JANE FONDA'S MAKEUP: HER YOUTH CHARACTER VS RED CARPET

Before we get to the makeup the marvelous Jane Fonda, 77, wore for the TIFF 2015 premiere of Youth, in which she plays an 80-year-old movie star named Brenda Morel, I just need to geek out for a minute. Obviously I love a makeup breakdown from a red-carpet look, especially when it includes specifics on what the artist used where. The best, though, is when that artist can offer technique tips we can adapt or adopt, depending on our needs. So yay and thank you to L'Oréal Paris makeup pro Eddie Malter, who did Jane's makeup for the Youth premiere and shares his tips here. (FYI: Eddie did Glenn Close's makeup for TIFF in 2013; we loved how he worked with the 66-year-old actress to give her a look she felt good in.)

jane fonda's makeup at tiff 2015

The makeup icing on this cake is that Jane Fonda herself provides a clear illustration of all the makeup DON'Ts the Eddie shares with us here. The above still shot is Jane in character as Brenda in the movie Youth, which premiered at TIFF 2015 last week. Matte makeup, thin and sharp dark brows, heavy eye contouring, too-dark lips... I can't wait to see this film when it opens! Great makeup in context, but in real life it's a 180 from almost everything Eddie did with Jane's red-carpet makeup.

jane fonda: red-carpet complexion how-to

"Jane has amazing skin, like silk," says Eddie. He used Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation for its staying power, and Visible Lift Concealer to minimize shadows. For luminosity, True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator in Golden was key. It's about more than just highlighting cheek- and browbones, especially for mature faces. For a youthful complexion, says Eddie, you want to brighten the centre area of your face. 

Tip: create your own brightener  Rather than apply illuminator on top of foundation, mix a bit with some foundation – really you're creating your own custom brightener. Eddie dabs Infallible Pro Matte Foundation and True Match Lumi Liquid Glow almost side-by-side on the back of his other hand and creates the finish as he works. With a stippling brush, he dabs first into the foundation, then into the illuminator, creating a third dab of luminous colour he then applies to the skin. The amount of illuminator he uses depends on where he's going to put it.

For luminosity through the centre of the face, Eddie mixes a hint of illuminator with foundation and blends it on skin (with that same stippling brush) in a sort of inverted triangle from just under the eyes. He also applies it on the forehead between brows – again, imagine an inverted triangle – and on the chin under the lip line (yup, wee inverted triangle). Blend the same brightening mix into smile brackets, as well. (Hands up if you dislike the term "nasolabial folds" too!)

For highlighting, Eddie mixes a bit more illuminator with the foundation and hits the top of cheekbones. You can also use that on the browbones, under the arches, on the bow of the lip.

To give Jane a soft flush of colour, Eddie used L'Oréal Paris True Match Blush in C5-6, a cool pink called Rosy Outlook. For subtle sculpting, he used a neutral no-shimmer powder a couple of shades darker than Jane's skintone, and buffed it over her temples, under cheekbones and under her jawline. 

Tip: to contour or not to contour "Contouring isn't always necessary, and if it's too dark, too heavy and too warm, it makes you look older. You want to make sure your face still has that radiance through the centre and on the high points of your bone structure," says Eddie. "You also have to think about the lighting you'll be in. Overhead lighting will cast shadows, so you don't need a lot of contour help. But lights on red carpets are bright. Kim Kardashian has a makeup artist who contours a lot, but she's always being photographed in a lot of light. In real life, that's not a normal situation for most women."

Because Infallible Pro Matte is matte and long-lasting, Eddie didn't need to use a powder to set it. He did use a little True Match Illuminating Powder, though, to boost the highlight on Jane's cheekbones.

jane fonda's red carpet brows, eyes and lips

Tip: go for satin eyeshadows, not matte  Many women in their 50s and better think they need to stick to matte eyeshadows, but Eddie disagrees: matte can look flat and aging too because it just sucks up the light. Satiny textures are his recommendation; they offer a luminescent finish, not obvious shimmer. On Jane Fonda he used the Color Riche eyeshadow quad in Absolute Taupe, and kept the sheen and intensity on the lid. "Avoid a dark contour because that can make eyes look sunken and older." (See: Jane Fonda in character for the film Youth.) He topped off the eye makeup with Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara.

On Jane's brows, Eddie used L'Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Designer pencil in Blonde. "I filled them in lightly; too-dark or heavy brows would be aging." (See again: Jane Fonda in character makeup for the film Youth.)

To complement Jane's gown as well as her golden glow, Eddie chose a rosy nude lip shade. He lined first with nude-pink lip pencil, then filled in with Color Riche Lipstick in Toasted Almond.

jane fonda says she's bionic

Want to hear from Jane herself on beauty and age? While she was in Toronto, she chatted with our lovely Liza Herz for Fashion Magazine. Here's what Jane told her about being bionic and choosing between your ass and your face!

And here's a clip of Jane Fonda in the red-carpet media frenzy just before the premiere of Youth began:

I'm so going to see Youth when it opens in theatres, just to see her in it.

What do you think of Jane's makeup in character? On the red carpet? Of Eddie's tips? Are these techniques you can adapt for your own needs?

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