A Makeup Artist Shares Her Most Used Products for Clients (Including for Bridal Makeup)
Sadaf Razi is Adore Beauty's Senior Beauty Editor.
She's a former fashion editor (who worked at various glossy mags) and stylist-turned digital beauty and lifestyle writer. She has been in the lifestyle/media industry for over 10 years and her work has also been featured on international covers like Elle France and Vanity Fair Mexico.
Some of her fave Adore Beauty products include Cicaplast B5, CeraVe Cleansing Oil and Lancôme Renergie Triple Serum.
If you’re one of those people that has always wanted to know, "what products do makeup artists use?", "what do they actually reach for *most* in their kits?"—especially for big-deal moments like bridal makeup—you’re not alone.
As a beauty ed, I’m ALWAYS wanting to know this intel because makeup pros are experts in long-lasting, humidity-proof and sweat-proof makeup products that stay flawless all day.
Who wouldn't want to know how to achieve that kind of staying power?
Lucky for you, we’ve got that beauty intel.
Adore Beauty’s resident makeup artist and Content Manager, Megan Ferla (née Miloshis), recently took to YouTube to spill the tea on her go-to, most-used makeup artist products.
If you get to end of this article think "Wait, what about the blushes, lipsticks, and all the other must-haves?!"
Don’t worry, there’s a part two.
Beauty and makeup lovers, or those wanting to build their professional makeup artist starter kit, get ready to take notes!
Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer.
“Lets start with primers, this first one I have raved about for so many years!”
Megan vouches that the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Gold Primer is great for all skin types especially for those with normal to dry skin.
She says it leaves the skin feeling "hydrated without that oily, greasy finish.”
Megan loves that this hydrating primer blends seamlessly into the skin and contains skin-loving ingredients like vitamin E.
Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer reviews (there’s over 199!- that says enough.)
"I have quite dry skin and have found other primers on the market who promise hydration to either leave my skin oily or make my skin pill. However, this has been my go-to primer for years and I have implemented it into my beauty regime on the daily." - AB customer Leah.
"Love love love this primer with my Estee Lauder Double Wear. Make it looks so smooth and doesn't separate".- AB customer Immy.
elf Mattifying Putty Primer.
@sooklyn TRYING THE ELF MATTE PRIMER.... I think this is new but y’all told me last time it wasn’t ahahahahah anyways not sponsored I just wanted to try! #elf ♬ Blue Blood - Heinz Kiessling
The next primer recommendation is one of the most affordable primers you'll ever use.
"This is a bargain product and I’ve honestly been loving it."
We love a budget-friendly product that even the experts use and love.
"I love applying the elf matte putty primer to clients who have a bit more of an oily T-zone, or even around the cheek area.
And it also doesn’t leave that weird film on the skin that other mattifying primers can sometimes do."
Megan also says a little goes a long way with this affordable mattifying primer.
elf Mattifying Putty Primer reviews:
"Best primer, I have large pores and combination skin and my face ends up oily. This primer hides my pores and keeps me shine free all day. My skin feels nice and soft too. I just love this so much." - Nicole (taken from e.l.f cosmetics webiste).
"This brand is great and super affordable, this primer is so good! It helps my foundation go on so flawlessly." - AB customer J.
M.A.C COSMETICS Studio Radiance Face & Body Radiant Sheer Foundation.
"Now on to foundation, picking one was way to hard." (fair)..
"To be honest, I always cocktail my foundations together to ensure that I’m getting the right shade. The right coverage and the right finish for each individual client." says Megan.
"The first foundation that I mix into pretty much everyone’s "foundation cocktail" as I like to call them, is the MAC studio radiance face and body foundation. This is a super light to medium coverage foundation.
It does leave a glowing radiant finish, blends out really seamlessly and is almost undetectable on the skin."
Is MAC face and body long-wearing?
Says Megan, "because a lot of my clients are after long wear make up like bridal make up or special event make up I would rarely go in with this on its own."
She will always mix this MAC foundation in with a few other foundations like the next one...
M.A.C COSMETICS Studio Radiance Face & Body Radiant Sheer Foundation reviews:
"The absolute best. Light weight, lasts all day, stunning colour selection. Highly recommend!" - AB customer Sana.
"This foundation makes me look like I just had a facial covering a few dark spots without looking a full on make up! I'm onto my second bottle." - AB customer Mia.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.
"Next up, I don’t think anyone will be surprised with this...
It is the Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation. A makeup artist favourite foundation pretty much all over the world and for good reason - it just has a beautiful satin finish.
It really does set in place once you’ve buffed it into the skin and it’s really really good for long-wear."
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation reviews:
"Love this foundation. Great medium coverage that looks natural. Lasts all day. Lightweight and easy to blend. Worth every penny!" - AB customer Donna
"I've seen so many positive reviews over the last year and I had to give it a go. Amazing foundation for 40+ sensitive skin. Worth every penny." - AB customer Chelle.
"Rarely do I purchase from "luxury" make up brands but this foundation here truly has an unmatched formula. It just creates the most flawless finish, it's worth every penny." - AB customer Bella.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup Foundation.
"Of course it wouldn’t be a fully-stocked make up kit without Estee Lauder Double Wear."
Megan will mostly use this long lasting foundation on clients with an oily or combo skin type that wants their make up to go to the absolute distance.
I along with a lot of our colleagues in the AB office can also confirm this one of our fave long-lasting foundations.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup Foundation reviews (over a thousand):
"I can't rate this highly enough, have been using it for years. Covers so well, even age spots, doesn't slide, wear off etc. I do use a primer. Genuinely stays in place all day. Even after 12 hours there is product still on my face to wash off at the end of the day. Non oily. I have tried dozens of others, low end and high end and nothing comes close, even known dupes! Great price and I loved being able to shop at my leisure online." - AB customer DJay.
This foundation is a classic for a reason. I rarely need to use a primer or a setting spray now that I use this, just a bit of setting powder and my face stays matte for hours." - AB customer Chlo.
M.A.C Cosmetics Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.
Best setting powder?
The MAC mineralised skin finish powder is one of Megan's "all-time favourite setting powders."
Multi-use, Megan says this product can be used as a bronzer or a setting and finishing powder.
"It actually has pearlised pigments in there that gives your skin a little bit of a satin natural finish.
One of my favourite things about this powder is that even people with super dry skin that are petrified of powder still like this once it’s applied on the skin and is great at setting even those with the most oily of skins so it really is just an absolute all-rounder." says Megan.
"I've used this powder for years, and nothing else I've tried had been as flattering under the eyes and all over the face as this powder. I have combination-oily skin and removes shine and sets my makeup without looking cakey. Will repurchase forever!" AB customer - Zoe.
"I have a million powders but still bought this (in Medium Golden) on a whim and I love it. It has great coverage and a beautiful glow. I use it as a setting powder and cover up powder." - AB customer Gabrielle.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette.
A universal eye shadow palette with a wide variety of shades that suit just about everyone is not easy find.
That's why Megan loves and always uses the soft glam palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills.
"My personal favourite shades are burnt orange, orange soda, sienna, rustic and cyprus umber. This is really just the perfect combination of shimmer shades and matte shades and you also get warm and cool tones.
This is one that is applied to pretty much all of my clients regardless of what type of look they’re wanting. I can always find a shade in here that I need for the look."
Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette reviews:
"Beautiful eyeshadow palette with the best 14 shades ever. I like that it has matte and glamorous shimmery colours." - AB customer Hannah.
"My absolute favourite pallet. Can create so many looks with this selection of colours in this pallet. Great pigmentation and stays put until you want it off." - AB customer Kristy.
Napoleon Perdis Luxe Lids Eye Stix.
"Whilst we’re on the topic of eyes, I have to talk about these Napoleon Perdis Lux eye sticks."
Megan has four shades in her kit but there's a whole host of gorgeous, flattering shades to choose from.
“They are super velvety and they go on so seamlessly."
"They're super pigmented and they buff out like a dream."
The best part?
"These are super long wearing so if anyone that finds that they get really oily lids this is a great option to try."
Napoleon Perdis Luxe Lids Eye Stix reviews:
"I find this product so easy to use on the mature skin around my eyes. It's super easy to blend and the colors are great." - AB customer Annie.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Seal - Waterproof Liquid Converter.
"The next product is probably an unsung hero but I genuinely cannot glam without this."
"This is a liquid sealant that goes in and and can transform almost any makeup product into a smudge-proof water resistant formula.
You can use this on gel eyeliners, you can use this with loose shadow pots and it basically just takes whatever formula it's applied to and makes it smutch proof and transfer-proof.
We have all been at the stage where you’ve had a gel eyeliner that has pretty much dried out and now you don’t really know what to do with it because when it applies it’s chalky and it kind of gets stuck along your eye."
The solve? Watch this product work its magic and transorm this dried-out eyeliner (and add extreme pigment) in Megan's YouTube video below:
Napoleon Perdis Sketch Pot Gel Eyeliner.
"I have to speak to these gel liner pots from Napoleon Perdis."
Megan's shade of choice for bridal makeup? Frappe.
Says Megan, "This has been so so popular in my glams lately because everyone is wanting that beautiful 'soft glam' (bridal makeup) and a brown liner is the perfect way to do that."
She loves that it's still rich enough to give you beautiful dimension and also soft enough to make you look really natural.
Napoleon Perdis Sketch Pot Gel Eyeliner review:
"Very beautiful goes on easily and is easy to remove, if you don't touch it , it will stay on all day looking good with absolute no smudges." - AB customer Violet.
Benefit 24 Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel.
"I’ve had to throw in a brow product!"
Megan uses the cult Benefit 24 hour brow setter for her own makeup as well as on her makeup clients.
"I absolutely love the fine tooth bristles on the brush but also I just love the formula. It doesn’t leave a white residue, it’s not very sticky and they set in place super quickly."
Benefit 24 Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel review:
"Since purchasing the Benefit 24 Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel, I can't live without it! It truly delivers on its 24-hour hold promise, keeping my brows perfectly in place all day. It's the perfect finishing touch to my makeup routine and works wonders even on no-makeup days." - AB customer Freya.
Listen to Megan chat through her makeup must-haves as well as the dangerous tanning trend taking over TikTok in the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast episode below:
Check out more of Megan's expert beauty recommendations below:
