From primers to concealers, these are the beauty products breakfast television hosts swear by
LISA Wilkinson and Sylvia Jeffreys know all too well what it’s like to wake up before 3.30am and switch on their A-game. Here’s how they look so flawless.
While most of us are tucked up in bed, lights out and a good few hours away from waking up to the shrill of an alarm — that’s not the case for everybody.
Channel Nine’s Today Show hosts Lisa Wilkinson and Sylvia Jeffreys know all too well what it’s like to wake up before 3.30am and switch on their A-game.
But by looking at their glowing skin, perfectly tousled hair and chirpy smiles — it’s easy to wonder how they manage to look so awake hours before the rest of us are even contemplating rolling out of bed.
The secret lies with the talented men and women behind the scenes, who put their skills to work each and every morning when really — they’d probably prefer to be waking up after the sun rises like the rest of us.
News.com.au spoke with Channel 9’s hair and make-up department about what products are essential to getting Today Show hosts Lisa Wilkinson, Sylvia Jeffreys, Sonia Kruger and Deborah Knight camera ready each and every morning.
LISA WILKINSON:
Jo Bentley, who has been working with Channel 9 as one of their senior make-up artists for more than 10 years, says the secret with Lisa’s always glowing skin starts with a well executed skincare regimen.
“Lisa’s skin is perfect anyway [by using SKII products], so I prime her with MAC Strobe Cream to give her a soft glow before applying foundation,” Mrs Bentley told news.com.au.
“I always start with a spritz of MAC Charged Water onto everyone’s skin before make-up. This is full of vitamins & minerals and hydrates and preps the skin really well for a perfectly smooth base.
“If Lisa is having extended time on air due to breaking news, I sometimes spritz it over her face every few hours to rehydrate tired old makeup that’s been on for a while.”
“Lisa moisturises every morning before she comes into the make up room,” fellow make-up artist Natalie Black added.
“I use the NARS Barcelona foundation well blended into the skin, then add By Terry concealer under her eyes followed by Mac Blot powder.”
As for Lisa’s favourite go-to product, Mrs Bentley said she is never without her Melli Cosmetics Custom Made Lip Gloss.
“She’d drink it if she could,” she said.
When it comes to her hair, Lisa’s longtime hair stylist Maria Wassef said the secret behind her voluminous and glossy locks lies behind Unite Texturiza Spray.
“This product creates texture, volume and fullness in Lisa’s hair,” Ms Wassef told news.com.au.
“This dry, translucent finishing spray will create volume and texture in the hair that lasts all day on set, and even into the night.”
SYLVIA JEFFREYS:
Always looking fresh faced, it doesn’t take much to make 30-year-old Sylvia Jeffreys look camera ready.
“Sylvia’s skin is smooth and tanned so shine free is her big thing without looking too heavy,” Mrs Bentley said.
“NARS pro prime is the perfect primer to hydrate her skin and give the perfect base for makeup while helping out with shine.
“In TV land, shine creates a sweaty appearance on camera, which is not flattering.”
Mrs Black said when she is applying makeup to Sylvia, she always includes the MAC Strobe Cream to “give her skin a lift”.
“She’s blessed with amazing skin,” Mrs Black, who has been at Nine for two years, told news.com.au.
“I also use the Stilla Cream Blush in Camellia to her cheeks each morning which helps give the glowing cheek bone look.”
As for foundation and concealer, Mrs Black said she always uses Make Up Forever foundation, YSL Touche Éclat as a concealer under he eyes and MAC blot powder to absorb any shine.
“Sylvia also can’t live without her By Terry Ombré Blackstar in Bronze Moon,” Mrs Bentley added.
“We use it as an eyeshadow all over the lid and underneath the eye to define, sparkle and pop!”
SONIA KRUGER:
Having a slightly later start time than her colleagues, Sonia Kruger’s make-up regimen is tailored to suit her “super tanned skin”.
“I add a few drops of Cover FX custom enhancer drops into her foundation, which gives her the perfect bronzed glow,” Mrs Bentley said.
“The sun-kissed look suits her.”
“Sonia has amazing skin due to her daily cleanse and moisturising routine,” Mrs Black added.
“But applying MAC Strobe as a primer helps create that glow from underneath the foundation.
“The secret to flawless looking skin is firstly a primer, and ensuring that it’s the right primer for your skin. This should be followed by the right shade of foundation and concealer.”
Mrs Black also uses MAC prep and prime as an eye base on Sonia, as “it smooths the skin around the eye ready to apply eyeshadow”.
As for Sonia’s go-to essential? Carmex lip balm (which retails for around $6).
“She loves it as a prep before applying lipstick,” Mrs Bentley said.
DEBORAH KNIGHT:
As the host of Weekend Today, as well as a mother-of-three, Deborah Knight is blessed with flawless skin — but likes to get “in and out” of the make-up chair as quickly as possible.
“Deb likes the hair and makeup process to be quick,” Mrs Black said.
“So applying the Mac Prep and Prime face mist hydrates the skin, but also helps the foundation blend quick and evenly over her skin.”
Mrs Bentley said one of the biggest ways of achieving a flawless finish is obviously by having a great skincare regimen, but also by using a little technique called “stippling”.
“This is BIG in TV,” Mrs Bentley said.
“Using a wet latex sponge, press repeatedly (not wipe) the foundation into the skin, building it up to your desired coverage. This gives you a seamless, flawless finish.”
But if you thought TV makeup was an easy, achievable look — think again.
“TV makeup is VERY different [to everyday makeup],” Mrs Bentley said.
“With high definition, it has to be a more refined, flawless look and there’s literally a tonne of different products involved.
“At least five or more different eye shadow colours are used just to do a “simple” eye look.
“Most people day-to-day just use a moisturiser under their foundation as a primer, but in TV I might use 4 different primers on someone on different parts of their face to achieve the prepping I’m after.
“A primer for shine, one for glow, one to hide pores and an under eye prep too!”
Bentley said that when it comes to her three must have products, she can’t go past the IT Cosmetics CC cream because it clears, corrects and covers the skin “beautifully”.
“The I.T Cosmetics CC Cream in medium is a must have,” she said.
“It’s moisturising, priming, SPF, skin glow and coverage all in one.
The MAC brow pencil in Fling is another crucial element of her kit, because “if brows are the only thing you pencil in before you leave the house - do it”.
And finally, the Stila Convertible Colour in Camellia, because “a gorgeous creamy flush of colour pressed onto the cheeks is a must”.
