How to Do Mary Phillips' Viral Underpainting Makeup Technique
BY JENNY JUNG
Get Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenners’ perfect complexion.
24 JAN - 2023
Whatever Mary Phillip says, goes.
Mary Phillips is the cutting edge MUA for icons such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, and more. Today, I’ll be breaking down her effortless base routine that makes contouring as simple as ABC.
Although she’s had decades of experience, her techniques are approachable, efficient and straightforward. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
@maryphillips for @haileybieber
@maryphillips
Step One: Contour Under Foundation
Put down your foundation and grab your contour stick instead. Specifically speaking, the Westman Atelier Contour Stick in Biscuit. If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll know that this product is an absolute favourite. Buttery, blendable and smooth - we aren’t surprised that Mary Phillips is also a fan! If you have a deeper skin tone, try out the shade Truffle or Ganache.
Contouring as the number one step assures that it will be completely blended when it peeks through the rest of your base routine. Mary Phillips uses brushes by Shu Uemura and M.A.C to buff Biscuit into the forehead, temples, cheekbones and jawline. Simply put, draw your contour into the shape of a ‘3’ in order to catch those areas. Additionally, Phillips uses a smaller brush to contour her nose.
Feel free to be a little more heavy handed than usual with your contour. It will all make sense in the next steps.
If you’re looking for a contour stick that’s on the budget friendly side, I would recommend the MECCAMAX Off Duty Contour Sticks!
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick, Biscuit, $81 NZD.
Step Two: Concealer
Using a creamy concealer, apply underneath the eyes, centre of your forehead and anywhere else that you did not contour. This includes between the nose bridge, beneath the cheek bones, above the lip and on the chin.
The essential thing is to use a shade that is only one to two shades lighter than your usual skin tone. This will make the base routine a lot easier to blend into your natural skin tone.
Here, Phillips uses the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in the shade Creme Brulee with a concealer brush and Beauty Blender. Even though she has used a lot of tools, you can absolutely get away with using one brush per step along with a Beauty Blender to get a seamless finish.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, $52 NZD.
Step Three: Lightweight Foundation
It’s time to bring the concealer and contour together. Use an extremely small amount of a lightweight foundation on a fluffy or duo-fibre foundation brush to blend all the edges. Base makeup the Mary Phillips way means less product buildup, zero cake and ultimate finesse!
If you want to know what Phillips uses, head to your nearest Chanel retailer and check out the Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation. This is one of the longest standing foundation favourites in the industry due to its fluidity, dewy finish and smooth application.
Chanel Vital Lumiere Foundation, $98 NZD.
Step Four: Sweeping Blush
In an era of bright cheeks, Phillips finishes her routine by filling in the space between the contour and concealer with a big dose of blush. However, if you prefer a more subdued amount of colour, I suggest using this step in second place!
Phillips uses the Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Colour Blush Stick in the shade Sunkissed. By using a matte formula for this step, you can help blur and disguise the look of pores or texture which is quite common in the cheek area- absolutely genius! In order to achieve a truly sunkissed look to your skin, apply this product to the forehead, too.
@kendalljenner by @maryphillips
Step Five: A Pop of Blush
Finally, she tops off her cheeks with a brighter pink-toned blush - also in a cream formula. This is absolutely essential for a tonally rounded finish that looks professional and completed. For this step, Phillips uses the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Petal.
Lightly feather a brighter pop of colour into the centre of your initial base layer. If you have a deeper complexion, the shade Popette would make a great alternative that will give you the same results.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick, Petal, $81 NZD.
To Powder, or Not to Powder?
Although Phillips doesn’t show herself using powder, I would suggest finishing your base routine with a light dusting of powder. This will make sure that your makeup will last throughout the day and remove any stickiness from all the creams and liquids. This is especially important for those who have normal to oily skin who may need a little extra insurance.
In order to keep with the tone of this dewy supermodel-esque look, may I suggest the NARS Crystal Loose Translucent Powder? It has an impossibly fine formula that is barely detectable on the skin. It is an incredible powder that won’t erase the dew, but enforces your base routine nonetheless.
@NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder, $66 NZD.
RELATED STORIES
GIVEAWAY
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to Chatty Chum's mailing list to receive the latest in beauty and lifestyle news, giveaways and the launch of our Editor's Collection boxes.