Everything You Need to Know About Kerry Washington’s Beauty Look from InStyle's September Cover Story

Kerry Washington rocks a bold lip on the cover of InStyle’s September issue, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her beauty looks featured in our cover story. The Scandal star went for a completely fresh look at our New York City cover shoot, with her longtime hair stylist Carola Gonzalez and makeup artist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew on hand to switch up the actress’s look between shots. Even Washington’s nails sported two totally different looks throughout the shoot, thanks to manicurist Casey Herman working in a second mid-day mani to apply a second shade from Washington’s just-launched OPI collection.

Together, the trio achieved an overall look that was equal parts simple and stunning. “This is really Kerry in the raw,” said Gonzalez. “The look is very minimal, with natural and healthy skin. I think the focus today is more about Kerry and her natural beauty, and then just like a pop of lip here and there. It’s just about accentuating your features instead of plastering your face with a lot of makeup.”

VIDEO: Kerry Washington Shares Her Beauty Secrets

 

While Gonzalez created multiple makeup looks throughout the shoot—using mostly Neutrogena products, as Washington serves as creative consultant and brand ambassador for the company—the actress’s hair remained the same. But the style itself was totally new. “I wanted to give her a different look than she’s ever done before,” said Sturdivant-Drew. Luckily, Washington was game for taking a risk when it came to her hair. “My favorite thing about working with Kerry is that she’s not afraid of change,” Sturdivant-Drew said at the shoot. “She’s very open to my ideas when it comes to her hair, and I’ve been working with her for a long time, so she trusts my opinion.” And the feeling is mutual. “If Kerry loves it, she says she loves it,” said Sturdivant-Drew. “If she doesn’t, she’ll say she doesn’t love it. But this was a new look for her today, and she definitely loves it.”

Scroll down for the full scoop on Washington’s beauty look from our September issue.

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THE HAIR

Thomas Whiteside

Having been a staple in Washington’s glam squad for years, Sturdivant-Drew was excited to try something fresh at our shoot. “I just wanted to give her more of a youthful, clean look to go with the clothes,” she said. “So I gave her hair some soft texture and then cut and lightened it some.” From there, the slick style was camera-ready, thanks to a few key products. “I used Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo to remove any dullness or buildup from Kerry’s hair,” said Sturdivant-Drew. “Then, I conditioned it with the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Professional Deep Recovery Hair Mask to give it that added shine. Other than that, I didn’t have to put anything on it—you want the hair to just be light and free, so you don’t want to overdo it with products. There’s no hairspray, and I didn’t have to curl it—that’s it at its natural texture.”

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THE MAKEUP

Thomas Whiteside

Makeup artist Corola Gonzalez created several natural-inspired looks for Washington at our shoot, starting with her glow. “To create healthy and even skin on Kerry, I used Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in Cocoa,” said Gonzalez. “Then, to make her skin even more radiant, I rubbed Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 30 against my fingers and dabbed it over her cheekbones, forehead, chin, and nose bridge. This sunscreen, in particular, has a sheen to it.”

When it came to Washington’s lips, Gonzalez said she wanted to "make them pop.” For the bold, burgundy look on our cover (pictured at top), “I used Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Deep Plum and layered it with Charlotte Tilbury's lipstick in Glastonberry to create a certain shade,” she said. Meanwhile, for the “almost-bare” lip pictured above, the makeup artist “dabbed Neutrogena's MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Warm Caramel to match Kerry's lip tone and add some moisture.”

While Washington’s lips certainly stood out, Gonzalez decided to keep things simple when it came to her eyes—except for one standout glossy eye she created, pictured above. To achieve the look, she used Neutrogena Moisture Shine Gloss in Natural Boost paired with the brand's Healthy Volume Mascara in Carbon Black.

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THE NAILS

Thomas Whiteside

At our shoot, manicurist Casey Herman created two different—yet subtle—nail looks with shades from the OPI Washington DC Collection ($10 each, ulta.com). While the actress’s digits are decked out in the olive green “Suzi - The First Lady of Nails” on our cover, Herman swiped the hue off of Washington's nails halfway through our shoot to apply the neutral brown “Squeaker of the House” to better match the day's remaining outfits. And while the colors may be very different, they achieved the same effect. “With the overall look of her outfits, these were good neutrals—and especially for fall fashion looks,” said Herman. “They’re great shades for women of color, and these are both just gorgeous on Kerry’s skin tone. Green can be a little tricky to pull off, but she can do it.”

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