Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
GET THE MADONNA LOOK: MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA ROUGE LIPSTICK
Just in time for Madonna’s new MDNA Tour comes a lip color so mesmerizing that you won’t be able peel your eyes away from the shade.
Gina Brooke,makeup artist extraordinare and a long-time makeup artist to Madonna,spilled the beans about the partnership with Make Up For Ever, where she created an iconic red lip for arguably the most iconic pop figure of our time. Aqua Rouge ($24) is now in stores and you’ll be seeing Madonna on stage wearing the glossy, “come hither” #8 shade, which was created specifically by Brooke for the performer. 
“This shade looks gorgeous on everyone,” says Brooke. “The pigments are so strong that all you see is color, with no undertones.” With a lot of lipsticks you can see some undertone of color, and this is because the pigments are not that strong. Aqua Rouge is breathtaking in its vigor. The #8 color is a “leap-off-the-page” red. It’s a Christian Louboutin red sole kind of red, and so easy NOT to miss.”All you see is the lip color,” continues Brooke. For the past few tours with Madonna, Brooke says she focused on the eyes more and not on the lips as much. But this time, she wanted the spotlight to be on the magnificent Ms. M’s pout. The star loves eyeliner so much that sometimes it’s a bit challenging to question her routine, but Brooke knew that the red lip shade was perfect for the tour. “No matter what, Madonna has the final say,” says Brooke when we asked her how the red shade came to be. Aqua Rouge is a double-ended wand, which gives you a thick red lip on one side, and clear gloss on the other. Brooke advises you to apply the red lipstick carefully and then top it off with one layer of gloss so that your lipstick is completely budge proof. How do you take it off? Simply use a waterproof makeup remover to take it off (yes, it’s that kind of makeup). The new Aqua Rouge line comes in 12 shades that range from the prettiest purple to the beigest brown. In addition to the #8 lip shade, Brooke used the following products on Madonna for her MDNA Tour:
- A beautiful, innocent blush using Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in #05 – perfect for Madonna’s fair skin tone.
- Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Black Waterproof Eyeshadow for the star’s iconic cat eye (she loves her liner and won’t part with it).
- Aqua Shadow Waterproof Eye Shadow Pencil, #OE in Black – a jumbo pencil that can be applied in seconds and survives sweat and complicated dance moves.
- Uplight Face Luminizer Gel to seal the makeup.
- HD Foundation.
- YSL mascara (not waterproof).
Most of Madonna’s makeup changes during her performance need to be done in 1.5 minutes, sometimes 2 minutes, so Brooke has to be lightning quick. She often uses her fingers to blend. You can use the Aqua Rouge on your lips to make you look “more strong, more elegant” says Brooke. It simply won’t budge. If you don’t want a glossy, too patent-leather-shiny effect, opt to apply the lip color only without the clear gloss. Of course the “gloss looks better on the stage.” says Brooke, but both “matte and gloss” look great. Madonna definitely prefers the glossy look. The finish of the lipstick is great and it is very moisturizing too. Use a liner first and then the lip color, to get a “pouty lip,” says Brooke. Make Up For Ever worked on the formula for three years, and focused on the iconic red lip shade for 6 to 8 months until they got it just right. Brooke doesn’t like a “perfect face” because she says it’s very easy to create. “I prefer a face that’s imperfect.” Love your features, especially the nose that stands out a little, or a big forehead because these are the traits that make you who you are, she advises. Even with models who have acne or psoriasis etc., Brooke uses the power of makeup to conceal and make them beautiful, while letting them embrace their imperfections. “I want women to focus on what they love about themselves.” Regarding the red lip shade that she created for the MDNA tour, Brooke admits, “I didn’t want it to be a white skin, orange skin kind of lipstick,” says Brooke. “I wanted it to be universal.”
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