As a long time observer of A-list beauties I’ve always been surprised that they all seem to have two key beauty traits in common: cheekbones and flawless skin. Really? You were all that genetically blessed? Obviously good lighting, a professional make-up team, and Photoshop help – but truly, there must be more to those skyscraper cheeks and radiant skin than genetics and a crack team of Photoshop editors.

Luckily we have Kim K. Why? Apart from being excellent for the economy (she keeps Instagram in business/billions), she is very good at sharing her A-list beauty tips. Example? Recently KK uploaded a selfie with foundation stripes on her face. In the next selfie, the stripes were gone, her cheekbones were magically larger, and the rest of her skin… flawless. KK had been sharing/showing off ‘highlighting and contouring’ in a kind of “insiders guide” to super luminous skin and amazing cheekbones.

KK isn’t my usual beauty go-to-gal. Her beauty regime is too high maintenance, not to mention pricey, for a regular gal – I understand her permanent (live-in?) beauty entourage includes a make-up artist, facialist, and personal eyelash extension applier… yes, that is a real job. But, her highlighting/contouring selfies got me thinking… Is there a magic make-up trick to achieve A-lister flawless skin and a set of cheekbones… that you can actually see?

I took my query to the make-up pros and booked an appointment with M.A.C (Make-up Art Cosmetics) for a how to highlighter/contouring makeover. It’s $95 for a 45 minute appointment, redeemable on product, which is brilliant because, let’s be honest, I would be spending that in their store anyway. Actually… I was probably saving money.

Of all the make-up brands, why choose M.A.C? Have you seen what the M.A.C make-up artists look like? If they can do that to their own face, imagine how gorgeous they can make other peoples! For example, mine.

I arrived at the M.A.C store in Bondi Junction and met my artist for the day. Let’s call her Leah Draper, because that’s her name. I immediately felt in very capable (and well moisturised) hands. Leah looked 100% rock star glam. Cheekbones? Check. Glowing skin? Check. Covetable, cover page looking visage? Check, check and double check. Leah has been an artist with M.A.C for two years and aside from her obvious skills with her own make-up, her current inspirations are two of the coolest glossy posse gals on the planet, ‘Lorde’ and ‘Cara’ (Delevingne). Beauty cred firmly established, on with the makeover.

According to Leah, the first step is “prepping” your skin, which makes sense. Having a good canvas to work on will help maximise your make-up. At basic skincare 101 level this usually includes cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser, and primer. However, after cleansing and toning, Leah added in one, apparently essential, extra step – M.A.C Prep+Prime Fix +. Leah confided that if you “…ask any M.A.C make-up artist what is the one product they can’t live without it’s Fix +. It plumps the skin and gives you a dew(y) canvas. It really keeps your make-up on.” Sold. A bottle of Fix + is now available in my make-up drawer at home.

Fix + was followed by the usual suspects: eye cream, serum, moisturizer, then primer; which Leah applied only over the t-zone. Need a road map? Look in the mirror and there’s only one place that it can be. That’s right. Across your forehead and down your nose: ‘T’.

Skin prepped, here’s the highlighting and contouring how to.

Highlighting and contouring done, complete your make-up as normal: brows, eyes, lashes plus lips. I chose a red lip from the Viva Glam range, which looks good and does good. According to the M.A.C website, “Every cent of the selling price of Viva Glam lipstick and lipglass is donated to the M.A.C. AIDS Fund to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS.” Current Viva Glam model? Rihanna. Enough said about how cool that product is.

Verdict:

Highlighting and contouring look subtle, and only because I actually saw the behind-the-scenes work that went into the makeover did I know I wasn’t born with those cheekbones or that skin. Also, my new look created quite a stir. Later that day someone actually screamed (in excitement) and then interrogated me on how exactly the cheekbones/flawless skin had been achieved, without surgical intervention or prosthetics.

Once you have the right products, and the simple technique down, acing your base (foundation/concealer), adding a flick of highlighter pen, and a lick of BB Balm, is a super easy way to get A-lister cheekbones, flawless skin and look red carpet ready every day. Even if that red carpet is just the one at the dry cleaners…

PS Big thank you to Leah, 100% rock star make-up artist at M.A.C. Bondi Junction.