For 'Materialists,' Emma Strachman Tapped Into Real Women's Makeup Routines

For anyone who's lived in a big city or worked a hectic job (or both), watching Dakota Johnson as Lucy in "Materialists" is like looking into a mirror, albeit a very stylish one. Her clothes (a mix of high and low), her dating life (a guy who has it together versus a guy who doesn't), her anxieties (the struggle between feeling secure and being happy), are all acutely relatable to many women juggling a job and dating and a social life. The same goes for Lucy's beauty look, with makeup artist Emma Strachman, Instagram Page, opens in new tab creating a look for the character that captures how many modern working women want to face the world on a daily basis. 

Having viewers of the film be able to see themselves in Lucy was the entire point, according to Strachman. "Celine really wanted this story and this character to feel relatable," she explains. "Katina [Danabassis] did this with Lucy's wardrobe by mixing high and low pieces, and it's something we also wanted to do with her beauty look." That meant ensuring the makeup looked timeless and also very "real" with fresh, lightly-perfected skin and every feature lightly enhanced, with nothing too harsh or overdone. "I love a little imperfection in my work, there's something quite glamorous about that," adds Strachman. "Plus, I'm telling a story, I'm making a character, and it needs to look like she was doing it herself."

Strachman referenced iconic beauty looks of 1960s French ingenues and 90s supermodels, as well as the Olsen twins circa the early 2000s. But to truly capture the vibe of a busy, corporate woman in New York City slapping on her makeup in the morning, she also reached out to her friends in New York City, and asked them how they approach their day-to-day look. 

What she discovered was what anyone with a hectic schedule can tell you — many people are not wearing a ton of makeup right now. "They're using maybe five products that they're obsessed with," says Strachman. "It's pretty simple stuff; It's sunscreen, a tinted moisturizer, bronzer, and a lot of them now are doing mascara, a blush, and a lip. A lot of them are avoiding their brows because they don't have time or don't know how." 

With her research and mood board in hand, Strachman also tried to think like Lucy mighrt. "What would I pick up and actually use if I had five or 10 minutes to do my makeup before I had to go to work? What could Lucy afford? We love Westman Atelier, but we debated if that price point was a little too high for her." The following products are all items that might be found in Lucy's makeup bag, from the actual contour stick Strachman used on set to the tinted moisturizer she'd use if not on camera.

Victoria Beckham Beauty Multi-Finish Eye Wardrobes

The amount of eye-shadow palettes that line beauty shelves these days can feel a bit disorienting at times, but having one solid option with shades that can be used for day and night is key. Strachman used this Victoria Beckham palette in Night Shade to fit with the film's cool-toned color palette, but any of the brand’s four-pan options (well, except for maybe the blue one) offer easy-to-use, easy-to-wear shadows that can be applied sheerly for day and bumped up and refined for evening or big events.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

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Saie Slip Tint Tinted Moisturizer

On set, Strachman relied on her go-to Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation but in real life she suggests starting with a tinted moisturizer or skin tint to get that fresh-skin finish. "Koh Gen Do looks amazing on camera but it’s incredibly expensive," she explains. Saie Slip Tint Moisturizer is delightfully dewy, nicely hydrating, and has the perfect amount of pigment to even out your complexion without completely masking it with makeup.

Saie

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Dior Forever Concealer

When using sheer bases like a tinted moisturizer or a skin tint, having a good quality, full-coverage concealer is key for spot treating areas like the under eyes, around the nose, or over blemishes. One of the formulas Strachman used on set was the Dior Forever Concealer. "It's full coverage, long wearing, buildable and looks like skin," she says. It has a lot of nice skin-care components and great color payoff with a good shade range, too."

Dior Beauty

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Giorgio Armani Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Beige

Strachman uses these creamy, liquid eye shadows on "everybody, for everything." That means on film sets, for red carpet and bridal clients, on herself … "They are so wonderful: they're pigmented, they blend really well, they have a variety of finishes."

Giorgio Armani Beauty

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Violette_FR Yeux Paints Liquid Eyeshadow + Liner

While she didn't use them on the"Materialists" set, these are another liquid shadow formula Strachman loves. Buildable, blendable, and crease-proof, they come in a wide variety of shades, from work-friendly browns, taupes, and bronzes, to not-so-work-friendly lavender and electric blue.

Violette_FR

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Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick

It’s no surprise Strachman used Westman Atelier's Face Trace as a contour on set. The best-selling formula is beloved for its flattering hues and natural-looking finish — perfect for makeup that needs to strike that perfect balance between looking polished and effortless. The stick shape makes it super simple to apply while the buildable formula allows you to go from a no-makeup makeup effect to something more refined, which is how Strachman used it on set when — adding more for scenes where Lucy had big, formal events.

Westman Atelier

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Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick

"Creams are more user-friendly and, as an artist, I love the finish of it. I love that it's very blendable, that it feels softer, and that it's a bit more hydrating," says Strachman.

Westman Atelier

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Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer

These days, makeup artists and beauty aficionados are often forgoing lipstick in favor of a liner/tinted lip balm duo, which is exactly what Strachman did for many of Johnson’s scenes in "Materialists." She used multiple liners throughout the film, but the waterproof Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Definer is a firm favorite. It's not hard to see why. The shades are spot-on—never too white, too beige, or too pink. The pencil sharpens to a fine tip every time, and it stays for a very long time, letting you touch up with a balm or gloss topper throughout the day.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

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Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Hydrating Treatment

No one is telling you to give up lipstick, but having a quality tinted-lip balm in your makeup bag is a quick and easy way to polish up your look without having to whip out a mirror. It also has the added benefit of softening and moisturizing your lips throughout the day. Strachman relied on an OG formula for Lucy. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Hydrating Treatment ran so that Rhode and Summer Fridays could walk, with its nourishing formula and ultra-flattering range of shades, from the perfect rosy hue (Rose) to a berry tint that's the perfect balance of red and blue.

Sephora

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Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick

When Lucy wears lipstick in "Materialists," it’s often the Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick. It's a matte formula that doesn't feel like a matte formula, leaving your lips feeling comfortable the entire time you wear it — which can be for quite a long time. The pigments are designed to stay put for hours without feathering or sliding around, so you can swipe before work and feel confident you're not walking around with lipstick on your teeth or smeared across your cheek.

Westman Atelier

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