What Dreams Are Made Of! Everything Hilary Duff’s Makeup Artist Uses on Tour
October 20 | 6 minute read
Words by Kaylah Joelle Baker
Hilary Duff is shining so bright! Since reclaiming her pop-star status with her sixth studio album – after more than a decade on hiatus – the chart-topping musician has quickly worked her way back into the hearts of every millennial (and then some), proving she was never so yesterday.
Crowned everyone’s bestie, Duff’s magnetic stage presence on her global The Lucky Me Tour has also earned her the title of style and beauty icon among concertgoers (Lizzie McGuire would be so proud!).
So, who better to sit down with than the makeup artist behind Duff’s enviable glitz-and-glamour moments: Taylor Healey.
How Did Taylor Healey Get Here – Was It Luck… or Something?
Long virtual queues, in-demand tickets, sold-out venues. If you managed to successfully fly through the frenzy and secure a front-row seat to Hilary Duff’s resurgence, you’re considered lucky. But being Duff’s personal makeup artist for said concert, well, that’s just being on the right side of a parallel universe.
Healey reveals to The MECCA Memo how she got the dream gig: “The opportunity to go on tour came from Kelsey Deenihan Fisher, a celebrity makeup artist [and longtime friend and makeup artist of Duff] whom I assist in LA,” she says. “I grew up in a family of artists, so my creative side was nurtured from a very young age. I was always drawn to fashion, beauty and the entertainment industry, so looking back, it makes sense that my path led to this career.”
Creating Hilary Duff’s Glam Looks – With Love
Duff is the down-to-earth Disney starlet who grew up alongside many millennials. She was a beauty and style icon who defined the early noughties with crimped blonde hair, side-swept bangs, a shimmering, glossy lip and inner-corner eye highlights. In curating Duff’s modern tour look, Healey balances staying true to who Duff was then with who she is today: a mum of four with impeccably glowing skin. “The show has such a fun mix of Duff’s earlier music alongside her new album, Luck… or Something, which is a more vulnerable look into her life now,” Healey says. “I think we’re able to reflect both of those sides through the makeup. The sparkly, frosted eye has that nostalgic Y2K feeling and feels perfect for the stage, while the fresh, radiant skin keeps everything grounded and modern.”
“The makeup is really inspired by the music itself and her wardrobe each night. I feel very lucky in the sense that I’m able to play and do my thing without any real guardrails, but my main intention each night is just to make sure she looks and feels her best on stage.”
If you, like me, are currently visualising your matching beauty look for the concert, Healey comes clean with her tips! “One of my favourite elements is definitely the eye,” she says. “I love the way a glittery eye reads on stage. I layer different textures of shimmer rather than relying on one product, which creates a lot more dimension under stage lighting. I also love concentrating brightness on the inner corner of the eye – it catches the light and gives an almost wet, reflective effect.”
“The other half of the equation is keeping the complexion really fresh. When the eye has that much sparkle, I love pairing it with radiant, natural-looking skin rather than making everything feel overly done. That contrast is a big part of what makes the look feel current.”
For a luminous eyelid moment, like the one Duff wears on stage, get creative with the Stila Liqua-Play™ Eye Shadow. Then, pair it with a shimmering rose gold cheek – the Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter has also been a favourite of Duff’s on her album promotional tour (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Call Her Daddy).
Let’s Go Back, Back to the Beginning: Skin Prep!
“Skin prep is such an important step in makeup,” Healey explains. “I love seeing artists keep their skin fresh on stage! I think for a long time, stage makeup felt heavy, but with cameras nowadays, I don’t think that needs to be the case. There’s a way to have effective makeup for stage without it looking overdone.”
“My main focuses really are gentle exfoliation and hydrating the skin. I keep the skin really well hydrated, but I’m also strategic about how much product I use because too many layers can work against you once you add heat, lighting and a full performance. I work in thin layers and set different areas of the face based on what they actually need rather than heavily powdering everything. Then, during quick changes, I just focus on powdering the T-zone and re-applying the lip.” In her kit: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, plus Summer Fridays (both here) and Victoria Beckham (here) lip liners.
For Duff’s pre-makeup skin, Healey uses the following Dermalogica products: the Daily Microfoliant, Smart Eye Density Serum, Phyto Nature E² Regenerating Daily Exosome Leave-On Treatment and Pro-Collagen Banking Water Cream.
Is Touring Really What Dreams Are Made Of?
Romanticising a life on tour is something we’ve all done, perhaps while passionately singing in front of a mirror with a hair brush (opening scene of The Lizzie McGuire Movie and that iconic Raise Your Voice audition tape, anyone?). But for Healey, it’s reality – a unique, extra-glittery version of the masses’ 9-to-5. “Touring is a very different beast compared to red carpets and photoshoots,” she says. “It’s been a really amazing and challenging experience for me.”
“The not-so-glamorous side people don’t see is living out of a suitcase for weeks, sleeping on a tour bus, and waking up and showering at the venues – it is truly a grind. But the really amazing part is doing it together with your team and putting together an amazing show each night. It is very rewarding seeing it all come to life.”
As for what it’s like to boogie along in every city (London, Paris, maybe Tokyo…) to Hilary’s expansive discography? “It’s been incredibly special to witness the audience’s reaction to this tour,” she says, referring to the setlist that spans songs from Duff’s 2003 debut album Metamorphosis (a teal-coloured album that still looks beautiful on my mantelpiece) to her latest. “These are people who have grown up with this music, myself included, and have such an emotional connection to it, and then you’re seeing them experience the new music alongside it. Watching everything come together on stage – sound, wardrobe, lighting, music, hair and makeup – is such a cool experience.”
