5 Beauty Secrets from a Film Makeup Pro

Jennifer Snowdon has been behind the scenes of movies, television, theater and commercials for more than 15 years. When her husband left at 40, this housewife and artist needed a "post-divorce career."

So Jennifer Snowdon turned to makeup and it has served her well, as well as the scores of famous faces she has made up: Ellen Burstyn, Tyne Daly, Judith Light, Kate Walsh, Melanie Griffith, Melissa Leo, Amy Poehler, and a few names you may not have heard in a while like Sandy Duncan and Barbara Feldon. Plus men such as David Strathairn, Ossie Davis, Esai Morales, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Now, I had a friend grumble at me recently that she does not care about celebrities anymore (I quoted her in the Poll about Celebrity Fashion lines). OK, I get it. I hear you.

But. Here's how this translates. These people are not perfect. They have skin issues, teeth issues, wrinkles, bags and spots. But they are expected to look perfect.

Jennifer Snowdon was one of the first makeup artists to work with a high-definition camera back in 1994 when it was being developed. She was on that scene "8 years before anyone saw it" and she saw what the problems were.

All matte wouldn't work anymore, she said. "Skin has to look like skin." That was especially true for men because "they can't look like they are wearing makeup."

At the Fab Over 50 Beauty Bash this past weekend, her table was always so crowded, it was tough to get an opportunity to talk to her. But I'm patient – sometimes anyway, and it paid off: Insider tips you can actually use.

1. For thin lips: She puts a little gold gloss on the inside rim of the lower lip. It's clear-ish so it doesn't get all over your teeth, and it gives lips a pop no matter what shade of lipstick you're wearing to make them look fuller. Plus, gloss blurs lines on lips.
2. For brighter eyes: She puts a little gold powder on the center of the eyelid. Doesn't that make crinkly eyelids look worse? No, because it's so little — a fingertip dab — adds a little warmth and opens up the eye. And the tiny bit of shimmer mimics the reflective properties of natural skin.
3. For "no-makeup" eyes: This is great if you don't want to wear a lot of makeup or don't want to wear mascara, Jennifer explained. Dampen an angled brush by dipping it into a sealer (professional line, Make Up For Ever Eye Seal) –"this turns any shadow into a waterproof eyeliner" – then into an eyeshadow color. Press it into "a little groove just at the base of your eyelash root" which is easier than you'd think, she insists. It's especially good for hooded eyes where you wouldn't see the eyeshadow anyway and liner would look too thick and heavy. Eyelids get Alison Raffaele's True Concealer ("it dries to a powder"), then a skintone eyeshadow.
4. For hooded eyelids: "I had a woman today whose lids were so heavy, all you could see were her eyelashes." In that situation, she stresses no eyeshadow. "Women with hooded eyes are more photogenic with the eye as the focus, so accent that, don't fight it. One way to go is a colored mascara." You can have a little fun, bringing color and contrast to the eye area without looking heavy or overdone.
5. Movie star smile: Yes, there are many ways to brighten your teeth these days, and it is a still a good idea. But it doesn't work for everyone. For instance, if you had a high fever as a child, that damages teeth from within, which means no amount of whitening will lighten them.  Or just one dark tooth. I heard there is a fix for that. In fact, I'd heard that "it" was used on Julia Luis-Dreyfus during the run of Seinfeld — you can see a difference between early episodes and later ones (her hair changed too).

What is it?, I whispered to Jennifer. She laughed and pointed me to Makeup For Ever's White tooth enamel. You can't even find it on the website. I had to order it from the store.

This is not a long term fix, though, she cautions. And it's difficult to self-apply. "I don't want people trying to paint their whole mouth with this — it isn't easy." Jennifer believes a makeup artist, "or better, your dentist! " is best to do it.

Jennifer's motto?

Beauty is an outward expression of your inner intention!"

So, now you don't have to hear about celebrities anymore – you can just look like one. Or better yet, look like the best version of yourself.

Other practical makeup tips for daily life:
6 Ways to Cover Your Roots
Makeup Tips for a Quick Eye Lift
Pro-Age Makeup in 3 Simple Steps
The Makeup Manual for Your New Face
5 New Ways to Banish Under Eye Circles
Surgeryless Eye Makeup