Shay Mitchell’s Major Contour Routine

Photo: Getty

Last night at the Teen Choice Awards, Shay Mitchell and the Pretty Little Liars crew took home an award for the best Drama TV series, but Shay’s beauty look was the real win in our book.

Hairstylist Chris Appleton gave Mitchell a simple messy bun with an edgy touch: a pierced braid running from the nape of her neck to her topknot. Appleton is making a name for himself and is responsible for Christina Aguilera and Ariana Grande’s viral pierced braids and Kim Kardashian’s new sleek cut. Mitchell even matched her earrings and metallic dress to her hair, wearing a set of four tiny silver hoop earrings up each ear.

Shay’s go to makeup artist, Patrick Ta, didn’t disappoint. “Shay was my first celebrity client when I moved to Los Angeles. I have been working with her now for over 3 years,” says Ta. “Today is our third Teen Choice Awards together and we wanted to do something fun and different. We know what works and what doesn’t on her by now! Shay loves to look glamorous and glowy. The makeup for her look today came from her stunning dress. It is a Cavalli gold and silver long sleeved dress, so we wanted to give her glowing and dewy skin, but do a brown-purple-red shade on her eye because we thought it would be unexpected!"

Ta prepped Mitchell’s skin with La Mer facial refining cleanser to remove dead skin, followed by crème de La Mer for a luminous complexion and smooth base. He followed with Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer andSmashbox Photo Finish Primer Water.

Shay can thank Ta for her perfectly sculpted cheekbones: he uses four different shades in the hollows of her cheeks, and three different highlighting shades. “Lightly apply a foundation that has a glow to it to ensure your complexion will look clean and bright,” says Ta. “Lightly contour the hollows of your cheeks to accentuate your cheekbones using Smashbox Contour Stick. Blend out with a beauty blender and use Smashbox Step by Step Contour Kit in the medium shade to accentuate the contour pigment. Then apply Smashbox Bronze Lights in suntan matte the contoured areas. To highlight under the eyes, use concealer in two shades lighter than your foundation to bring light to the face. Powder under the eyes with the yellow powder from the Smashbox Step by Step Contour Kit in the medium shade…this will help hold the concealer in place and brighten the skin. Then add a flesh toned blush to the apples of your cheeks. Make sure to blend into your contour for a healthy flush. For this, I used the L.A. Lights Blush in Malibu Berry. Add a highlighter on the halo of your face…for this I used the Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand in Warm Gold.” He finishes off the skin with a translucent setting powder and a setting spray for a natural finish. That’s a mouthful, and a face-ful.

Ta gave Mitchell a clean, red smoky eye that lines up with the lower lash line for a lifting effect. “I wanted the eyes to look sultry!” says Ta. “To achieve this, use a warm brown shade in the crease. Pack on rich berry blush onto the lids, mixed with the dark shade from the Photo Matte Eyes Palette. Color the inner water line using Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner in Onyx. This will create depth and add drama. Curl your lashes and coat twice with Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara.” The tightlined look and bold lashes make the eyes pop despite dimensional colors in the skin.

He finished off the look with a thick brow using Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick in one shade lighter than Mitchell’s natural brows, drawing individual hairs for a natural effect. He matched the lips to the blush usingSmashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Rosebud, Smashbox Be Lengendary Matte Lipstick in Safe Word and clear gloss.