Makeup Bag: Odd Mom Out’s Byrdie Bell

“The first time I remember playing with makeup was probably when I was 5 or 6. We were in Chicago and my Mom had this really pretty deco dressing room and I think it was more just to be closer to my Mom when she was getting ready to go out – just more fidgeting and then realizing, “Oh my gosh, all this stuff is so pretty, it’s like candy, I want to eat it.” Playing with makeup was like playing with toys and I think I was immediately attracted to all of the colors and the various packaging. I didn’t really realize what makeup could do until I was in middle school and I got my first pimple and my Mom showed me what concealer was. We went to MAC and picked out the right color for me and it was really cool. I felt very grown up.

I guess I can say I started modeling young. My first show was for charity in Chicago when I was in first grade and I hated it. By the time I started professionally modeling -it was later in life for me, like 21 – I think that by this point I was sort of done experimenting with makeup and all that kind of stuff. The experimentation period happened for me more in high school and, by the time I started modeling, it did feel more like work; but I still love seeing just how transformative makeup can be. As far as taking care of my own skin, because it’s put through hell when I’m one set, I’m sort of obsessive about not wearing any makeup and not washing my hair, just to counteract it. If I’m being honest, when I’m not working, wearing makeup has a tendency to feel like work.

My favorite is mascara and I like blush. For some reason, I really like pink cheeks. Lipstick is difficult for me, it’s hard to put on myself. But really, I have a lot of fun with contouring, like playing with bronzer and cheeks and shadows. And then mascara. But I don’t really like to black out my eyes with a lot of eyeliner so I try to avoid eyeliner. I used to really like wearing red lipstick and not wearing any eye makeup, and then a makeup artist not-so-discreetly – yet very politely – told me that maybe I should try to focus more on playing up my eyes and less on my lips. Maybe it is too harsh or aging? I’m not really sure, but I decided to listen to her.

Claudia Schiffer would have to be my beauty icon. I think there is something indefinable about her beauty. She’s able to be delicate, feminine, and ethereal, while maintaining a strong and imperfect sophistication. Claudia is also startling ageless.

MAKEUP BAG

Lumene Excellent Future Deep Repairing Serum: I found their products in North America 3 years ago. They’re a Finnish company and huge overseas so I’d known about them for years but didn’t have access to the products unless I was abroad. I’m hugely excited they’ve started carrying their products over here. My love affair started with the cleansing wipes. I thought, “These are really amazing and fresh and I like the packaging.” I bought a toner and when we made contact, I was like, “this is amazing!” I really wanted to work with them. They use all natural Arctic ingredients. I really love this serum with super rare stem cell technology.

Lumene Excellent Future Deep Repairing Eye Cream: It’s not too heavy. It doesn’t tighten my eyes. It’s really delicate, I can use it on my eyelid as well as around the eye. I use both this and the serum morning and night. The only thing I add differently in the morning is sunscreen Lumene Excellent Future Deep Repairing Face Cream at night.

Lumene Sensitive Touch Cleansing Wipes: They come in 10 pieces, which is like the small mini packs that fit in my makeup bag and then the large ones that you can keep on your counter. Those are really nice. I like to have these on me at all times so that as soon as I finish a shoot, I can wipe all of the makeup off. I wash my face morning and night, I try not to wash my face more than that because it dries out my skin. So this is a nice way to remove the makeup without the harsh effects of soap and water.

HD High Definition Elixir from Make Up For Ever: This is one of my favorites. I don’t know if you would call it makeup but you get it in the makeup section. It’s kind of the same consistency as the serum but you put it on over your makeup. So, if I have an audition or something where I have to have a little bit of makeup on so I don’t look dead, I like to put this on top of my makeup because it takes away that sort of matte look. I have really dry skin, so it’ll make it a little more dewy and glowy, which is what I prefer for skin — as opposed to matte. You know how your skin looks really amazing right after you put moisturizer on and then it’s gone? This maintains that dewiness throughout the day.

Lancome High Definition Finishing Mascara in Deep Black: If I could only use one makeup product, it would be mascara. My favorite at the moment is the Lancome High Definition Finishing Mascara in Deep Black. The reason why I like it is because it has a really long, thin wand, so it doesn’t get clumpy. I can use it on my lower lashes, which is where I like to wear mascara because I don’t wear eyeliner. And then if I want to have a darker, bolder eye at night, I can layer it.

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum: If I have time, I will put this on before my mascara to make the lash fuller, so again, this helps to take away that clumpy look. The concept is the same as one of those lip plumping products, but for your eyelashes. It’s kind of clear white and just builds a fake architecture that extends the eyelash before you put on mascara.

Bourjois Blush in Rose: I like it mainly because it’s a good blush and because of the packaging. It’s really small, perfect, and there’s a little brush that fits right on top of the little pot. Trick to share when applying blush: Smile really big so that you apply the blush directly on to the apples of the cheeks. And only on to the apples of the cheeks because it makes it look more natural.

NARS Triple X Lip Gloss in Clear: I like to keep my lips natural, so I don’t actually use this to make my lips look glossy, I just put a dab in the center of my upper and lower lip and that gives the effect of a bigger lip. I learned this trick from a makeup artist on one of my shoots. It really does work!

Stella McCartney Eau de Parfum Travel Spray: That’s my perfume and the travel size fits in my makeup bag. I’ve been wearing this since high school, though I switched it up twice in between, to Ralph Lauren Blue and Chanel Coco. I think one of the reasons that I like it so much is because it’s so difficult to describe. It’s really unique. It’s not too fruity, it’s not floral, it’s not musky. I would say it’s really modern and moody.”

-Actress Byrdie Bell of Bravo’s Odd Mom Out