bridgerton makeup: There are few things on TV as visually captivating as Bridgerton – be it the dazzling gowns, the lavish interiors, or the radiant make up. Lily Worcester talks to Season 2’s award-winning make up artist Erika Ökvist on how to get the Bridgerton look.
Stay with this section of makeup and beauty in the health and beauty section of Eternal Pen magazine.
bridgerton makeup:
As Bridgerton returns, fans have been swooning not only over the gripping plot lines, but the stunning sets, glorious costumes are period-drama worthy beauty. But how do the looks of Kate Sharma, the Duchess of Hastings, Queen Charlotte et al come to life on screen? Acclaimed make up artist Erika Ökvist tells all.
What make up was used on set?
Ökvist reveals that she used Pat McGrath Labs, the eponymous make up brand of Dame Pat McGrath, throughout the series. ‘The most important thing is to make sure we’ve got a really glowing, natural base,’ she tells Tatler, ‘and the queen of that, obviously, is Pat McGrath.’
How did you achieve that Bridgerton glow?
‘The Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo was our staple to create that lit-from-within glow,’ explains Ökvist. ‘For the women, we mixed shades Nude and Golden, then applied with fingers where the light hits the face, including the high planes of the cheekbones. We then blended it upwards around the arch of the brow bone for a natural-looking glow.’ Ökvist reveals that she also used the balm side of the product on the men, ‘focusing on the jawline to create a chiselled, sculpted effect.’
What was your brief before starting on Bridgerton?
‘If you can be glamorous, be more glamorous and if you can be beautiful, be more beautiful,’ says Ökvist. ‘Bridgerton is a heightened-reality Regency. It’s got to be outrageous. Look at the Queen, she’s outrageous but all you want to do is look at her.’
How do you create a make up look that will last all day on set?
Ökvist advises starting with a good primer: ‘the Pat McGrath primer is fantastic’. And then, ‘layer on the foundation very, very finely with a Beauty Blender that could be moist, with a buffer or even sometimes an eyeshadow brush.’ Ökvist compares this process to creating an oil painting: you gradually build up layers and only apply paint (or foundation!) to exactly where it’s needed. ‘That’s what makes it last and that’s also what makes it possible to add on more product if you need to, because it never becomes cloggy.’
What character’s beauty look was the most exciting to create?
‘I loved getting creative with the looks for Queen Charlotte,’ says Ökvist. ‘Queen Charlotte was different because her hair colour changes constantly, so it meant that I was able to experiment a lot more with the makeup and I remember her make up tests were always over an hour.
‘There’s a look in the new series where she has this stunning textured hair and is wearing a dark red dress with gold hues, but with a modern Regency twist. The makeup is very Regency but it also allowed us to go bold, so we created a strong lip, using the MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson 5 to bring out the richness of the dress and the character.’
How did the make up evolve throughout the series?
‘The female characters in Bridgerton are very strong and independent women so when they fall in love we wanted the makeup to bring out their vulnerability,’ explains Ökvist. ‘We all know that feeling of falling for someone in those initial stages, when someone is glowing with happiness, so we reflected this with the make up using soft, romantic, dreamy hues so their skin exuded radiance. We also went heavier with blush and incorporated more rouge tones.’
