This is how she do: Rita Ora's make-up artist details the TWENTY SIX products used to create the singer's sultry 'dark romantic' beauty look for the VMAs

  • Rita, 25, had a metallic smoky eye and glowing skin at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City on Sunday night
  • Her make-up artist Kathy Jeung gave Dailymail.com the step-by-step break down so you can create the party-ready look at home
  • Shop all 26 products Kathy used on Rita for the evening 

Lest you think getting a superstar like Rita Ora, 25, ready for the MTV Video Music Awards is easy, let her make-up artist Kathy Jeung remind you that it's anything but.

It took two hours and 26 cosmetic products to get the singer and new America's Next Top Model host out the door.

Listen in on our Q&A with Kathy, and shop every single one of the items she used to create Rita's 'dark romantic' make-up look. 

No black widow here! This incredible 'dark romantic' beauty look took Rita Ora's make-up artist two hours and 26 products but was well worth the effort

No black widow here! This incredible 'dark romantic' beauty look took Rita Ora's make-up artist two hours and 26 products but was well worth the effort

Blending the hard and soft: Make-up pro Kathy Jeung made sure her work on Rita meshed with edgy mohawk that hairstylist Brent Lawler gave the star

Blending the hard and soft: Make-up pro Kathy Jeung made sure her work on Rita meshed with edgy mohawk that hairstylist Brent Lawler gave the star

What was the inspiration behind tonight’s look for Rita?

'Her Marc Jacobs "rocker/romantic" motorcycle jacket and tulle dress prompted the idea of a "dark romantic" makeup look: foremost was sheer but perfect coverage of her skin and a strong eye focus without hard edges. 

'To keep the look from appearing too goth, I added a radiant sheen to the skin finish, flushed cheeks and a slightly tinted, muted lip.'

Was this one of those times Rita came to you with an idea, or did you have one in mind?

Once her outfit was confirmed, Jason Rembert, Rita's stylist, inspired me with the 'dark romantic' phrase. To get thoughts and opinions from Rita and our glam team, I put together about 20 references and sketches of make-up looks as a first go around 'show and tell' to share, from there we collaborate on a decision for a more specific direction. 

Start to finish, how long did tonight’s look take to do?

Because Brent Lawler, Rita's hairstylist, Naomi Yasuda, her manicurist, and I work at the same time on big events, and we don't like to rush through our work, it took almost two hours, including giving her skin treatments.

Feathered fancy! The flick of Rita's Marc Jacobs' hem was the perfect addition to her look 

Feathered fancy! The flick of Rita's Marc Jacobs' hem was the perfect addition to her look 

Top off your look with a fur trimmed leather jacket by Marc Jacobs

It's not every day that we get to see outerwear on the red carpet. So when Rita Ora arrived at the VMA awards in this gorgeous leather jacket, we couldn't help but get excited.

Her entire look was pulled from Marc Jacobs' Fall 2016 runway, from the sheer feathered dress to those vertiginous platform boots. But it was her fur trimmed topper that we couldn't get enough of.

Leather jackets are a perennial fave that will never go out of style, but add in some colored fox fur like MJ and you've got yourself a winning combination.

If you've got the cash to splash, click through to Nordstrom's website to pick up Rita's exact jacket.

Otherwise get the look for less below. There's something for every budget.

* PRICES MAY NOT BE AS ADVERTISED
Nailed it! Naomi Yasuda created red and black ombre mani that coordinated with Rita's outfit

Nailed it! Naomi Yasuda created red and black ombre mani that coordinated with Rita's outfit

How does getting Rita ready for a red-carpet event like this differ from getting her ready for a TV appearance – whether that’s ANTM or X Factor?

We allow for a little more time for glam and there's a bit more excitement in the air. Today was a calm lighthearted day, but when Brent and I work we are very focused, so after we are done, it's fun and exciting to see the look altogether once she's dressed. It's always stunning.

You’ve said in the past that you’re big on skincare prep. What went into that this time around?

For tonight, the first step was my favorite SK-II eye treatment masks for ten minutes to soothe her under-eye area.

The next step is lip hydration. I have a two-step process of Blistex Lip Ointment followed by Lucas Pawpaw Ointment. By putting this on at the start of a make-up session, the lips are well-hydrated, which is especially important for matte lipstick looks.

I then used a wonderful on-the-go oxygen treatment by Kate Sommerville called DermalQuench Liquid Lift, followed by a spritz of Caudalie Grape Water.

The eye cream and moisturizer used were by Biologique Recherche, and both are revitalizing products with oxygen.

SHOP RITA'S SKIN PRODUCTS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT 

SK-II Signs Eye Mask ($115, sephora.com)

Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfector ($36, westmorebeauty.com

Kate Sommerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift ($95, sephora.com)

Biologique Recherche Creme Hydravit's ($93, shoprescuespa.com

Caudalie Grape Water  ($22, sephora.com)

Biologique Recherche Creme Contour Yeux et Levres Biofixine ($195, shoprescuespa.com)

Can you break down the look for us?

For Rita's skin, we wanted sheer coverage with a highlighted glow, paired with flushed cheeks and sculpted cheekbones.

To get it, I applied Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer in Peach Glow all over her face and neck to prep, prime and add colored glow before make-up. Then, to unify skin tone and cover imperfections, I applied EX1 Cosmetics Invisiwear Liquid Foundation in shade 7.0 with a foundation brush all over her face and blended it under the jaw and onto neck. I further blended with a damp BeautyBlender make-up sponge.

In order to camouflage dark circles, I applied concealer underneath the eyes with my ring finger in a tapping motion and set everything with a light dusting of powder. 

When it came to contouring, I used the darker shade in the Marc Jacobs Beauty InstaMarc Light Filtering Contour Powder in 40 Mirage in the hollows of Rita's cheeks, under her chin and along the jawline, and then I blended well to give her soft sculpting. I also used the lighter color in the area just below the contour to sharpen her jawline.

To further blend the contour and add warmth to her face, I dusted a bronzer over the darker contour shade and just above the cheekbones.  

Then, using a rounded brush, I applied EX1 Cosmetics Blusher in Natural Flush on the apples of the cheeks to give a rosy flushed look and finished by applying highlighter along Rita's cheekbones, down the length of her nose, and on her clavicle bones.

SHOP RITA'S COMPLEXION PRODUCTS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

EX1 Cosmetics Blusher in Natural Flush ($13, lookfantastic.com)

EX1 Cosmetics Invisiwear Liquid Foundation in shade 7.0 ($17, lookfantastic.com, with new shades launching September 3)

Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Bronzer Perfect Tan in Tantric ($49, sephora.com)

Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer in Peach Glow ($74, nordstrom.com)

EX1 Cosmetics Delete Concealer in D200 ($12, lookfantastic.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator ($42,sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty InstaMarc Light Filtering Contour Powder in 40 Mirage ($49, sephora.com)

EX1 Cosmetics Compact Powder in 200 ($12, lookfantastic.com)

 The eyes were the star of Rita's look. Tell us how you created them.

I wanted to do a smoky, metallic eye with a strong brow. I began by giving Rita's eyebrows structure and extension with soft strokes of a dark brown brow pencil.

Next, with a rounded brush, I applied the beige shade from the Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No 7 Eyeshadow Palette in 206 The Lolita palette all over her eyelid, up to the browbone and used a pointed crease brush to accentuate her crease with the taupe color from the palette.

I layered a metallic grey shadow over her eyelid and along her lower lashline and rimmed her entire eye with a black gel liner. Then I smudged and blended with a brush dipped in metallic black eyeshadow from the Style Eye-Con No 7 Eyeshadow Palette in 208 The Vamp.

Just outside the inner corners of Rita's eyes, I dotted and blended a metallic pink shadow and then applied a metallic green shadow to 1/3 of the eye along the inner lower lashline, blending into the black shadow.

Fake lashes and two coats of black volumizing mascara on upper and lower lashes completed the eye look.  

Rimmel London Provocolips 16HR Kiss Proof Lip Colour in 40 Wish Upon A Berry gave the pale, dusty rose matte lips we wanted. 

SHOP RITA'S EYE PRODUCTS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye Con No 7 Plush Eyeshadow Palette in The Lolita ($59, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara ($26, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Twinkle Pop Stick Eyeshadow in Honey Bunny ($28, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer ($25, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Brow Wow Defining Longwear Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown ($25, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Twinkle Pop Stick Eyeshadow in Shoshanna ($28, sephora.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Twinkle Pop Stick Eyeshadow in Stardust ($28, sephora.com)

Velour Lashes Silk Lashes in "FluffnEdgy" ($26, velourlashes.com)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye Con No 7 Plush Eyeshadow Palette in The Vamp ($59,sephora.com

What tips can you give us for trying the look ourselves?

For smoky eyes, do foundation over your eyes and eyebrows first, so after doing the eyes you can remove any drop-off; then do foundation on the rest of your face.

Also, use a creamy eyeshadow first. When I use a powder eyeshadow over it to blend, there's less or no drop-off because it adheres to the cream.

And don't forget to blend, blend, blend.

SHOP RITA'S LIP PRODUCTS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

Rimmel London Provocolips 16HR Kiss Proof Lip Colour in 40 Wish Upon A Berry ($6, walgreens.com)

Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment ($2, drugstore.com)

Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment ($16, rickysnyc.com

 

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