Beauty Download: Gracie Abrams

Actress Gracie Abrams is posed within the plush curtains and marionette-strung ceilings of the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre in Los Angeles, looking completely at home. She’s coiffed with a glossy, perfectly flicked-up bob and ethereal, rose-tinted skin, and it’d be easy to mistake the singer for a living doll among the theatre’s legendary collection of puppets. The entire aesthetic comes together to create an undeniably whimsical effect that, according to her glam team, was entirely the point. Below, we have every last detail.

It’s no secret that shorn-off strands via bobs and lobs have been one of the most dominating hair trends in recent years. Here, Abrams’s flipped-out take feels fresh thanks to the combination of both retro and modern influences. “The inspiration for Gracie’s hair during this shoot was a French surrealist doll,” explains celebrity hairstylist Bobby Eliot. “We wanted it to feel doll-like but cool and modern enough to really complement the fashion. When you’re working with other artists on a shoot, it’s key to play off of each other. The goal is always to communicate and to complement one another’s work so everything stays cohesive."

Of course, anyone who has ever had shorter hair knows it can be especially finicky to master styling-wise, so I asked Eliot how exactly he kept Abrams’s hair locked in place (and so incredibly shiny!) throughout the shoot. “The key to creating this look was prepping Gracie’s hair with a strong gel (he loves the below options from Fenty Hair by Rihanna) and adding lots of high-gloss shine,” he tells me. Leaning on a flexible hair spray that is buildable and easy to work with is also important. “I also always have a wax stick on me,” he adds. “It helps with flyaways and is always in my kit during long photo shoots.”

Considering the shoot’s iconic location, it was only fitting for Abrams’s makeup to take on a slightly theatrical feel while still embodying the shoot’s doll-inspired throughline. Celebrity makeup artist Emily Cheng describes Abrams’s makeup aesthetic as “lashy,” dewy,” and “monochromatic” à la sunset-y hues of pink and purple. That said, thorough skin prep is key to creating a perfectly glowing base pre-makeup application. “I actually carry a portable kettle, so I can cleanse the skin with hot towels, cotton pads, and Caudalíe's Beauty Elixir Face Mist ($49),” she shares. To reduce texture around the nose, she leans on Kiko Milano’s handy Exfoliating Wipes ($10) for a light skin scrub. “I always have a scrub on me for dry lips or skin,” says Cheng. “Texture easily picks up on camera, and rather than trying to add more product to cover or conceal, I try to remove as much texture as I can through gentle exfoliation.”

Next comes lots of hydration to achieve a maximum skin-plumping effect. “I use 111Skin’s Black Diamond Eye Cream ($300) coupled with Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream ($300) and a light layer of Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ ($38),” Cheng says. (The latter is especially great since it acts as both a makeup primer and SPF that won’t pill or leave behind a greasy film on the complexion.) If your skin is extremely dehydrated, Cheng recommends adding in a layer of Shani Darden’s Moisture Boost Plumping Serum ($78), which will douse the skin with an extra surge of thirst-quenching hydration.

When it comes to creating the look of completely flawless skin, Cheng says less is more when creating your base. On Abrams, she used Chanel’s La Base Illuminatrice Glowing Makeup Primer ($54) in addition to a sheer swipe of foundation and concealer (Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer in Vanilla, $32) only where she needed it. To lift and set the look, Cheng used Milk Makeup’s Sculpt Cream Contour Sticks ($24) for a creamy, natural-looking contour.

“We switched up Gracie’s blush throughout the day depending on what she was wearing, but to create monochromatic washes of color, I used Chanel’s N°1 De Chanel Lip and Cheek Balms ($48) on her lips, cheeks, and eyes,” shares Cheng. As a final step, she applied Chanel’s cult-favorite Baume Essentiel ($48) on the high points of Abrams’s face to add dewiness sans shimmer. “It’s all about the subtle layering of cream-based products worked well into the skin so you have a natural, well-established base.”