The One Makeup Artist You Need to Follow on Instagram This Year

By Dianna Mazzone Updated Jan 24, 2019 @ 8:45 am
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Followers flock to Katie Jane Hughes's feed to see what Rosie Huntington-Whiteley once called “the KJH special”: a flashy pop of color set against fresh, dewy skin. “I know how to put [foundation] on a person and make it look like it’s not there at all,” says Hughes.

A former editorial manicurist, she developed her makeup skills assisting industry vets on set. But it was Instagram that made her a social-media star, attracting clients like Ashley Graham and campaign work for beauty brand Glossier.

“Instagram is my launchpad, my inspiration,” she says. And with near-daily posts and live tutorials featuring glossy complexions and edgy eyeliner, Hughes continues to draw a crowd. “If someone told me 10 years ago that Instagram was going to change my career, I would’ve been like, ‘ Yeah, whatever.’ ” Scroll on to see the products that never let her down.

RELATED: 5 Beauty Lovers on the Best Blending Brushes for a Stellar Smoky Eye 

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Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette Precious Stones Collection in Sapphire

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$27
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When painted on with a wet brush, these metallic shadows deliver a rich, textured finish, says Hughes.

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Revlon Electric Shock Highlighting Powder in Light It Up

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$15
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Hughes dusts highlighter along the very top of the forehead, down the bridge of the nose, and on the chin. The vertical path elongates the face, she says.

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BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer Hydrating Gel Cream & Weleda Skin Food

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$30
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Massaging in moisturizer before foundation makes for a more seamless application, she says.

$19; target.com.

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Innisfree Eyeshadow Contouring Brush & Urban Decay Lo-Fi Lip Mousse in Noise

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$22
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To give lips a softer look, Hughes applies lipstick then blurs edges with a pointed eye-shadow brush. She also dabs powder over the center of lips for a diffused effect.  

$6; us.innisfree.com. 

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Ardell Beauty Stroke a Brow Feathering Pen & Göt2b Spiked-Up Max-Control Styling Gel

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$10
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After filling in sparse areas with this pen, Hughes brushes brows upward and sets them with hair gel.

$7; walgreens.com.

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By Dianna Mazzone