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When head makeup artist of the Oscars, Bruce Grayson, arrives to work on the day of the Academy Awards, he needs to make sure his kit is packed with solutions for any conceivable cosmetic emergency. “The security is equal to that of a presidential appearance,” he tells Allure. “Once we’re in the theater, it’s locked down for four blocks in every direction, so God forbid you forget something, you’re going to have to trek at least a half mile out of the perimeter.”
Tucked deep behind that strict security perimeter—past the crowded red carpet and bustling auditorium, beyond the cramped wings of the stage—is Grayson’s domain, the backstage hair and makeup room. It’s a place of quiet and cosmetics amidst the commotion, where Hollywood’s biggest names stop in to relax, hide out, and have their hair and makeup touched up before going on stage to present, whether that’s a rogue false lash or a smudge of lipstick on a tuxedo collar. (His solution for the latter? Your basic latex makeup wedges, dampened and rubbed against the stain. “It will take out 85-90% of the color,” he says.)
Grayson describes the hair and makeup room as a safe and sacred space: “In the green room, people are socializing and applauding when a winner enters. It’s a lot of energy. When you walk into hair and makeup, it’s very zen. It’s the kind of place where people want to go to [collect] their thoughts before they present.” He says he’s seen nervous stars’ backs relax while sitting in his chair. “It can be such a stressful night, and freshening up their makeup sometimes just puts them at ease.”
To prepare, Grayson starts packing his kit weeks in advance, placing large orders for disposable applicators, including sponges, mascara wands, and fuzzy doe-foots for lip gloss and balm. He attends every rehearsal and dress rehearsal and knows the schedule for the night like the back of his hand. “We know every person who is going to be presenting each award, and it’s a very coordinated effort,” he says. “They do the red carpet and, if they’re sitting in the audience, they’re pulled several acts before. They go backstage and we see who needs help. We offer it to them, and sometimes they want it, sometimes they don’t.”
Sometimes, stars like to come backstage and freshen themselves up. “For certain presenters, and certain actors in general, makeup is a part of what gets them on stage; it’s an old theater thing,” says Grayson. “You don’t want to mess with that process; so in those cases it’s about standing here in front of them and handing [products] to them.”
Not unlike a beauty salon, the Oscars hair and makeup room typically sits three makeup chairs, three hair chairs, and one chair left open… for Meryl Streep. “She’s been to the Oscars so many times, and she likes watching the show from our vantage point rather than from the green room.” The three-time Academy Award winner (and 21-time nominee) enjoys the quiet environment, according to Grayson. “It’s so endearing to me that every year that she comes to the show, we have an empty seat there and she hangs out with us.”
Makeup artists from Grayson’s team are also positioned in the wings, armed with blotting papers (Tatcha Aburatorigami papers are his go-to) and cotton buds, waiting to catch a presenter who skipped the makeup room or an actor who just won an award. The cramped quarters of the theater, however, mean that one has to be incredibly aware of their surroundings, something Grayson was reminded of when Julia Roberts won her best actress award in 2001 for Erin Brockovich. “I was called to stage left to catch up with Julia because she needed powder and a lip, and as I turned the corner, I stepped on the back of a woman’s dress, which was attached to the neckline,” Grayson recalls. “I saw this person’s head jerk back and heard them say, ‘Whoa!’ only to realize it was Julia. Luckily, she was cool about it, but I was so embarrassed because I try to be so careful about watching for dress trains.”
In addition to taking care of the celebrity attendees, Grayson and his team are responsible for all the dancers and singers performing at the Oscars, the number of which can vary year to year. His smallest crew was around five to six artists (in 2011, when James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted), the largest was 46, the year Slum Dog Millionaire won best picture, and they had to recreate traditional Indian makeup on a troupe of 50 dancers. (Grayson brought on a cultural advisor for that number to ensure the accuracy of the makeup.) Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” performance is a more recent example of a major Oscar song-and-dance moment. It required approximately 39 makeup artists to transform the male dancers into Mattel-levels of perfection.
Regardless of the year, makeup for performers must be more dramatic and more steadfast than for the average presenter. Grayson likes to mix a cream foundation into a bottle of liquid foundation to create a thick, long-wear base that withstands a lot of sweat. He’ll sometimes double up false lash strips or add individual flares to lash strips to add more definition to the performers’ lash lines.”
To Grayson, however, all the chaos, kit organizing, and occasional backstage slip-ups are worth it for the exhilaration that is live television and the enormity of being such an integral part of Hollywood’s biggest night. It’s telling that Grayson’s most cherished memory is not running into Daniel Craig (he’s a huge James Bond fan) or Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz sitting in his chair (“pinch me” moments), but rather a confirmation that what he’s been doing for the last 25 years continues to be appreciated by the industry’s heaviest hitters. “I’ve touched up Kate Winslet’s makeup countless times over the years, and the last time she was at the Oscars, in 2016, she was in and out of the makeup room five or six times because she was presenting and nominated. At the end of the night, she turned to her husband and said, ‘I just want to say something. This group of makeup and hair people has been taking care of me since I was a little girl—and making me look beautiful.’”
Bruce Grayson’s Oscars Checklist
Working in such a fast-paced, high-stakes environment, Grayson has fine-tuned his Oscars night makeup kit to include only what really works for him and for the presenters in his chair. Below, the makeup artist breaks down what products you’ll find at his station this year.
Base
Grayson has long been a fan of Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation and gives the reformulation two thumbs up. “I’ve always loved it because it blends well with your natural skin, but now it’s more hydrating and comes in more shades,” he says.
You’ll also find two Japanese foundations from Suqqu and Koh Gen Do, as well as the Pro Ultra Foundation from Canadian brand Face Atelier. The latter is popular with professionals for its colorful adjuster shades—liquid pigments in unnatural colors that can alter the tone of your base. “The adjuster colors allow us to add a dash of red, yellow, or olive to a liquid foundation to perfectly match what the person already has on their face,” he explains. For someone who has great skin and just needs a slight refresh, he pulls out the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, a long-wear formula with a slightly dewy, skin-like finish.
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Armani Beauty
Luminous Silk Foundation
Nordstrom
Sephora
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Laura Mercier
Tinted Moisturizer
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
As for concealer, Grayson keeps multiple formulas and finishes on hand, including the classic Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. “There’s no quicker way to get rid of skin discoloration than with this product, like if someone gets red in the cheeks because they’re nervous, I can take it down with a sheer coat,” he says.
He also likes the blurring effect of Armani Beauty Luminous Silk and Haus Labs Trichone Skin Tech concealers, and the Warm Peach shade of the Dior Forever Skin Corrector Concealer. “Everyone needs a little peach under their eyes to brighten, and you can use this directly onto skin or mix it into another brand’s concealer,” he says. Don’t expect to find this shade in stock if you live in Los Angeles, though. “Makeup artists wait for new orders of the Warm Peach to come in because it sells out so fast. I’ve even seen people steal the samples off the counter.”
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Laura Mercier
Secret Camouflage Concealer
Bluemercury
Neiman Marcus
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Armani Beauty
Luminous Silk Concealer
Nordstrom
Sephora
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Haus Labs
Triclone Skin Tech Concealer
Sephora
Kohl’s
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Dior
Forever Skin Correct Concealer
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Another important complexion product Grayson keeps handy? A bottle of Evian Facial Spray. He explains that many stars have their makeup applied in the afternoon but don’t present until later in the evening. “We carry small cans of this with us because it’s the best way to refresh old makeup,” he says.
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Evian
Facial Spray
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Setting Powder and Oil Blotters
While not everyone needs a fresh coat of lip gloss or a false-lash refixed, nearly everyone who enters the makeup room requires some de-shining. Grayson comes well prepared, starting with his aforementioned Tatcha Aburatorigami blotting papers or the Beautyblender Bloterazzi sponge pads. “You always want to remove oil before adding powder, it’s the number one mistake I see people make,” he explains. Sometimes he uses the blotting papers first, followed by the Bloterazzi. Other times, he wraps the blotting papers around the squishy tool, which makes easy work of lifting oil away from hard-to-reach places on the face.
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Tatcha
Blotting Paper
Amazon
Sephora
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Beautyblender
Blotterazzi
Amazon
The setting powders in his kit this year include the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Universal Balm Powder, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Color-Correcting Setting Powder, MAC Blot Pressed Powders in Medium Dark and Deep Dark, and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finishing Powder (which he notes is a celebrity favorite). And while marketed as a primer, he also frequently uses the Indeed Labs Nanoblur Blurring Primer on top of makeup to reduce shine on Oscar night. “It’s great on camera because it leaves skin looking natural, not matte.
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Danessa Myricks Beauty
Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder in Universal
Sephora
Kohl’s
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Laura Mercier
Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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MAC
Blotting Pressed Powder
Nordstrom
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Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Finishing Powder
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Lashes
For hygienic purposes, Grayson and his team apply mascara with disposable wands or a small fan brush, so his choice of mascaras for the big night comes down to their formulas. He raves about the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Pushup Lashes. “I actually see it gives lashes a lift, so we don’t need a lash curler, which I don’t like using backstage,” he says. He adds that the MAC Stack Volumizing Mascara “works fast, doesn’t clump, and is really buildable,” while the Chanel Le Volume Mascara adds “massive volume and dries quickly,” which is key when working under time constraints.
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Charlotte Tilbury
Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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MAC
Stack Mascara
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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Chanel
Le Volume Mascara
Ulta Beauty
More important than mascara is false lashes, as so many celebrities wear them for the evening. In addition to Duo Lash Glue to affix errant lashes or strips that have lifted, he likes to have a few Ardell Lash Books on hand to replace clusters that have come off (Naked Series is his favorite). “These are genius because you get a set of all the brand’s different lengths and sizes in one package, and the book format makes it easy to get lashes onto a celebrity’s eye quickly,” he says.
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Duo
Brush-On Clear Lash Glue
Amazon (2-Pack)
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Ardell
Pre-Mapped Eyelash Extensions Kit
Amazon
Lipsticks, Pencils, and Gloss
There’s no way Grayson could come prepared with every presenter’s exact lipstick, lip pencil, and lip gloss shade. Instead, he relies on products that work on a wide variety of skin tones, like the Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil in Dmitry, a beige pink pencil that he describes as “pretty universal,” the MAC Clear Lip Glass, and the Jack Black Intense Lip Therapy Balm, which is popular with a lot of the men backstage.
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Makeup by Mario
Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil in Dmitry
Sephora
Kohl’s
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MAC
Clear Lip Glass
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
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Jack Black
Intense Lip Therapy Balm
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
He then keeps full ranges of some of his favorite lipstick formulas, which include newcomers like Makeup by Mario Satin Lipstick, which is currently available in 18 shades, and Merit Signature Lipstick, which Grayson says is the “perfect texture for a long night like the Oscars—lightweight, great payoff, and it doesn’t feel like lipstick.”
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Makeup by Mario
Super Satin Lipstick in South Shore
Sephora
Kohl’s
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Merit
Signature Lipstick
Sephora
Kohl’s
His stash also includes some iconic brands, such as Chanel Rouge Allure and the Best of Beauty-winning Dior On Stage Lipstick. While he keeps a lot of pinks and pinky nudes, he also makes sure to have a few great, universal reds. “At least one or two celebrities will be wearing red each year, and Rihanna’s Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Lip Color in Uncensored really does work on everyone,” he says.
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Chanel
Rouge Allure Lipstick
Chanel
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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Dior
Rouge Dior On Stage Lipstick in Confident Nude
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
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Fenty Beauty
Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Uncensored
Ulta Beauty
Kohl’s
Clean Beauty
The demand for clean beauty options backstage has boomed in recent years, prompting Grayson to add brands marketed as clean—like Rare Beauty, Merit, and Westman Atelier—into his kit. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is extremely buildable, “allowing us to go from a hint to a blast of color on the cheeks,” Merit Flush Bomb “melts into skin with no discernible edges,” and Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick “looks like a truly natural shadow.” Grayson also gives a shoutout to the Tower 28 One-Liner in Work of Art, which he uses primarily on lips. “In a world where everything’s 24-hour wear, you can take your time with this pencil, blending and blurring without having to race against the clock.”
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Rare Beauty
Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Kohl’s
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Merit
Flush Balm
Sephora
Merit
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Westman Atelier
Face Trace Contour Stick
Nordstrom
Credo Beauty
Sephora
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Tower 28
One-Liner in Work of Art
Amazon
Credo Beauty
Sephora
Cheeks
For blushes and bronzers, Grayson needs a wide assortment of creams and powders to choose from. “If somebody’s wearing light makeup, it’s better to stick with the powder. But if somebody’s wearing more full coverage, then I go over with cream because you’re blending product into product rather than putting a powder over product.”
In the cream corner, he likes the Dior Cream Bronzing Stick, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in Peachgasm, and Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand (the sponge-tip applicators are great for quick touch-ups). On the powder side, it’s Guerlain’s classic Sunkissed Natural Healthy Glow Powder and Chanel Joues Contraste blush (he has a case of all the shades that he keeps pristine just to take to the Oscars). And when it comes to highlighter, he only uses one: the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. “It’s micro-milled, so there’s no chance that you’ll see any glitter, and it just lights up and revives the skin,” he says. “Plus, it’s a great way to disguise minor imperfections.”
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Dior
Forever Skin Bronzer
Nordstrom
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Charlotte Tilbury
Beauty Light Wand in Peachgasm
Amazon
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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Guerlain
Sunkissed Natural Healthy Glow Powder
Nordstrom
Sephora
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Chanel
Joues Contrasts Blush
Nordstrom
Ulta Beauty
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Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Palette
Amazon
Nordstrom
Tools
When Grayson said he has to be prepared for every little thing, he wasn’t kidding. His makeup table is stocked with Refresh eye drops to lubricate dry contact lenses (both a big bottle and individually-packaged travel drops), razors (for performers who may have forgotten to shave), toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hundreds of disposable mascara wands, latex sponges, cotton buds, and doe-foot lip applicators. He’s got body makeup (Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfector and Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup Foundation) and hand cream (Alba 1913 Galenic Daily Hand Cream) and breath fresheners (Altoid minis, because they dissolve faster than the normal size), and oddly enough, Play-Doh. “Everyone’s wearing shimmery gowns, and there’s nothing more distracting than when a presenter goes out on stage with a piece of glitter on their forehead,” Grayson explains. “I’m constantly on glitter patrol, and while shipping tape works, I’ve found that Play-Doh is a great way to lift up sparkle—and a lot less threatening.”
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Westmore Beauty
Body Coverage Perfector
Amazon
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Dermablend
Leg and Body Makeup Foundation
Amazon
Dermstore
Ulta Beauty
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Alba 1913
Galenic Daily Hand Cream
Amazon
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