Gwen’s makeup artist defends ‘weird’ Billboard Awards look

STEFANI’S personal makeup artist has come out swinging against those who said he should be “slapped” for her interesting look.

Gwen’s makeup artist has hit back at ‘armchair warriors’ who criticised her BBMAs look. Picture: Lester Cohen/Getty

GWEN Stefani’s make-up artist has come out swinging after the singer’s distinctive look at the Billboard Music Awards on Monday copped some criticism.

Stefani, who sang a duet with beau Blake Shelton at the awards, walked the red carpet with a nude-toned face that had some on social media dubbing her makeup look “weird” and demanding her makeup artist “be slapped.”

Gwen with boyfriend and duet partner Blake Shelton. Picture: John Shearer/BBMA2016/Getty

It was certainly a departure for the sometime No Doubt frontwoman, who’s been known for her bold red lipstick ever since she first burst to fame with hit Just A Girl 20 years ago.

Gwen’s nude-toned makeup was a jarring look for some. Picture: Lester Cohen/BBMA2016/Getty

The nude lip, bare eye and strong brow combination was just too much of a departure for some, but now Gwen’s personal makeup artist Gregory Arlt has insisted the look was “basically what we’ve always been doing.”

what happened to gwen stefani's face??? she looks weird af #BBMAs

— gabi. (@selenaworld) May 23, 2016

Gwen Stefani's makeup artist needs to be slapped.

— Khalil (@kbyrd2) May 23, 2016

Gwen Stefani looks so strange without her red lipstick. I didn't know her lips came in another color.

— Manda (@mandah) May 23, 2016

“Well, the armchair warriors out there in social media land had some very strong opinions about this makeup look I did on Gwen for the Billboard Awards,” he wrote on his professional Facebook page. “It’s basically what we’ve always been doing, just no upper liner or false lashes (and yes, a pale lip as opposed to a color). You’d think I sent her out with tinted moisturiser and Chapstick from what people were saying!”

Stefani and Shelton embrace after their performance. Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images/AFP

He went on to compliment the 46-year-old singer — who recently released her third solo album, This Is What The Truth Feels Like — for her willingness to try new looks over the years.

He continued, adding that he loves trying out new looks on the singer, as she’s an amazing makeup muse: “Gwen is the ultimate Barbie head — we love experimenting and trying new things; sometimes subtle (Ooh! A pink lip! Ahh! Lining her eyes with shadow instead of liquid!) and sometimes dramatic (I bleached her eyebrows for the ‘Push And Shove’ video and sent her out onstage for the awards performance with a nude, pared down [’90s] supermodel, sun-kissed look).”

Gwen with her No Doubt band mates — and trademark red lips — in 2000.

Originally published as Gwen’s makeup artist defends ‘weird’ Billboard Awards look