Katie Holmes shares her unusual yet foolproof hack for the most realistic-looking blusher
'My makeup artist is still giving me lessons on how to apply blush, and I'm 40-something years old,' the actress reveals
Katie Holmes has spent the past two decades perfecting the art of looking effortless. Whether she's sparking a waiting list for *that* Khaite cashmere bra, stepping out in relaxed tailoring or making wide-leg jeans look impossibly chic, the actor has a knack for creating simple outfit formulas that never appear too try-hard.
The same can be said of her beauty look. Holmes has long favoured softly tousled hair, glowing skin and makeup that feels more incidental than meticulously applied. It may then come as a surprise to learn that the actress doesn't consider herself particularly skilled when it comes to makeup. "In daily life, I do very minimal makeup because I don't feel that confident in my ability to apply it," she recently admitted.
Sharing her everyday beauty routine in an Instagram video with Merit Beauty, the Dawson’s Creek alum talks viewers through the products she reaches for most often and the lessons she’s learnt from her makeup artist over the years. Among them was a simple blush placement tip that she credits with creating a foolproof, natural-looking flush.
"Hi, I'm Katie Holmes, and I'm here to do my makeup with you," the actress begins in the video, before admitting that her approach to beauty is intentionally low-key. "In daily life, I do very minimal makeup because I don't feel that confident in my ability to put on makeup," she says. "Also, I'm a 90s kid – that was cool back then and I guess I still think it's the 90s."
After applying a light layer of Merit’s The Minimalist Complexion Stick (she uses shade Sand) through the centre of her face, Holmes reaches for her best cream blush – Merit’s Flush Balm in the shade Cheeky. Swiping her thumb across the product before pressing it onto the apples of her cheeks, she then shares a tip she learned from her go-to makeup artist, Genevieve Herr.
"My amazing makeup artist is still giving me lessons on how to apply blush, and I'm 40 something years old – and I'm still learning," she says. "She says always just a little dot on the nose, kind of like salt when you're cooking." A touch of blush across the bridge of the nose helps mimic the way skin naturally flushes after spending time outdoors, creating a more believable finish.
The rest of Holmes' routine follows the same less-is-more philosophy. A quick swipe of tinted gel to brush up brows, before applying her current favourite lip combo – Merit’s Signature Lip Liner in Rose and Shade Slick Sheen in Biarritz. While applying lip liner, she demonstrates another makeup artist-approved trick – resting her pinky finger against her chin for extra stability.
Reflecting on how beauty trends inevitably come full circle, she says: “I feel like I wore a darker lip to prom and then there were many years of the nude lip,” she says. “Now that it's come back around, you're really seeing at a certain point in your life how everything is cyclical.” We couldn't agree more - and as long as the trends are as effortlessly flattering as these, we're happy to see them return time and time again.
