Polished Grunge Is The Coolest, Easiest Party Look, Says Celeb MUA Hannah Murray
October 16 | 3 minute read
Words by MECCA Memo
Her immaculate looks have graced the covers of Vogue, Allure and Interview magazines, runway shows and the complexions of A-listers (Jennifer Connelly! Greta Gerwig! Cardi B!).
Murray’s affinity with a smoky-smudgy eye that feels lived-in and not plucked from the mosh pit has accidentally-on-purpose made her the queen of ‘polished grunge’ makeup. She predicts this ’90s revival is the party look of the season – and to ensure we have the right tools to master this look, she’s released her Polished Grunge Collection with Bobbi Brown, the beauty brand for which she’s Global Artistic Director.
This limited-edition range manages to embody grunge spirit (without having to exclusively wear your ex’s Sonic Youth tee) with its range of dual-ended eyeshadow and kohl liner sticks for a smudge-eye that won’t budge, three lip and cheek oils and a universal cream highlighter.
Ahead of this party season, Murray told us all about her skin-first philosophy, how to perfect party makeup that lasts and why everyone needs to carry blotting paper with them on the dance floor.
Prep your skin, always
“I like to take [my] time with skincare. Once skin is looking as healthy and radiant as possible, you end up using less foundation and it makes any stronger makeup accent look more modern,” explains Murray.
“I’ll often do a gentle exfoliation to brighten the skin and stimulate blood flow, a massage with my hands or a jade roller with Vitamin Enriched Smoothing Serum (this awakens the skin and creates a beautiful dewy texture) then I’ll follow with Vitamin Enriched Face Base and Vitamin Enriched Eye Base, which plumps and preps skin for makeup.”
Invest in quality
“It’s all about the quality of the products – using long-wear formulas that are quick and easy, but will stay all night, means you don’t have to worry about retouching,” shares Murray.
“I’ll sometimes use a mattifying primer on the T-zone, which helps for oilier skin types and means I will use little to no powder. If I’m going with a bold lipstick, I like to apply one coat, blot, reapply and then use a lip pencil, if needed, to fix the shape and ensure it stays.”
And for that perfect complexion? Murray recommends Bobbi Brown’s Weightless Skin Foundation that lasts for 24 hours (if your party stamina extends that far).
Wear a smudgy eye
“The ’90s continues to be a big trend; I think we’re all ready to move away from the overly technical contouring of the last few years and move to a more sensual, sexy, effortless makeup,” predicts Murray.
To achieve this look, Murray recommends Bobbi Brown’s Polished Grunge Long-Wear Cream Shadow and Kohl Liner Duo.
“You can dance all night, and it won’t end up halfway down your face! It’s the ’90s but modernised with beautiful foolproof formulas that do the work for you and don’t budge!” she explains.
Going from day to night
“For day, I would use the Long Wear Cream Shadow side of the new Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick and Kohl Liner Duo as a wash on the eyelid and along the bottom lashes – this creates a soft halo of color and subtle definition. I would then define the top waterline with the kohl and finish with a coat of mascara,” shares Murray.
“Then for night, I would just add the kohl into the bottom lashes and waterline for a very quick update to your look. You can also apply more of the Long Wear Cream Shadow to intensify the smoke,” she adds.
