A Day With…Kim Kardashians Makeup Artist Mario Dedivanovic

About a month ago I was fortunate enough to join 30 other girls in a class with Mario Dedivanovic, the man who, together with Kim Kardashian, created her famous look – the smokey eye, contoured cheekbone, highlighted under eye area and nude lip.

He shared absolutely everything with us from exactly what products he uses to how he met Kim and his journey through being a makeup artist. Especially how he created the worlds most requested look, which he said he can’t believe and it completely blows his mind. Here are some of his favourite products & tips…

Tips

- fingers are the best blending tool

- don’t wash your brushes everyday – just sanitise them

- if you have a lazy eye avoid shimmer shades and opt for matte shadows

Foundation

- apply moisturiser with a sponge first so that the foundation and powder don’t look dry and absorbs well

- cream based foundations are the best as you can blend them from a light to full coverage. Make sure creams are vegetable oil based, not mineral oil – like the Laura Mercier one is great

- go darker with foundation if there’s flash photography, as flash makes you look lighter

- primer doesn’t allow power to sit well on top of the skin and looks unnatural

- silicone adds a dewy look to the skin so set foundation with a spray like Mac Fix

- the Beauty Blender blends product seamlessly with the skin. Bounce it and tap and blend

Powder

- use a Beauty Blender or powder puff to set foundation

- always use loose powder as it leaves the most natural finish

- to use, pour some powder into the palms of your hands and tap the beauty blender or puff into the powder and puff away any excess

Concealer

- use two concealers, a cream them a liquid on top

- use a pink or a peach concealer and pack on with a flat brush

- make sure the concealer is two shades lighter than the skin to highlight

- blend the two into the skin with a damp sponge

- set the concealer with a powder, pressing it into the skin to not move the concealer

Contouring

- start softer and build with the powder

- use a grey shade to contour

- start at the top of the ear and go down just underneath the cheekbone

Highlighting

- highlight the centre of the nose, cupids bow, inner tear-duct and high points of the cheekbones

Eyes

- don’t be afraid to go lower, smudging the eyeshadow along the bottom lash line as it adds a sultry effect

- use a kohl pencil to line the eyes and go over it with a liquid to intensify

- smokey eyes are all about a gradient effect

Bronzer

- normally go three shades darker with bronzer and make sure it’s a reddish brown matte shade

- frame the face by running the bronzer along the hairline

- keep the centre of the face light

- use bronzer on the collar bones and breasts to enhance them

- use a brush that widens to a point so it’s easier to bronze up the face

- use a little bronzer underneath the eyes to bring everything together and make it look warmer

Marios nude lip concoction

- shape the lips first, then go into colour

- mix a yellow pigment into a colour to make it nude

- layer and pat the colour into the lips with fingertips

- use a light powder to set the colour and then re-add

Brows

- use a pencil to fill in the brows then a powder to set

- higher brows lift the face

Products with Marios approval…

- Laura Mercier Stick Foundation

- Mac Powder Puff

- Beauty Blender Sponge

- Ben Nye Banana Powder

- Cargo 4 Quad Eyeshadow Palette

- Stila double sided brush in 14

- Mac Smoulder Eyeliner

Smashbox Matte Suntan Bronzer

- Ben Nye Concealer Wheel

- Nars Loose Powder

- Mac Blushes

- Giella Eye M Glam

- Kevin Aucoin Candlelight

- OCC Lip Tars

Above was the final look he created, which did take a few hours as he talked through it but looks absolutely beautiful. There’s a video on its way recreating how he contours & highlights the face but for now let’s just drool at his table of organised makeup…