the beat: The Ophelias

Welcome to The Beat, a new TGE feature where our fave artists/bands/people give us tips on makeup! The most feature to ever me! Today we welcome Spencer of The Ophelias.

Tour sometimes feels funky because part of my job is being watched by other people. My songs let me say things I normally wouldn’t, and saying those emotionally vulnerable things to a crowd of strangers can be nerve-wracking. Feeling like I look good makes that easier. Makeup can be fun, frustrating, complicated, colorful, understated, a reason for men to be annoying, a way to connect with other makeup-wearers. The tour van is cramped, which means I can only bring one small bag of products. What I choose to take needs to be compact and versatile. Here’s what I bring!

Clinique Pep Start sunscreen/moisturizer

I wear sunscreen every day, and this one multitasks as a nice moisturizer. I like to work a little bit under my cheekbones, pressing a tiny bit underneath so that the cheekbones pop a little more without any makeup at all. On days we don’t play shows I don’t wear fancy makeup, I just wear this.

Glossier Boy Brown in Brown

I have thick, dark eyebrows that I don’t pluck. I like to emphasize them. Boy Brow makes it easy to do spiky brows (which I do most days) or more groomed, slick hairs. It’s easy to apply in a moving car or without a mirror.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Corrector in Pink

I’m very, very fair with pink undertones, so all the classic concealer shades available in stores skew too yellow for me. I use pink color corrector instead! The pink shade from Urban Decay doesn’t crease, even after playing a sweaty set. I can put it on with my fingers, and it lasts a long time. It also looks normal and natural without foundation.

Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam and Haze

I love every color of Cloud Paint, but if I’m only bringing two with me, it’s Beam (peach) and Haze (darker pinky-magenta). They’re great on their own, even better mixed together. I like to use them on my cheeks, sometimes on my nose if I’m going for something summery, as eyeshadow, and/or as lip stain. You only need a tiny bit so one tube lasts ages, and it’s easy to put on in the car or in a venue bathroom. Tour makeup always has to pass the grimy venue bathroom test- nothing that could spill onto the slimy sink or that takes more than ten minutes to put on after sound check. Since I need to set up, count merch, and eati between sound check and when we go on, makeup application time is super limited.

Milk Makeup Eye Pigment in literally any color but especially After Party, Sesh, Mermaid Parade, and Rager

These eyeshadows are SO FCKN GREAT. They’re my favorite eye product of all time. I bring a pink, royal blue, bright green, and an iridescent silver. The colors are all metallic, and they come in tubes that look like acrylic paints. Once you put them on they DO NOT MOVE, so you need to work fast. They’re super pigmented and shiny, so you can see them onstage. I like to mix Sesh and Mermaid Parade together to make a more teal-y blue.

Milk Makeup Mini Glitter Stick

The super-small Milk Makeup mini sticks are great for tour since they fit anywhere, and the rainbow iridescent glitter one is tiny but intense. I like to use it as highlighter or eyeshadow, sometimes under lip gloss if I’m feeling especially glamorous. It’s a disco ball for your face, and that’s always what I want.