Makeup secrets of the third season of “Emily in Paris”, the meaning of lipstick

Oh la la! Emily in Paris returned, and although in the life of the character Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins), one thing is for sure – an American in Paris looks more gorgeous than ever.

What is behind the je ne sais quoi of a marketing director? Aurelie Payenthe lead makeup artist on the Netflix romantic comedy (whose new episode aired Dec. 21), sat down with Us to tell the backstory of the beauty in the third season.

Like the character’s professional and personal life in the City of Light, Emily’s image was a journey.

At the beginning of the series, Payen decided to focus on the lips. “In the first season, it’s a young American who comes to Paris, she hasn’t settled yet. She wants to discover the city and she is fresh, she is beautiful… when she goes out, she puts on lipstick and that’s it,” the pro tells us. Also, “she has a lot to say, she’s very vocal, and I wanted to convey that part with her lips.”

According to Payen, in the second season, the character becomes more secure, it is a little more comfortable for her to experiment. “It was more about playing with colors, eyeliner, eyelids, and also lots of different lips, but with balm textures.”

Fast forward to season 3, and during an existential crisis, Emily cuts her bangs. While the move may have been impulsive, the result gives her overall aesthetic a distinctly French-girl chic. “She wears it very well,” Payen says.

With bangs framing Emily’s eyes, it was clear that the focus was on the lips. But in the new season, Payen decided to act boldly. “Why not play with red and lots of bright colors, orange, pink and even very rich browns,” she mused.

Powerful lips are also of great importance. At this point in Emily’s journey, her voice is getting stronger. “She has something to say and something to talk about, she is stuck between Madeleine and Sylvie, the opposites of American and French, but both strong, beautiful and courageous women,” says the professional.

Of course, in the same way that Emily has to carefully plan a presentation for, say, Pierre Cadot, special preparation is necessary before applying makeup on set.

Makeup artist says Us it takes her about thirty minutes to get Collins ready for the camera. Down to the glam (the 33-year-old star wears everything Lankom products on screen and in real life, bien sur), Payen gently dabs her lips with a damp cloth, then uses a cool quartz roller to stimulate circulation, increasing the surface of her pout.

Since highly pigmented lipstick can draw attention to the complexion, prepping the skin is key. The beauty guru swears sheet masks boost hydration. If time permits, she prefers to use the LED red mask. “This is a very convenient way to quickly lighten the skin,” she says. (Emily must agree as she can be seen in CurrentBody LED mask in the first episode of the new season!

In fact, on set (and in life, one might infer), “skin care is the most important thing to do,” Payen says. The crew worked twelve hours a day, sometimes ending Friday evenings and returning early Monday mornings, so fatigue could take a toll on the complexion. But “if you have good skin care, applying makeup can only take ten minutes.”