Celeb Makeup Artist Amy Nadine Shares Her Red Carpet Tips!

From Lauren Conrad to Rachel Bilson, find out what Amy does to prep these famous faces for the red carpet!

She works regularly with Lauren Conrad, Rachel Bilson, Whitney Port and Krysten Ritter, headed up the makeup department for the upcoming BFF & Baby chick flick starring Kate Bosworth and Bilson and helps make major magazine cover girls more beautiful. Now, celebrity makeup artist Amy Nadine is sharing her tips on prepping those famous faces for the red carpet with pointers that we can all take advantage of!

What do you think we should expect from the SAG Awards red carpet makeup this weekend?
Expect a mixture of old Hollywood glamour (red lips, Mad Men-inspired hair) and a more modern take with hot pink lips or a smoky eye in bronzes and pewters. My girl clients aren't going to any of the shows this year but I'll be doing Rachel Bilson's makeup for the premiere of her new film on Tuesday so that will be fun!

Your efforts are obviously appreciated but is there anybody you work with who's really good at doing their own makeup?
Both Lauren Conrad and Rachel Bilson are incredible at doing their own makeup! I'm lucky that they seem to think it's worth having me because they certainly do an amazing job on their own.

Do you usually have a plan going in or are you creating a look on the spot?
I normally email my client and see if she's decided on a dress yet and have her send me a pic or at least describe it and the color. Then I look for inspiration on the web from fashion shows, editorial stories, etc. and print out 10 or so ideas to show her. 

How long does it take to get red carpet ready?
Anywhere from an hour to two. Normally we start with hair if it's wet, otherwise we tag team hair and makeup at the same time. Getting dressed happens last.

What type of looks work on the red carpet and what don't?
I'm not a fan of what I call the drag queen look. When someone steps on the carpet, I want people to think, "Oh my God, she looks stunning." Not, "Oh my God she has a lot going on with her makeup." You shouldn't even notice the makeup, really. So…no to long lash strips over a dark smoky eye with a bold lip. And no to heavy bronzing with a frosty pink lip.

When someone looks flawless on camera, does it look very heavy in person?
It depends. If she has happy clear skin, then we can do minimal makeup and she'll look as flawless in real life as she does on camera. Otherwise, it's a little heavier in person because the lighting is criminal.

Are there tricks to getting the makeup to stay on for hours or are you reapplying all night?
I definitely send my client off with powder and lipstick but using a primer helps keep foundation from fading, eyelid primers keep shadow in place, and staining the lips before lipstick or filling them in with a pencil helps keep color even when the lipstick has faded.

If you were to pack someone's red carpet clutch, what's the most important thing you could put in there?
Powder. Nothing's worse than a greasy face on the red carpet.