Refinery29 creative director Lydia Pang is the ultimate cool girl. (We're just going to drop her Instagram here if you need proof.) She's the brain behind many of our big campaigns, a global art director, a not-so-closeted art-history geek, and a "grown-up goth" who owns her signature beauty look. "I don't want to be pretty; I want to be memorable," she says. Makeup is her war paint, and her look is confident, unapologetic, and strong. In the video above, we sit down with Pang to get the secrets to her look as well as her take on reclaiming makeup as a tool for self-expression.
So here's the breakdown: Start by placing a dot of foundation, like the COVERGIRL Vitalist Healthy Elixir Foundation*, a full-coverage, hydrating formula with SPF 20, on your forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks. Blend it all in with a sponge applicator. Then move on to your brows. Fill in and define them using a black brow pencil. Pang prefers dramatic, sharp edges on her brows. To copy this, use an angled brush and black brow powder to extend the shape of each brow and bring it to a point. Next, create Pang's classic cat-eye look by tracing along your upper lashlines with liquid liner, starting at the outer edge and working your way in. For defined lashes, layer two coats of mascara onto your top lashes and a little bit on the bottom ones. Finally, finish the look with a beauty staple for any goth queen: black lipstick. You can use a clear lipliner to outline your lips (because, let's face it, black lipliners are in short supply), and then fill in with lipstick. Put a tissue between your lips and blot once or twice before layering on another coat of lipstick. Simple yet powerful, this cool-girl look is one we know you'll love.
*Use as directed.