Building Your Kit Part 19: HD-Ready Products

Now that the HD camera is the standard for television, our eyes have had to adjust to seeing sitcom celebrities, reality TV social climbers, and nightly news anchors magnified (really magnified). In high-def, makeup can look obvious and imperfections seem insurmountable. Whether we like it or not, HD has become a part of our everyday lives, especially for those in front of the camera, and extra-especially for us professionals trying to make them look good. The good news is, there are now a whole bunch of products that can handle the intense microscope that’s high-def, many of which are labeled “HD”.

But when it comes to choosing a foundation range for you or your kit, remember that high-def is a technology, not a product. Just because a product calls itself HD doesn’t mean it’s your only option—or even your best one.

The goal of high-def-appropriate makeup is to make things look as natural as possible. Stay away from anything that is “too” anything—too shiny, too glittery, too matte, too much—and you’ll deliver a gorgeous look that won’t distract. Here are a few of my favorite products that the pros use to keep makeup looking legit for any on-camera occasion.

Bliss Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub

$18 | shop it

Nothing is more distracting in HD than dry and flaky lips. Keep the lips soft and supple and ready for clear gloss or bold color with Bliss’s gentle sugar scrub. It’s perfect on set or while getting ready in the morning.

Embryolisse Sérum Anti-Âge Redensifiant

$75 | shop it

This lightweight “re-densifying” (meaning: it plumps) serum preps and primes the skin so well. It hydrates and tightens while minimizing pores, providing an ideal canvas for any foundation you’re working with.

Smashbox Liquid Halo HD Foundation

$42

This was the first foundation with “100% Liquid Light Technology,” and it evens out skin with a really natural finish. The HD formula was developed to keep up with always-advancing photo technology, and gives you flawless coverage that’s pretty much undetectable to the naked eye. It was also named in Allure’s Best of Beauty 2013 list.

Graftobian High-Def Glamour Creme Super foundation palettes

$26.99–$74.99

A lightweight, long-wearing cream foundation that comes in the colors for every skin tone, and in palettes of five or 18 shades that’s well-designed for a pro artist’s kit. Sheer it down with a moisturizer or build it up for complete coverage—it always gives the look of lovely, natural skin.

Inglot Cosmetics Mattifying Loose Powder 3s

$38

Inglot’s powder for stage, sport, and studio powder comes in three shades, and absorbs oil and water while minimizing shine and diffusing light. It never cakes or feels heavy, and unlike many other HD powders on the market, this one also sets foundation into place for an impeccable, talc-free complexion.

MAC Fluidline in Dipdown

$16

Fluidline is an eyeliner with a silky, stay-put formula, and provides depth and precision but with a softer, more diffused feel. Dipdown is a deep and rich brown shade that’s invaluable for filling in missing brow hairs, adding soft structure, shading, or creating an eyeliner look that feels substantial without being too aggressive, the way that black liner can.

rms beauty Lip2Cheek

$36 | shop it

Cream blushes can be beautiful in high-definition because they appear to be flushing from beneath the skin instead of simply sitting on top. Some of my favorites are from rms beauty—the colors are sheer and soft, but also rich enough for all skin tones. They deliver a natural look that won’t come across as overdone, whether in HD or everyday situations.

Read every installment in James Vincent’s Building Your Kit series here!

Photo: sArhange1 / Vetta

As Director of Artistry for The Makeup Show, The Powder Group and On Makeup Magazine, makeup artist James Vincent has touched every facet of the industry with his talent. With specialties in film and theatre, television and celebrity work, editorial and runway work, James is foremast a passionate educator, training for brands such as MAC, Stila, CNN and Lancome. He continues to inspire the next wave of artists with his beauty expertise. Follow James on Twitter @JVincentmakeup.