different from other makeup looks.

Here are some key ideas on what makes editorial makeup…editorial.

Concepts in editorial makeup

When makeup artists are creating editorial makeup they are usually doing so from a pre-determined idea or concept.

The concept is what drives the creation of the makeup. The complete image tells a story, and every element inside that image works together.

Imagine a musician wanting to create an image of a 1950’s makeup meets steampunk in a sad, rainbow world. You would be one of the ones responsible for making this vision, or concept, come to life.

That includes hair, clothing, background, the way the model is posing, every single element is intentional. The pose of the fingers, the hat’s position, the model’s expression, they’re all that way on purpose.

Editorial images are not freeform, in-the-moment type of pictures. Unless, of course, that is the story the image wants to convey.

No, they come from a complete idea of what the image is supposed to say, what story it is intended to tell.

What is a makeup concept?

A concept is basically something that expresses a complete thought or tells a story.

Doniella Davy, the makeup artist behind the gorgeous looks in HBO’s ‘Euphoria,’ explains the concept behind some of her creations on the show.

I encourage you to read the caption to understand this particular makeup concept.

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Rue’s iridescent glitter star finale, Euphoria, Episode 8. Finally it’s story time for this look! This one tied all of Rue’s glitter tear looks together from the season. I went into this in my last post. Our director & writer @mistersamlev asked for Rue’s eyes to match her winter formal outfit, which shimmered burgundy and blue, designed by @heidibivens. I wanted to create an iridescent look that would sparkle blue/purple in some light and look more red in other light. I thought about this for a lot of the Euphoria looks. Like, how will this makeup transform in different lighting set-ups? How can I make the most out of this look but also keep it from overpowering the moment? I got to make @zendaya look a little more dolled up here, as it was supposed to be Jules who got Rue ready for winter formal, and the idea here was that Jules was making her look more feminine. Remember the shot where Rue has like 10 stars on her eyes and glitter everywhere thanks to @hunterschafer’s enthusiastic star placement and also @mistersamlev never saying “cut”!? Then we dialed it back to just one tear-drop placement star which would disappear at the right moment. Anyone notice when it disappeared!? A big concern when designing this look was keeping Rue’s drug use at the end of the episode from appearing glamorous or glorified. If you swipe, you’ll see how de-constructed her makeup became as her anxiety grew and grew. You’ll also see how different this makeup looked in different light. P.S. From what I’ve experienced and seen in my life, Euphoria illustrates drug use in a way that neither glorifies or horrifies, but rather shows everything in between, aka: the real. The intrigue of initial drug experimentation, the non-fatal but often regrettable (if also equally amusing and fun) behavior that can ensue with periodic recreational use, and the swift and unavoidable outcome of persistent drug use, that as we’re all aware can lead to worst case scenario…which leads me to wonder what Sam will write for next season! Did the worst case scenario happen to Rue!? ? // PRODUCTS will be posted in a separate post because Instagram keeps cutting me off! This app can’t handle my lengthy explan

A post shared by d o n i e l l a d a v y (@donni.davy) on Oct 16, 2019 at 12:31pm PDT

Examples of Editorial makeup

Editorial makeup can have a creative edge, or it can be natural looking. Take a look at my Pinterest board for editorial makeup examples.

What are the characteristics of an editorial makeup look?

Clean

Editorial makeup is flawless. Not a hair is out of place. The skin is made to look flawless with no blemishes. Precision is the keyword in an editorial makeup look. Everything is precise and planned.

Not Everyday

The makeup looks found in editorial makeup are not ones you’d wear to the office or out to lunch. These looks turn heads and require quite a bit of makeup to pull off. Even a “natural” look done for editorial purposes isn’t “street natural.”

Creative

Not to be confused with avant-garde makeup, editorial makeup can be very creative especially when the concept is out of the box. An editorial makeup artist has a different kind of creative freedom when creating these looks because often many people work together on one look (i.e. hairstylist, fashion designer, etc.).

From the Shoulders Up

Images depicting editorial makeup are normally taken from the shoulders up. Other editorial images may include full body shots, but if the makeup is the focus, then the picture shows it off with the position of the model, lighting, etc.

Who should I know about in the editorial makeup world?

Here are some of the renowned editorial makeup artists.

Pat McGrath

One of the most influential makeup artists of our time is Pat McGrath. I read that she’s the most requested makeup artist, so needless to say you’ve seen her work. She has created editorial makeup looks for decades, and many of the most familiar makeup trends are likely related to one or more of McGrath’s creations. She is one to study.

Charlotte Tilbury

Having worked with world-renowned photographers and supermodels, Charlotte Tilbury has a resume miles long. Her makeup has graced the covers of magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, and many more. Her style is crisp and clean, edgy and creative, and she brings out the beauty in every model. There’s much personality in her timeless, flawless looks.

Kevyn Aucoin

My personal all-time favorite editorial makeup artist, the late great Kevyn Aucoin was the first makeup artist I ever studied. His books are classic must-haves, and his legacy lives on in the makeup looks you see every day. I’d be willing to bet there isn’t a successful makeup artist who hasn’t been influenced by Kevy Aucoin at some point. I highly recommend purchasing his book Making Faces, a detailed explanation of how to transform anyone with the power of makeup.

How do I create editorial makeup looks?

In order to create your own editorial makeup looks you must follow these 5 rules:

1. Make it clean. Editorial makeup goes to print where it can be stared at and picked apart. This is not the time to let things pass. Be intentional with every element.
2. Plan it out. If you want to successfully pull off a creative editorial makeup, do yourself a favor and create a concept to plan it out. Then use a face chart to practice your plan.
3. Tell a story. The makeup should express something. Is it sadness? Excitement? Is it fear? Confidence? Think about your purpose and bring it out with color and texture.
4. Use professional editing. PhotoShop is a staple in editorial content. It’s well-known and accepted. The best use of PhotoShop is to look like you didn’t use it at all.
5. Use filters. Using a professional-grade photo filter can really take your editorial makeup images to another level. With one click your image goes from blah to perfect.

I hope this article has given you a clear understanding of what it means to create an editorial makeup look. If you have any questions or comments leave them below!