The pro’s guide to recreating Kate Bosworth’s makeup

Find out how to copy this ‘my skin but better’ look

Beauty Crew Editor / June 09 2016

There’s no denying that glowing skin is in. 

First, strobing introduced us to the wondrous results we could get with a simple highlighter applied in just the right places (note: this is not how you apply highlighter!). 

Then, celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Kate Bosworth showed us that said highlighter paired with an overall glowing complexion and the right makeup application made for the perfect low-key, yet utterly radiant, result. It was the reinvention of ‘no makeup’ makeup that we all needed. 

We spoke to Bobbi Brown International Pro Artist Amy Conway to find out exactly how you can copy Kate Bosworth’s bright, dewy, and radiant makeup without a hitch. 

Spoiler alert: the key is in your skin care, so take note!

1

Prep your skin

For the highlighted glow that Kate does so well, Conway says, It’s purely about skin care, so the key would be just keeping that hydrated finish.” After you’ve finished your skin care routine, Conway suggests mixing together a palm-sized amount of the Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil with 2-3 drops of the Bobbi Brown Extra Treatment Lotion, and applying it to your face, concentrating on the areas that are more dehydrated. 

You can find out why this combination works so well to create that glowing finish here.

Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil and Treatment Lotion

2

Opt for a sheer foundation

Step away from your high-coverage foundation for this look. “For this look, you definitely want something like tinted moisturiser and then touch-up in areas,” Conway explains. You can try a CC cream, like IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+ (which our members have been raving about), or a cushion compact foundation will do the trick. The formulations tend to be somewhere between a foundation and tinted moisturiser, and will give that radiant finish. 

Then, spot-conceal on any areas that need extra coverage.

It cosmetics your skin but better cc cream

3

Brighten your skin

Instead of reaching for your highlighter, Conway suggests a different method for illuminating certain areas – the Bobbi Brown Retouching Wand, a brightening pen that can be used to spot-highlight and add instant radiance and glow, all with a lightweight texture.

Apply the brightener “on your under-eyes, all the way through the cheek (down the sides of your nose), down the bridge of your nose, your brow bones, cupid’s bow and chin.”

Bobbi Brown Retouching Wand

4

Fluff up your brows

“Kate’s matte, fluffed-up brow is very in and it’s a great way to contrast with the wet-look skin,” says Conway. 

She suggestes brushing up all the way through your brows, adding a little bit of colour with a long-wear pencil, like L’Oréal Paris Brow Artist Designer. Then, use a matte highlight powder (as it never looks over-done or too glitzy) under your brows and take the excess powder and brush it up through your brows. 

“Brush it all the way through and keep brushing up, and what that will do is give that matte finish, but it will also take down the tone and soften it, but keep the definition you’ve created,” says Conway.

L'Oreal paris Brow Artist Designer
TOP TIP: Don’t have a matte highlighter? Try using a matte eyeshadow in ivory, light beige, or bone.

5

Create your eye look

To keep your overall look natural, Conway suggests using a soft eyeshadow that’s about two shades warmer than your skin tone, and applying it over your lids and just on your bottom lash lines in place of your bottom eyeliner to make your eyes pop. 

Keep the top line simple by lining just your top lash line. Conway recommends applying black eyeliner to the line between your lashes, and underneath (the waterline), so it’s completely covered and you don’t see any skin between your lashes. Then finish with a quick curl and a couple of coats of mascara.

6

Add your glow

The effect on the cheeks is a very sheer, almost translucent, pink, and to achieve that, Conway suggests using the Bobbi Brown Retouching Powder in Pink as it lets the skin and natural colouring show through, while brightening the complexion. 

Lightly apply the powder high on the apples of your cheeks and take the colour straight across towards your ear, instead of up. 

“Women usually start from the cheekbone and go up towards the hairline and what that will actually do is just cut the eye and make the eye look smaller, and you actually want this area to be the brightest area on the face. Going straight will help avoid any harsh lines but then you’re leaving the under eye area really bright.”

Bobbi Brown retouching powder

7

Finish with a pink lip colour

Bright pinks are always going to be very flattering. Whenever you add pink to the skin it instantly will lift your colour. A blue-y toned pink is always going to be a good, because whenever you have that blue tone, not only does it make the skin look brighter but it makes the teeth look whiter.” 

Beauty Crew recommends Rimmel London The Only 1 in You’re All Mine.

Rimmel The Only 1

Main image credit: Getty

Carli was BEAUTYcrew’s Editor from launch in 2016 until May 2020. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and previously on beautyheaven.