Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Brandy celebrated her birthday last week, and the 40-year-old singer still looks like she could steal your man à la “The Boy Is Mine.” I joke, I joke, but in all seriousness, the vocalist looked drop-dead gorgeous in some glam photos she shared to her Instagram Monday night. Her photographer and makeup artist, Renny Vasquez, expressed his disbelief at having beat the face of Brandy Norwood, whom he calls his “muse.”
The look was a glamorous brown smoky eye paired with ultra-nude, glossy lips. Brandy’s brows were snatched to perfection, and guessing from Renny’s typical work, I’m willing to bet he used a powder to create her defined shape. Try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo ($23.00, sephora.com). The duos come in a variety of shades, but select one where the darker color is a bit lighter than your natural hair color. As we can see from the photos, Renny contrasted Brandy’s jet black locks with a brown brow to keep the definition prominent but soft.
The next thing I notice is that snatched nose contour. Use the Black Up Cosmetics Contouring Powder ($45.00, blackupcosmetics.com) to lightly define the bridge of the nose. Be careful not to just create two stripes down the center of your face. A good nose contour diffuses up into the crease of the eye for a seamless shadow transition.
Let’s talk about those eyes. I love the bronzy feel that Renny gave Brandy’s smoky eye. The Urban Decay Naked2 Palette ($54.00, ulta.com) would be the perfect pick to recreate this look. Swipe a bronzy shade like “Snakebite” across the entire mobile lid. Pop a little bit of the gold shimmer “Half Baked” over top for an extra bit of warmth. Then smoke out the crease and lower lash line with “Busted” or “Blackout.” Add a pair of fluttery lashes and you’re done!
Finally, my favorite part of the entire look is the bold nude lip. Yes, nude lips can be bold when you dare to rock a shade that’s on the paler side. I know as women of color, we typically want to be wary of wearing a nude shade that’s too light for fear of looking dead or ashy. When paired with a nice brown liner and a coat of gloss, however, a beige-nude lip screams expensive and red carpet. To get Brandy’s look, try “Café Au Lait” or “Baby Bellini” from The Lip Bar ($12.00, thelipbar.com). The Lip Bar’s new nude collection also offers a ton of other shade and finish options if the beige look just isn’t for you. Another great alternative is MAC Cosmetics Satin Lipstick in “Peachstock” ($18.50, maccosmetics.com).
How are you feeling Brandy’s birthday look? Would you recreate this look? Let us know!
