Inside Scoop! Dancing with the Stars Makeup Artist Reveals Backstage Beauty Secrets

Industry pro shares behind-the-scenes tips on primping celebs for competition TV show

By Jennifer Chan Mar 17, 2014 7:45 PMTags
Zendaya ColemanZena Shteysel

With the new season of Dancing with the Stars airing tonight, we're buzzing with excitement to see how all of the new contestants will perform in the spotlight.

And while we always love to size up their choreography and costumes, it's their incredible makeup by Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Zena Shteysel that intrigues us, as well.

From expertly applied eyeliner to bold bright lipstick, the beauty looks seen on screen are definitely inspiring and never cease to amaze.

We tapped the beauty guru for the scoop on what really goes on backstage.

Here's what she shared with us:

Zena Shteysel

Tell us your best-kept beauty secrets on Dancing with the Stars?
1. We apply body makeup first thing in the morning to allow the product to set so none of it comes off on the gorgeous costumes.
2. When applying glitter on the lids, we use eyelash adhesive first to prevent glitter fall out.
3. If our female talent is wearing their hair down for a dance then lip gloss is a no-no. We only use matte or long-wearing lip colors to prevent hair from getting stuck to the lips during the dance.
4. We use three to four pairs of lashes for one look.  
5. We use Z Palettes filled with the products we used to create the looks to keep on hand backstage for fast touch-ups during commercial breaks. 

Genius! And what products do you consistently use backstage? 
Stila Stay All-Day Foundations and Liquid Lipstick, Stila Waterproof Liquid Liner in Black, SouthSeasSkincare Bronzer, Z Palette Extra Large Black Palette, MAC cream blushes, L'Oreal Paris Blackest Black waterproof mascara and Ardell False Lashes.

Zena Shteysel

Who was your favorite contestant to work on? Why?
Zendaya Coleman 
was a favorite of mine to work on. She was the youngest contestant on Dancing with the Stars, however, extremely poised and mature. She is very confident and let me be creative with her makeup looks week after week. 

Tell us some fun backstage scoop? What would we be surprised to find out?
You'll rarely see a makeup artist sitting down. We are following our couples throughout the show to make sure they are perfect before and after their dance. 

What is your favorite beauty trend right now?
Metallic eyes are a big trend right now, however, we've been doing that for years on the show. I love the bright orange lip. You'll definitely be seeing that on the show this season. 

We can't wait to see more mesmerizing beauty looks this season!

Zena Shteysel
Zena Shteysel