The Mother of Dragons became the mother of makeup at the season 8 premiere of Game of Thrones in NYC on Wednesday, April 3. Emilia Clarke stunned in a tulle Valentino ball gown (that was actually inspired by her character!) at Radio City Music Hall, but it was her bright red smokey eye and deep burgundy lip that stole the show. And her makeup artist Kate Lee is telling Us all about the high-fashion monochrome look, which included using eyeshadow instead of lipstick to create that beautiful berry pout.
Clarke, who plays Mother of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO show, shared on Instagram that she was wearing “Targaryen colours” with her layered ensemble that featured a voluminous slate grey tulle design over a sky blue strapless dress. The bodice was embroidered with crystals that read “Leave your door open for me / I might sleepwalk into your dreams.”
Lee tells Us she sought to balance the cool tones of the actress’ ethereal gown and porcelain complexion with warmer makeup. “We settled on a smokey look with the intention of adding dimension and warmth to the contrast between her skin tone and the sheerness of the dress,” she says.
Since good makeup starts with good skin, the pro first prepped the face with the Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist and Camellia Water Cream. She says the combo of the two products helps to seal in hydration and boost glow, and she also used the illuminating moisturizer on the brunette beauty’s neck, chest and shoulders “to maintain uniformity between the complexion and décolletage.”
For a #flawless base that would still let her natural beauty show through, Lee used her “favorite lightweight foundation” — the Chanel Vitalumière Aqua — and covered up dark circles with the Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Corrector for Eyes.
From there, it was all about adding color. To create the vibrant red-orange smokey eye, she applied a “warm wash” of the peach shade from the Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Mystère et Intensité eyeshadow palette. For the wing-like effect, she started at the lash line and washed the color “upward beyond the socket line” and then “outward.” She kept the shape “soft” by using a clean blending brush to “melt the edges” of the shadow.
The Troy Surratt Smokey Eye Bâton in Canons de Beaute (a burgundy) added additional warmth and dimension to Clarke’s pretty blue-green peepers, as did coatings of both the Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir (a jet black) and Le Volume mascara in Écorces (a dark brown). She also peppered in a few individual lashes “to balance the eye shape.”
A strong brow also helped to ground the look (especially against that ultra-dark lip!), and Lee says she used the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Eyebrow Pencil in Brown to fill in any sparse spots before “sealing it in place” with the Chantecaille Full Brow Perfecting Gel.
Speaking of that spectacular pout, Lee tells Us that she decided “to go for a dark berry look” and used eyeshadow instead of lipstick to perfect it. After first lining the lips with the Chanel Le Crayon Lèvres lip pencil in Rouge Noir-Vamp (a rich merlot), she applied the purple shade from the same palette she used on the eyes “to achieve a powdered effect.”
Last, but certainly not least, a combination of the Addiction Beauty Naked Lies Blush (which Lee describes as “a soft nude beige to add dimension but not any discernible color”), In Fiore Fleur Vibrante Face Balm Concretré (“to make the cheek bones pop”) and Chanel Baume Essentiel highlighter stick in Sculpting created an almost imperceptible contour that completed the Khaleesi-worthy beauty look.
