Chappell Roan Used These 6 Products to Create 'The Giver' Makeup Look
Her makeup artist breaks down each step for Cosmo.
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So, we just got further proof that Chappell Roan is the star of all of my makeup mood boards, thanks to this iconic look she wore in "The Giver" promo images (casually plastered on billboards and in Times Square, nbd). It's a total departure from her usual drag makeup, but still all I have been able to think about this week. I had to get the details—like, what are these false eyelashes, the lip liner/lip gloss combo, the matte skin—so I headed directly to the source. That was, sliding into the DMs of makeup artist Nick Lennon who created the look.
"We were going for something that gave avant-garde business casual and still had the essence of Chappell Roan," he tells Cosmo. Because these images were used for promo and would be blown up for billboards, the makeup had to be tweaked slightly from a standard photoshoot or a red carpet, Lennon explains. "Makeup can look so different from the glam room to set, so I’m always checking the monitor and adjusting it as needed," he says. I got a full rundown of the look straight from Lennon, so shop the products and recreate it yourself:
"I love a satin, matte finish to the skin, and MAC has never let me down with Studio Fix Fluid," Lennon says. "It’s just radiant enough with a velvety matte finish." The key to matte skin that doesn't look heavy or cakey is skin prep, he adds. "You want to make sure the skin under your makeup is super hydrated and primed," he says. "I’ll powder very sparingly in the areas that need it most, and use a subtle highlighter to bring some glow back to the skin."
When I go backstage during Fashion Week or peek at makeup artists' kits on Cosmo sets, they pretty much always have this lightweight, buildable concealer on hand. So I wasn't shocked that Lennon used it to help highlight Chappell's under-eyes. It blends well with basically any foundation (matte, dewy, satin—you name it) and the coverage can be built up depending on your needs.
The eyeshadow isn't the star of the show here, but does rely on matte, cool tones to add a subdued contour to Chappell's eyes. The focus, instead, is on the brows and lashes. He blocked out her brows (classic Chappell) and drew on a skinny brow, adding to the office siren vibes.
To achieve that "fluffy lash effect," Lennon opted for these half-lashes from Lilly Lashes. Since they're half lashes, they wing out at the ends for a fluttery cat-eye, complete with a slight winged eyeliner too and some individual clusters on the lower lashline for more drama.
Lennon loves this new lip pencil shade from MAC, a deep cool-tone brown. He uses it as the base for her entire lip look, creating an ombré effect that really leans into the cherry makeup trend.
This deep purple, sheer lip gloss tops everything off, helping to blend the lip liner and create a juicy effect. This one is a mix between a gloss and an oil, so it helps moisturize lips while giving them a glass-like effect. Win.
Meet the expert:
- Nick Lennon is a makeup artist based in Los Angeles, CA. He's previously worked with Jake Shane, Lisa Rinna, Robby Hoffman, and more.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing makeup stories that range from best setting powder to Benefit mascaras. For this story, she chatted with makeup artist Nick Lennon to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the products, vibe, and steps to recreate Chappell Roan's makeup.
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