Clicking into our April cover starring Sydney Sweeney is like taking a decadent step into another world. It’s imaginative, playful, and completely surreal. On the beauty side, transformative wigs in shades of black, scarlet, and Marilyn Monroe blonde are layered with a femme fatale makeup aesthetic tinged with fantasy. Combined with Amber Asaly’s photographic technique, the final result feels otherworldly and like a complete departure (or should we say three?) for actor and global Kérastase ambassador Sweeney.
“Amber always has such a creative way of editing; she really enhances reality to give viewers a ‘How did they do that?’ reaction,” shares the celebrity hairstylist on set, Glen Coco. “She makes it feel otherworldly, almost like a snapshot out of a film.” Of course, Sweeney’s amazing array of wigs—courtesy of Coco’s hair wizardry—brought said vibes full circle. Since the direction of the shoot was provided ahead of time, Coco explains that they purchased different colored wigs, styling most of them the night before and then making slight changes, as needed, on the day of the shoot.
For the look with the red hair, the makeup centered on Sydney’s skin, with delicate pearls placed around her eyes as an accent. Coco tells me that originally, the hair was going to be worn half-up, but he ultimately pivoted to soft, brushed-out waves so the focus would be Sweeney’s face. “It’s all about collaboration with the entire team to make sure everything feels cohesive,” he notes. “With editorial inspiration like this one, you have to make sure everything is working synergistically. One miss and it could look cheesy.”
“Since this look was all about the pearls and skin, we kept the complexion natural and luminous,” shares celebrity makeup artist Melissa Hernandez. You’ll see a delicate emphasis on soft-pink hues across the cheeks and lips, which helped complement the warm tone of the hair. “We used Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Glow Blush in 52 Ecstasy ($39) to create a beautiful, baby-doll flush.” You might also notice Sweeney’s faux-bleached brows. “Typically, I would have used actual bleach, but this was an on-the-spot decision, so I used a creamy, pale white concealer and brushed it through Syd’s brows with a spoolie,” says Hernandez. It’s an easy-to-apply and easy-to-remove method, making it a great alternative to the actual bleached brow trend.
Also, if you’ve ever been intimidated by the idea of trying facial embellishments, Hernandez has a $4 solution for you. “I love using a wax pen! They’re super affordable. I think I ordered mine on Amazon for $4, and it makes for easy retrieval/application if you’re working with gems or pearls.”
The black wig was all about the crazy length. “This wig had about 40 inches of human hair, and we braided the hair ahead of time to create a natural-looking wavy texture,” Coco tells me. “On set, we made sure to have a wind blower to make sure the hair really came to life.” A+ products, of course, are also key. “I love an extremely strong-hold hair spray, so I used Kérastase’s Laque Extreme Hair Spray ($36) to finish all the looks. I also have to have a hair oil on set.”
For this look, Hernandez wanted to emulate peak ’90s beauty. Think The Craft but a bit more modern à la glass-like skin and sky-high, spidery lashes. “I applied Armani Beauty’s Prisma Glass Hydrating Lip Gloss in 01 Clear Shine ($38) on the eyes and lips to create a hyperreal glassy effect and heavily coated Sydney’s lashes with Armani Beauty’s Eccentrico Mascara ($35).”
cover beauty FEATURES | MARCH 29, 2024
By Erin jahns
From Bold Wigs to Statement Brows, Every Beauty Detail Behind Our April Cover
You've never seen the 26-year-old quite like this.
Coco explained that the team wanted something that had a touch of vintage energy, and so the blonde hair was incredibly impactful. “We set the wig in rollers and then brushed it out the morning of the shoot,” says Coco. “Syd and I love experimenting with color, and after seeing her pink tweed outfit, we really leaned into a Barbie-esque theme for this look,” Hernandez shares. “I applied Armani Beauty’s Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadows ($38) in shades 30M, 50S, and 12S to create a luxe, jade-inspired shimmery eye that felt perfect against the aesthetic of the house. We also brought back the eyebrows for this look because the wig and the fashion was so feminine.”
You’ll also notice the star’s super-thin, ’90s-inspired brows. (This was a first for Sweeney, which she ended up loving.) To create the look without over-plucking, Hernandez took a glue stick to Sweeney’s brows and combed through the hairs until they were seamlessly adhered to the skin. The final step was setting them with powder. “After that, we were able to build the look on top of that by designing the perfect ’90s brow paired with that heavy mascara,” says Hernandez.
GET THE LOOK
Luminous Silk Glow Blush
$39
armani beauty
Laque Extreme Hair Spray
$36
Kérastase
Première Concentré Décalcifiant Ultra-Réparateur Repairing Pre-Shampoo Treatment
$58
Kérastase
Eccentrico Mascara
$35
armani beauty
Prisma Glass Hydrating Lip Gloss with Squalane
$38
armani beauty
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
Première Sérum Filler Fondamental Repairing Anti-Frizz Serum
$46
Kérastase
Première Huile Gloss Réparatrice Intensive Shine Repair Oil
$46
Kérastase
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
MONTHLY COVER FEATURES | march 27, 2024
By Eliza huber
SHOP THE LOOK
Eccentrico Mascara
$35
armani beauty
Luminous Silk Glow Blush
$39
armani beauty
Laque Extreme Hair Spray
$36
Kérastase
Prisma Glass Hydrating Lip Gloss with Squalane
$38
armani beauty
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
Première Sérum Filler Fondamental Repairing Anti-Frizz Serum
$46
Kérastase
Première Huile Gloss Réparatrice Intensive Shine Repair Oil
$46
Kérastase
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
$38
armani beauty
behind
the
beauty
with sydney sweeney
Talent: Sydney Sweeney
Photographer: Amber Asaly
Stylist: Mindy Le Brock
Hairstylist: Glen Coco
Makeup Artist: Melissa Hernandez
Manicurist: Zola Ganzorigt
Creative Director: Alexa Wiley
Art Director: Amy Armani
Executive Director of Entertainment: Jessica Baker
Producer: Nick De Bellis
Designer: Joanna Bauer
Talent: Sydney Sweeney
Photographer: Amber Asaly
Stylist: Mindy Le Brock
Hairstylist: Glen Coco
Makeup Artist: Melissa Hernandez
Manicurist: Zola Ganzorigt
Creative Director: Alexa Wiley
Art Director: Amy Armani
Executive Director of Entertainment: Jessica Baker
Producer: Nick De Bellis
Designer: Joanna Bauer
