The Knockturnal joined Sofia Vergara and her makeup artist, Kayleen McAdams for an intimate Q&A where they shared their best beauty tips for all things bridal in celebration of CoverGirl’s new Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation and lipstick and Sofia’s upcoming wedding to Joe Manganiello.
Read highlights from the roundtable chat below:
Laura Brinker (CoverGirl)
We know that weddings are the ultimate portrait test moment for so many women. That is their red carpet and they want to look fabulous they need to look fabulous all day long so lasting power is extremely important. But one of the challenges that women always talk to us about is when they have a makeup that lasts a long time and often is very drying, it gets cakey, it looks matte. Especially for a time like a wedding you want to look luminous, you want that glow of being in love and the really dewy finish. So with the Outlast 3 in 1 Luminous Foundation and we also have a new Outlast lipstick, we’ve sort of cracked the code to have luminosity plus long wear with the foundation, and moisture plus long wear with the lipstick.
I think all of you have met Sarah Vickery, she’s my partner in crime and she helped design all of these products … The foundation formula has what we call a skin illuminating complex and it has radiance polymers and luster pigments and what those do is allow the light to bounce off the skin. It also contains glycerin and niacinamide which is really hydrating and that kind of gives you that lift from within look. And then in terms of how we achieve the long wear, a lot of foundations of that benefit use really heavy powder systems, waxes, this actually doesn’t have that and it uses oil absorbing silica instead so that’s the science part of this and now we’ll get into some of the fun stuff … Sophia and Kayleen are going to talk about all of their tips and tricks for bridal, red carpet beauty, and beyond.
Kayleen:
So we actually have had a lot of opportunities to test run some ideas for wedding makeup. We’ve sort of seen like Laura said, that every woman’s wedding day is their version of a red carpet. We actually just got this product pretty recently, we’ve had it for a couple of months. We’ve been trying it out with some commercials and then Sunday for the Emmy’s Sophia was wearing this foundation and the amazing auburn Outlast longwear lipstick that we have as well and it was 95 degrees, we started getting ready at 12:30 and it lasted more than 12 hours.
Sofia:
When you go to an event like that you know that you’re gonna be there the whole day from the morning, and it’s not going to be the most comfortable conditions. It’s not like you’re really going to a real party, you’re going to suffer the whole day from the morning you’re on the red carpet, for a long time the lighting is, like I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s really hot and it’s dry and they put a plastic tent on top that creates a sauna, believe me. You go there to look beautiful but the moment you arrive at that thing, the hair comes down completely, everybody was sweating, and I take a fan with me. It’s really weird, I don’t understand why they do it. The celebrities want to look good on a red carpet … So we had used it before, but we had just done it during commercials where she could come and retouch me. On the red carpet, I don’t go with her. I keep my little things in my purse and then do it myself. So this was the real test and it was perfect. I went home and it was still great, I was still sending her pictures like, “look it’s perfect.”
Kayleen:
It has to look good in pictures, it has to look good on camera. It has to look good in person so there are so many different boxes that a product like this has to check.
Sofia:
Also some people don’t care to look good in person. I do. I refuse to look all made up. I have always fought with makeup artists because I don’t understand the psychology of putting on a lot of makeup and then you’ll look great in the picture but then in person people can’t stop staring at you. It makes you look old so I always wanna look good in person too for me that’s super important.
Kayleen:
You really want that kind of luminous skin and using a lot of powder takes away from that. You get that cakey dry look, and especially when you have to touch up throughout the night whether it’s the Emmy’s or your wedding day; if you keep adding powder on to that it gets cakey and dry. So you want to choose a foundation that won’t require you to do those touch ups as much and it’s gonna have that same luminosity. I don’t know if you read in the New York Times style section today there’s a story called “Makeup for the Selfie Generation” and it talks specifically about this product and how CoverGirl was the first one to test—well a lot of them tested in different lighting— but CoverGirl was the first to test it with iPhone lighting too because selfies are such an important part of our social media these days so it’s the only one that has done that so far.
Laura:
Initially it was really glittery with the iPhone photo and so we actually took that back a few notches.
Kayleen:
It is a really fine line between looking oily and looking lit from within and luminous and so you really have to be able to find that sweet spot which also for your wedding day you want to do a trial before. You want to take selfies, you want to take pictures, you want to have it as a video. You wanna be able to see so come the day of you don’t have any surprises.
Question:
Does the lipstick transfer because obviously there’s a lot of kissing on a wedding day. Does it really stay put when you’re making out with your new husband?
Sofia:
I’m wearing it now and I’ve been eating stuff, so I love it while eating and because of our job we do like things to last of course. Sometimes Kayleen likes it even more than me because she doesn’t have to work as hard, retouching me and looking at the monitor. She prefers it to stay, if it was for her she’d tattoo it on my face. This is a great lipstick and I love it because I love reapplying lipstick … But there’s some lipstick where they tell you it’s going to last 17 million hours but then you if want to reapply it, it becomes a “cakey” horrible thing. For me it’s amazing that this one; if I forget to reapply or if I’m eating I’m still looking good but if I want to reapply which is something I enjoy doing, I can do it and it looks great. You can build into it. It’s not like you have to wipe it off and start over again every time you want to reapply. I love this lipstick. I’ve had it since she did my makeup and she had that one since even before at like 9 in the morning. So it’s great. I don’t like lipsticks that stay dry … You want one that still looks pretty and full of moisture and nice.
Kayleen:
And nobody’s husband wants to have that first kiss and then turn around for pictures and they have a red clown mouth. So it’s important to chose something that won’t get all over their face too. I think women often reach for gloss to make it look more moist but that gets all over the guy’s face so something like this you’re still having the moisture component without having the transference.
Question:
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Can you speak about your collaborative process in creating new beauty looks and how you go about it?
Sofia:
We fight a lot…
Kayleen:
We definitely fight a lot but I have to say, Sofia’s taught me so much about makeup…
Sofia:
But you have to admit why we have so many fights is, well you see how she looks, she’s Canadian, and blonde, and pretty and beautiful and I’m Latin so I have a different approach to beauty from where I come from in Latin America you do your full makeup all the time. To me it’s like washing your hair in the morning, it’s like part of your routine for me putting lipstick and mascara after I shower, I don’t even think about it I love it. So seven years ago when I met her I had my view of what makeup should be, and I had been working for twenty five years, so I already had an idea of what works for me. She had never worked with somebody Latin. For her they really asked more for that natural look that I had never really asked for. I couldn’t give a damn about the natural look. I want to look pretty and made up. I don’t want to look like a clown, but I want people to see I have makeup on and eyelashes. But now that we’ve known each other for seven years we’ve learned from each other and for example when we were doing a photo shoot and they asked for a nude lip—to me that’s the most awful thing anyone can do, that’s like erasing your mouth—so she would come and lay out what for her was a nude lip and I always make fun of her saying you’re making me look like this, like your lips are completely gone. So we compromised a little as to what nude is for me. We have learned how to take the things I like and the things she likes and put them together.
Kayleen:
If you see on the poster on the way out too that’s a campaign that we did, that’s our version of the nude lip. It’s a little peachy, there’s still something to it and it does give a lot more, having that little bit of pigment.
Sofia:
It’s also about knowing what looks good on me. I’ve been doing this for so long and I love makeup so much that I know already what’s not going to look good on me because I’ve tried it in all the years I’ve been doing this. So, girls, it’s important to know that it’s not about fashion or whatever, it’s about you, the way your face is, the way your eyes are, and what’s good for you.
Kayleen:
Especially for your wedding day, don’t try something that isn’t authentic to you. Do something that is maybe a little more pumped up version of something you’re comfortable with. If you never wear red lips — that’s not the day to try it. That’s not the day to try a huge strip of lashes. Do a couple individuals and a really great volumizing mascara. Stay in the world of what is you, so you can look back on those pictures and it feels authentic and real.
Question:
In terms of eye shadows do you guys have any good tricks?
Kayleen:
I think it’s very important to layer products. I like to do a little bit of eye shadow first then I’ll do an eyeliner, set the liner with powder, add a little more powder shadow on top…
Sofia:
Set the liner with powder eye shadow…
Kayleen:
Yes with powder eye shadow. When you layer you want it to be washes of color and you’re building up. Don’t take the sponge tip applicator and put a ton on and then keep adding. It’ll get muddy. Especially with the great palettes that have the different shades, they’re intended to work together and you can build them on top of each other. Keep it light and build slowly.
Question:
Do you have a beauty timeline or schedule for how you are going to be prepping your skin and your makeup for the wedding?
Sofia:
No this is the thing it’s different when you’re an actress and you have to be all the time presentable. This is what I do in my off time. I have to get a facial because I have to keep it up, I cannot just not do my hair for the whole year and have roots. I mean a normal person can do that but they’d fire me. So you know I always have red carpets and I do the same thing that I always do. I for sure am going to get a professional manicure, because I usually do them myself. I mean the beauty part, it’s part of my life so much … I don’t think I’ll do anything special.
Question:
Have you guys been experimenting with different makeup looks for the wedding or do you know what you want to do?
Sofia:
We have been experimenting.
Kayleen:
When we did the Martha Stewart Wedding Issue that was really fun because we work with CoverGirl and they wanted every look to be different. So, we really experimented and we were like ‘oh, we like this lip. We like this eye shadow.’ That really helped us to hone in.
Sofia:
And that’s how we found out about these new lipsticks. This is my favorite color and I love it. That’s the day we were investigating and the one that we used for the Emmy’s last Sunday is also there.
Question:
I heard you guys have your bridal routine down to two hours. That’s how long it’s going to take?
Sofia:
Well today we did it really fast.
Kayleen:
When we talk less it’s a lot faster, which never happens.
Question:
Do you have any special rituals that you guys do whenever you’re getting ready for an event?
Sofia:
I mean, I don’t know. We do this so much and I prefer to be at home rather than to arrive seven hours early to get ready. For example we figured out that we work so much together that it would take us longer to put on individual lashes. So we figured it out. It would take us 20 minutes less if we just put on the strip. The individuals look more natural, but we were just like lets just put on the strip and that’s it. Then we have 20 minutes more. So we figured out a way to do it fast, but for a normal girl that’s super great to be able to indulge and sit there for hours.
Kayleen:
Another thing too that Sofia has taught me is about not thinking about just your face. You want to do your whole body, make sure all that’s covered, whatever’s going to show in your red carpet dress or on your wedding day. Are your arms going to show? Is your back going to show? What about your neck? You want to make sure everything looks even and cohesive…
Sofia:
So you look natural. The truth is nobody is perfect, and now the cosmetics industry gives you so many great options. When I started working 26 years ago and I lived in Latin America there was none of the stuff we have now. Now science and technology have come together with the makeup companies and do marvelous things. Now you can look shiny on your arms and reflect and there are so many things now that I love … When I go to a makeup place or a beauty supply place and I examine everything. When CoverGirl sends me all their stuff I play with everything. There’s stuff that I like, there’s stuff that I love, there’s stuff I don’t like. Nobody is perfect, but now everyone can look good. Now there’s self tanners that make you look tanner and now you can put on a foundation that makes you look more warm and do the contouring thing. Before people didn’t do that.
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Can you speak about working with CoverGirl and what it’s like to work with such an awesome brand?
Sofia:
Well first of all, I always knew I wanted to partner with a makeup company because I’m obsessed with makeup. I know a lot about new products and everything the same way Kayleen whose job it is knows and we arrive sometimes with the same thing. “Did you see this?” or we read the same articles because I love it, I enjoy it, I love makeup. And so when I was looking for a company to do something, it had to be somebody that I believed in. For example, I didn’t know about all of the products that CoverGirl had in the beginning but I have always been obsessed with their mascara. Always, even when I used to live in Colombia and someone would come to Miami or to the United States, I would tell them to buy me mascara. So everybody would bring me like five little things, that would last me a long time until somebody else would come. And it was great, and then you start learning more about the line and start using more of the products and now they send me everything. So I try everything and it’s great and it’s a fantastic product and I don’t want to put my name on something that I don’t believe in and don’t wear because that’s not the point. Everything that I do, endorsement-wise for me, it’s stuff that I believe in and if you open my handbag you’ll see it. Like for example, I can’t wait for the all of you to leave because I’m taking the mauve color because I’m running out. So I love makeup and CoverGirl I think is one of the companies that does a great job.
Question:
Does Joe have a special makeup look that he prefers on ?
Sofia:
No I think for example he loves makeup, and I was telling the story before. I understood when I met his mother. When she stays in the house or something and seven in the morning, or eight in the morning she comes down completely made up. And I do that. I come out of the shower and I put the makeup on. Maybe I don’t put on fake eyelashes or contouring no but I always have something. I always have mascara, and lipstick and if I have time, blush and I can’t go with everything, but at least I always have mascara and lipstick and his mother is always beautifully made up so he likes it. He really likes a woman that takes care of herself. And I think all men, not only him, all men appreciate, you as a woman making an effort you know? It does make a difference, a little mascara and lipstick—it does make a big difference. You know, you look like you made an effort, you look well put together and it’s not a big deal. I don’t see it as a big deal … applying mascara and putting on lipstick is like combing my hair in the morning. So I think like that.
Question:
How do you transition your look from daytime to night time?
Sofia:
I had a day from five in the morning until nighttime. We do an eye that can maybe stay the whole day but you can change the lipstick and it changes the complete look. I think lipstick is super important, and you know, the darker it gets, the more you can get even crazier with it. We play a lot with different lip colors.
Question:
Is there a look that you just don’t like?
Sofia:
The natural look. No, I mean I don’t think you have to look crazy all day long but I always have something on. And for example, I don’t like when they do the mouth in a color that is very pale, even paler than your real lips—I don’t think that looks good on anyone. I think it’s even better to have your real lip with maybe something like see through, than just put something that makes it like this, like you have nothing, you know? That I don’t like, no.
Kayleen:
I tend to wear not much make up on a daily basis—you know, a little lip and mascara. Sofia and I were at a party and I was completely done up. And I said, “Hi Sofia” and she said, “Who is that?” She didn’t even recognize me.
Sofia:
She looked like another person. And I said, “Why don’t you come to work everyday like that?” She had fake eyelashes, eyeliner—she has beautiful blue eyes so she had on a dark smokey…it was insane!
THE KNOCKTURNAL: Can you speak about your passion for makeup and how you got into this industry?
Kayleen:
Yeah, I mean I started in Canada working there as a makeup artist, I interned at magazines and I really loved the beauty world but I didn’t know that was something that could really be a job at first. And then I was able to transition to moving to Los Angeles and working with celebrities. And I count my blessings everyday: it’s such a great job and no two days are the same, and especially with Sofia, no two days are the same.
Photos Courtesy of CoverGirl