When working her magic on Ayo Edebiri ahead of the 2024 Golden Globes, celebrity makeup artist Dana Delaney wanted the actress to “look like herself.”
Edebiri, 28 — who took home the Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in The Bear at the Sunday, January 7, ceremony — was radiant in a strapless red Prada dress that was completed with a cascading hem. She complemented the number with crimson pointed-toe pumps, dangling earrings and a blunt but chic bob that featured flipped-up ends.
Her hair and dress were teamed with soft and subtle glam with the focal point being her brows, Delaney exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, January 8. “Brows can make or break a look. Ayo already has full brows, so the trick is to not overdo them. I find small fill strokes mimicking the direction of the hair is the best technique for fuller brows, ensuring the most natural looks.”
Delaney continued, “I really wanted to make sure that she looked like herself in this big moment. Keeping makeup classic and timeless — something you can look back on and it would stand the test of time. No trends. Just Ayo.”
Delaney’s process began with prepping Edebiri’s skin with a “small amount” of Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Lite Primer, which helps to blur and refine the look of pores. Next she used Benefit’s Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer, blending the product “into the center of her face,” Delaney told Us. (She used shade 13 on Edebiri.)
Afterward, Delaney started on the brows. To create a slightly fuller appearance, Delaney applied Benefit’s Precisely My Brow Pencil in shade 6, “flicking the pencil up into the hairs for a natural fill.” She then set Delaney’s brows with the brand’s 24-HR Brow Setter and finished with a clear gel.
Then, it was time for the eyes. Delaney made Edebiri’s pupils pop with the help of Benefit’s BADgal BANG! 24-Hour Eye Pencil, which retails for $22. She added mascara and applied the Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain to Edebiri’s face. The beat was finished with the Hoola Caramel and Hoola Toasted bronzer.
“The dress was so serious that the hair and makeup needed to be unserious,” Delaney explained to Us. “We wanted the glam to lighten the mood and be effortless but still chic and youthful at the same time.”
Edebiri, and the host of other A-list attendees, showed off their opulent outfits and must-see makeup on the red carpet, which can often present challenges to makeup artists due to the intense lighting.
“I’m not a huge powder lover, but using primer and powder strategically to combat shine is a trick I use [for big events],” Delaney said of her red carpet tip. “Using a mattifying primer on places that are typically shiny, and a glowy primer on places you want a healthy sheen, like the cheek bones.”
Now that the Globes are behind Us, Delaney predicts the 2024 awards season will see soft makeup dominate. “Neutral makeup is back, and I’m so happy that it is. I think more people just want to look like themselves, and I’m here for it.”
