AFTER!
POP PRINCESS
Ny-asha McKenzie, 24, IT systems engineer, Kensington, Brooklyn
With no real beauty routine, the most McKenzie will do is play up her eyes with a little shadow here and there. “Makeup is something which comes way down my list of priorities,” says McKenzie.
The likes of Rihanna (inset) and Taylor Swift are flag bearers for this more daring, fun but classy look, which McKenzie can pull off, too. The singers have money, but they don’t flaunt it garishly. Instead, they create their own modern, fashion-conscious trends that exude youth and good taste. “This style is not understated, but it turns heads for the right reasons,” says Lustig.
• Hair is set with the Bio Ionic Detachable Brush System, a splurge at $165, which pays the daily dividend of looking like you’ve had a salon blow-out, finished with a few dabs of Garnier Sleek Finish 5-in-1 Serum Spray, $5.99, and teased into a sexy Bridget Bardot-esque half-up, half-down style, using the volume-creating Rickycare Classic Jr. brush., $19.99.
• Skin is made flawless with L’Oreal True Match, $10.95, Lustig’s go-to drugstore brand of foundation. “This is professional makeup artists’ dirty little secret because it’s well-priced and blends in really well,” says Lustig. “There are 33 different shades, and you can’t go wrong with the charts on the counters.”
Verdict: “This has given me the confidence to experiment more,” says McKenzie. “It’s great to know you don’t have to spend a fortune to look this good.”
Zandy Mangold