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Red Carpet Make-Up Artist Shares Tips

Poise counts.

On Oscar night Hollywood's biggest celebrities always seem to look flawless on the red carpet and on stage.

How do they do it?

Stars like Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard rely on make-up artist Angela Levin.

Levin, whose clientele also includes Renee Zellweger and Jennifer Garner, says creating glamorous looks isn't as tedious as some might think.


Photos: Fashion Police: Oscars 2008
"People always think it takes a long time to get people ready but the actual work doesn't take that long - anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes for make-up. But what we do is we have a great time, we sit, we hang out, we talk, we laugh, we cry and that's what takes a little bit of time," she says.

To keep stars looking fresh throughout the night Levin says she always moisturizes the whole face before any make-up application, a trick she says gives her clients a "dewy looking and beautiful, very young" appearance.

Levin says she is a "very lucky make-up artist" because her clients are so pretty there is nothing she would want to hide from the public eye. She explains that what she does is not cover-up features, but rather accentuate the eyes and cheeks with good mascara and blush.

When it comes to Nicole Kidman's beauty, Levin says she uses great products, but more so, Kidman has a "happiness and joy from the inside" that is a big part of her radiant look.

While Levin credits much of her work to the natural striking beauty of her clients, she also has advice for how the everyday person who doesn't have their own make-up artist can achieve a glowing complexion.

Levin says the two most important features are the cheeks and lips. One should avoid a dry and matte look by using a few coats of a moisturized lipstick, and a nice color and moisturizer on the apples of the cheeks. Levin says this will provide a "youthful, young and happy sort of look."

By Abigail Albair

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