Beyond Topical: Natural, Glowy Makeup with Romy Soleimani / Part 2

Beyond Topical is an informative series featuring interviews with authentic Marie Veronique users sharing their expertise across a variety of topics that impact total skin health and wellness. As leaders in their respective fields, we value the informed decisions that have brought these friends of the brand to Marie Veronique Skincare. Because while supporting skin with well-formulated and strategic topicals such as the ones we make at Marie Veronique is imperative, we also want to bring attention to other contributing factors that can influence skin health.

“I like to use skincare as makeup – and it’s often the combination of the two when the real magic happens.” - Romy Soleimani

Thank you to Friend of the Brand, Romy Soleimani, for joining us again. Her skin-first approach to combining skincare + makeup to achieve a natural, radiant glow is inspiring. In this conversation, she shared expert application tips and tricks for specific skin concerns such as redness, breakouts, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and even pore size.

As Romy mentioned, there are no “hard rules,” but these insights are helpful to consider as you start your routine:

For Redness & Rosacea Skin Types

Skin Prep Topicals: Redness Relief Serum, C-Therapy Serum, Soothing B3 Serum 

Technique: 

• Enhance natural rosiness based on your skin – think about adding or subtracting color, especially on cheeks. Avoid covering it all up just to add it back with blush.
• Focus on applying light layers. Use a fluffy brush or your fingers to maintain a natural skin look. 
• Concentrate concealer/foundation on the center of the face,  keeping cheeks and forehead more bare.

Types of Makeup: Drier or matte concealer, green concealer. 

Brands: Westman Atelier Vital Skincare, Fara Homidi

For Breakout-Prone Skin

Skin Prep Topicals: Treatment Serum, Intensive Repair Serum, Treatment Oil, Barrier Restore Serum, Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion (PM)

Technique: 

• Use ice to reduce inflammation for acute breakouts. Also, “spot + press” technique. 
• Avoid heavy layers or products that cause excessive drying or peeling, which only emphasize comedones (for ex., skip benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid).
• Focus on creating nourished, healthy skin for faster recovery. 

Types of makeup: Use concealer as a spot treatment.

Brands: Spatch (powder concealer)

For Melasma, Hyperpigmentation + Sun Spots 

Skin Prep Topicals: Soothing B3 Serum, C-Therapy Serum, Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion (PM)

Technique:

• Spot treat or “dot” sun spots/pigmentation with concealer to even + brighten.
• Create a “veil” of color to achieve a more even look.
• Use a brush for fuller coverage.

Types of Makeup: Stronger pigmented concealer or a dewy foundation. 

Brands: Westman Atelier, Kosas, ilia

For Fine Lines and Mature Skin

Skin Prep Topicals: Face to Chest Hydration Mask, Micronutrient + Hydro Mask, Barrier Lipid Complex 

Technique: 

• Hydration, hydration, hydration! 
• Focus on deeply hydrating and nourishing the skin prior to makeup application to plump lines.
•  Less is more. 

Types of Makeup: Sheer foundation + adding your facial oil for a finishing look.

Brands: Westman Atelier, Sara Creel Face Flex

For Pore Size

Skin Prep Topicals: Balancing HypoTonic, Pre + Probiotic Daily Mist, Oil Cleansing, Intensive Repair Serum, Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion (PM)

Technique: 

• Emphasis on skincare + skin prep. 
• Press the concealer/foundation into the pores repeatedly to “fill” and reduce appearance.

Types of Makeup: Stronger pigmented concealer.

Brands: Westman Atelier

In addition to products, she emphasized the importance of facial massage and gua sha techniques to truly energize the skin. She also provided a quick tutorial featuring one of her favorite tricks for prepping + plumping lips. You can watch the full conversation here and if you missed Part 1, you can learn more here. 

Romy Soleimani is a New York-based makeup artist and skincare professional. She is a master of facial massage technique, famously known for her fresh, clean, second skin, and expert, intuitive use of color. 

Her celebrity clientele includes Alicia Keys, Cara Delevingne, Tracee Ellis Ross, Naomi Watts, Reese Witherspoon, Kiera Knightly, Lucy Boynton, Julianne Moore, and Natalie Portman, all of whom she creates natural, glowy makeup looks on, made possible by her heavy emphasis on skin preparation. 

She has contributed to publications including Vogue (America, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, China, Italy), Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Teen Vogue, WSJ Magazine, Allure,  Interview, V, and ELLE, and has collaborated with renowned photographers such as  Dan Jackson, Cass Bird, Yelena Yemchuk, and Lachlan Bailey. Soleimani's keen eye has landed her major campaigns for brands including Ulla Johnson, Estée Lauder, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein.