When I first teased Beau Society on Instagram, many of you guessed it was a beauty brand. B-E-A-U are the first four letters in beauty — and I love makeup — so it’s a great guess, but no, obviously that’s not what this is.
As you now know, it’s a newsletter. But I do want to dig into beauty this week. It’s been top-of-mind: I recently cut my hair (which you saw in last week’s letter), and I’ve been doing some beauty-related interviews. Plus, last week, when I polled you about topics you’re interested in, hundreds of you said skincare and makeup (thank you for sending in your thoughts, btw. Keep sending, I love seeing them!).
I take good care of my skin and the way I see it, skincare is about 75% of my makeup routine. At this point, my skincare is plain and simple. Many years of trial and error have led me to my current philosophy: less is more, and if it ain’t broke don’t change it! Of course, my skin still has an occasional freak out — if I’m traveling or working on set and wearing long-wear makeup 24/7 — which will require a little extra TLC. In those cases, I turn to trusted dermatologists or TT trends (guilty) to research new treatments or ingredients. (I still need someone to explain snail mucin).
While my daily skincare routine is generally pared down — and who knows, that might change tomorrow — it affords me more brain space to play with my makeup, which I love to do! I learn so much from watching makeup tutorials and I’m blessed to occasionally get my glam done by makeup artists who have turned into friends, like the amazing Patrick Ta (we get more from him later!).
Funny enough, during one of my recent press interviews, a journalist brought up this beauty video I filmed back in 2020. I had totally forgotten about it. She said that watching me do my makeup was fun, and our conversation made me realize that my routine today actually looks pretty similar to what I was doing four years ago. But I’ve made some subtle tweaks and product upgrades. If you’re curious for an update, this is exactly what I do most days when I’m going for cool, effortless makeup:
I always start with a good moisturizer, this one to be exact.
I do a light pass of foundation. I just tried Patrick’s new Major Skin foundation. Obsessed.
A good cream blush comes next. I use the Rhode Pocket Blush in the shade ‘Toasted Teddy.’ I lightly tap it onto my cheekbones, dabbing the color upwards. I’ll buff it out with a brush, and whatever is left over, I’ll brush over my eyelids and lips.
Mascara is Giorgio Armani's Eyes to Kill.
Then for brows, I always brush them up with clear brow gel. Very occasionally I'll fill them in lightly.
The last step is redefining my beauty marks. I use a liquid liner pen, like what some people might use for faux freckles, but I use it to define any marks that might have been slightly covered up by foundation.
That’s it! This is the routine most days, but when I go out, I do love a glam moment…
I’m far from a makeup pro, so I wanted to hand it over to one of my favorite makeup artists of all time, Patrick Ta, to share some of his best tips and tricks. Patrick is a friend and a genius. You’ve probably watched his tutorials on Instagram or TikTok, or seen his flawless glam on one of your faves. He’s one of the hardest people to pin down because he’s so insanely booked and busy, but he graciously agreed to chat with us, and it’s lucky because his tips (and makeup products) are truly game-changing. Read through our recent convo, ahead.
A conversation with
Patrick Ta
Hailee Steinfeld: Okay, you’re meeting someone for the first time. What is one thing someone would be surprised to see you pull out of your makeup kit?
Patrick Ta: “I like to keep a gua sha stone in my kit to help achieve an instant lift and natural glow. I wholeheartedly believe that good makeup starts with good skincare — something I made sure was included in our new liquid foundation formula, if you don’t have time to skin prep — so I like to use tools like this to sculpt and de-puff the face before applying any makeup.”
HS: If you had to do someone’s makeup but could only use three products, which would you choose?
PT: “If I had to choose just three products, I would reach for our new Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation; it’s a game-changer and provides exactly what the name implies: a luminous, radiant base that enhances your natural skin for that lit-from-within glow while offering the perfect amount of coverage. It also blends beautifully with your skin and all other products.
Next for me would be my Major Headlines Double Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo. It’s essential and something I think is synonymous with my makeup looks. The creme and powder formula gives skin that natural kiss of color. Sometimes I’ll even add the creme formula to the lips for a flush of color, so this is a must if I only had three products!
Finally, my Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo. This is key for adding dimension and structure to the face, and some bronzed warm tones to your look.”
HS: Where do you get your makeup inspiration? Through photos or IRL?
PT: “Creating looks that are fresh and glowy, while still being bold and confident, is something I’m always striving for... I’m constantly inspired by my clients and the women in my life, especially the strong, confident people I get to work with who are the modern muses of today’s world. I also find a lot of inspiration online — there are so many incredible looks out there that fuel my inspiration for new looks.”
HS: You’re known for your amazing blush technique. What’s the key to achieving perfectly flushed cheeks using blush?
PT: “Start with powder blush to set your base, then add cream blush on top to bring that glow back to the skin. This combination not only gives a long-lasting effect but also creates a more dimensional and natural-looking flush. You can also apply the blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend upwards towards the temples for a lifted effect.”
HS: You have your finger on the pulse of makeup trends — in fact, you create many of them! What’s one trend we’ll see everywhere this fall?
PT: “For fall, I see us leaning into warmer and deeper blush tones. Coming off of the ‘blush blindness’ trend, people are really exploring and playing with blush more than ever before. I can see people reaching for more berries, plums, and deeper hues in general that will add richness to our fall looks. I definitely recommend trying our blush duos in ‘She’s Wanted’ or ‘She’s Flushed’ to try it out.”
Try the blush filter Patrick made for TikTok if you haven't already. It allows you to try every blush shade in the Patrick Ta Beauty range, from light pink to dark berry, and find the one that fits your skin tone (and vibe). Plus, the filter superimposes the blush directly on the top of your cheeks, which shows you exactly where to apply the color IRL. When in doubt, as Patrick says, blend upwards!
Thanks so much for reading through our first beau-ty issue. You may feel inspired to wear a dark blush this weekend. Or, you lean into no-makeup-makeup. Either way, have a great Labor Day weekend (if you’re here in the US like me); I hope it’s restful and joy-filled. I’m feeling excited for September.
