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Meghan Markle's Makeup Artist Shares the Beauty Trend Everyone Will See in 2020

Daniel Martin talks about working with Meghan Markle, Jessica Alba, Elisabeth Moss and many others. He also dishes the biggest beauty trends he foresees in 2020 and more.

By Alyssa Morin Jan 02, 2020 1:00 PMTags
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Beauty devotees, rejoice!

2020 is going to be all about embracing individuality and taking care of our skin, according to makeup artist Daniel Martin.

The celebrated professional, who famously did Meghan Markle's wedding-day makeup in May 2018 and has an A-list clientele, spoke to E! News about the beauty trends he foresees happening this year, what he's most excited to do during awards season, and the newly released product his famous friends already love.

We're talking Hollywood stars like, Jessica Alba, Elisabeth MossMichelle Yeoh, Jessica Biel and more.

In fact, some of his clients have already worn this unique product on the red carpet: Tatcha's Serum Stick.

"I honestly feel like the Serum Stick is gonna be really good," Martin told E! News during the product's launch party in Los Angeles. "It's gonna be a game-changer because not only is it reconditioning your skin but you're gonna see the benefits, it's just gonna be that one product in your bag that's gonna complement the rest of your makeup."

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The skincare item, which is touted as both a treatment and touch-up balm, is made up of 80% squalane and Japanese lemon balm. Even better? It's made without water, so there won't be any gross bacteria growing in it.

Tatcha's founder, Vicky Tsai, called it a "Chapstick for the face." Especially because it helps fight aging, soothe dryness and overtime, it's supposed to keep your makeup fresh throughout the day. 

Luckily, for us beauty lovers, Martin didn't keep all of his tips and tricks to himself. The makeup artist shared the many ways you can use Tatcha's new product, along with how he's given his celeb clients a radiant glow on the red carpet.

Which is a plus, because we plan to shine all year long!

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for FIJI Water

E!: For those who might be intimidated by the Serum Stick, what are your best tips and tricks for using it?

Daniel Martin: I would look at this as a magic wand for makeup. In a sense that you can condition the skin before makeup, you can refresh makeup with it and you can bring your makeup back to life. After hours of wear, what happens is the emollients in products dissipates, so what's left of it is either the pigment or the finish of the product. That's why we tend to get a bit cakey and crackly. This Serum Stick puts that moisture back.

E!: Have you already incorporated this product in your makeup kit and used it on your celeb clients?

DM: I was with Elisabeth Moss for the Gotham Awards... and right now, she's shooting in Hawaii so she has really dry skin. This product before makeup is her jam. She doesn't like a lot of fuss, and she can literally use one product all over her face. She loves this product. I've also used it on Jessica Biel and Chloe Flower. Kaley Cuoco also loves it. I've been able to have this for at least two months, and all my clients love it. 

E!: With this type of unique product hitting shelves in 2020, what trends do you foresee happening this year? 

DM: I think you're gonna see a lot of people experimenting with color. I feel like Euphoria set that tone. You're gonna see people really rocking that out. I think Euphoria opened that up to conversation. Like, 'Oh, I don't have to have a lot on my face to have this really funky, triangular navy blue eyeshadow.' I think people are looking at makeup now as more of an accessory and as that pop of statement. Rather than, 'I need that cut-crease, I need that overdrawn lip.'"

JONATHAN BRADY/AFP/Getty Image

E!: What trends do you see fading away in the new year?

DM: I think what you're not gonna see is that monochromatic face—that really flat and no dimension look. You're gonna really start seeing skin again. But you can have that beautiful accent of something. I think 2020 is just gonna be more about individuality. You can already tell: makeup sales are down, skincare is up. People are starting to take care of their skin now, because there's so much damage with all the makeup they wore prior.

E!: Speaking of that, you made that fresh-faced look a thing after doing Meghan Markle's wedding day makeup in 2018. Before, it was all about contouring, drawn-on brows and baking. After the royal wedding, people began to minimize their makeup. How does it feel to be part of that beauty wave?

DM: I think, if anything, it made beauty more optimistic. I feel like people got to see the person that I know. And the person that's comfortable with not a lot of stuff on her face. Someone who embraced her diversity and someone who showed her freckles. But it was that moment where you saw the individual and I feel like people woke up and realized: for me to be confident, for me to present myself to the world, you don't need all of this. That's saying, 'This is what makes you beautiful.' I'm flattered if I was part of that movement. But I think people have realized that you need to take care of your skin in order to wear that kind of makeup. Because if your skin isn't taken care of, that makeup just doesn't look like that. Period.

E!: Because skincare is so important and you work with so many celebs, what beauty tips have you learned from your clients?

DM: I've learned so much from Jessica Alba about makeup. I've also learned so much about skincare rituals from Michelle Yeoh. She's very diligent about her skincare and what she does. I've learn so much and that's what's been so much fun about my job. To make my job easier, I'm learning from my clients. Because they're wearing makeup every day, they're taking it off every day. I just come in on those occasions where I'm making everything a bit more polished. I love women that love beauty. For example, Jessica and I have this rhythm where I'll do her base, I'll do her eyeshadow, but she does this incredible trick with her lashes. She has this mascara, one end's a primer. So she blinks into the primer, which is white and dries down clear, and then she'll go in with mascara. I do this trick with the brows and the primer, where I'll take the primer and over-direct it into the brows so it lifts off the skin, so when it dries clear, it's a bit firmer. It's like when you over-direct a blow dry to get that lift. It's a nice groomed, fuller brow.

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E!: With awards season almost here, what are you most excited for?

DM: So far, I'm confirmed with Elisabeth Moss for the 2020 SAG Awards and 2020 Independent Spirit Awards. So I'm excited to work with her because she's a girl who's not fussy with her makeup. But I definitely want to experiment and push something this season. I feel like Lizzy is the best one to do that with because she has such a beautiful, fair canvas and she has such a beautiful face for makeup. So I'm interested to do something with her.

E!: Who is the one celebrity you feel always slays the game on the red carpet—both in beauty and fashion?

DM: Zendaya slays it all the f--king time. No matter what, she's gonna look incredible for fashion and beauty. Gwendoline Christie also has such a smart sensibility about her fashion choices and I feel like seeing her for the 2020 Critics' Choice is gonna be amazing. Everyone has this idea of her on Game of Thrones, but she has such great personal style that she's the one I like to watch. Jessica Biel is always good. And usually when you have those girls who always slay it with fashion, to me, makeup needs to complementary. You can't compete with it. If they're wearing this incredible statement dress, everything needs to complement that. You can't have something compete. It takes away from who they are, and you don't see them because you're picking apart everything else.

E!: While we've talked a lot about what you look forward to in 2020, what was your biggest highlight in 2019?

DM: 2019... I have to be honest, after having the opportunity to do [Meghan Markle's] wedding... that experience has opened up a lot of doors for me. And for that, I'm really grateful to her about. This might sound corny, but my recognition at the InStyle Awards was a big deal. To be recognized for something that you love has been really nice. And to have Jessica Alba present to me was really amazing. ‘Cause working with her brand, Honest Beauty, and becoming friends with her has been really amazing. If anything, I feel like the opportunities that have come for me have been because of my relationships with these women. I've just been really lucky. My artistry has made me able to work with them, but it's what comes out of that, that's been so nice.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.