It was Saturday night of the much anticipated Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and the diva-glam local vocalist Quiana Parler was about to perform to a crowd of more than 2,000. Nasty weather be gone because this girlfriend was not going to let a little rain get her down! Hair slicked back, accessorized to the nines, and attitude in full force, march on she did, and, honey, Quiana didn’t just shine, she sizzled. 

 

Now ladies, we may not have that same purring voice—that powerful voice that seemed to linger throughout the Bus Shed long after she’d left the stage—but we can certainly achieve the same glowing beauty.

 

Here’s a recap of my styling steps from the night:

 

Base: First, I evened out Quiana’s skin tone with a wonderful walnut-shaded foundation. Using a brush, I started from the center of her face and worked out towards the cheek bones and neckline. Less proved to be more and the color was simply flawless. To finish her base, I chose Nars Sheer Glow Foundation and a mix of Nars Orgasm Blush and cream bronzer to give her a glow that rivaled that of the great Tina Turner herself.

 

Eyes: I paired golden shades of shadow with a hint of ruby, and, knowing that eyeliner can make or break a look, I rimmed them with rich liquid liner in a deep, smoldering black. I started at the inner lash line then swept out and up to achieve the ever trendy and attitude-ridden cat eye. 

 

Lips: Lips were a bit of a feat that day. Quiana doesn’t usually wear the shade, but I knew red lips would be the tiara on top for this singing diva. And after a little encouragement, guess what my little lasses—RED she wore! We settled on a shade of rich burgundy and added an ever-so-elegant bergamot lip liner to ensure a seamless line and to add shape and longevity to her pout. I finished the look with a dab of gloss in the center of her bottom lip. My choice for Quiana was Misiu’s "Doing the Charleston."

 

Finishing touches: Dare I leave out the shimmer? You know me better than that, ladies. Shimmer it up, I did! Using a loose-bristled brush, I swept Laura Mercier’s Mosaic Shimmer Bloc high on her cheek bones and under the brow. But remember, always be sure not to go overboard with the shine: sun kissed, not sun drenched! And after a final fragrant spray of Theirry Mugler’s Angel scent, the diva was out of my hands, set on a mission to hit the stage. 

Was it raining that night? I can’t even remember. Her voice, her energy, her beauty.... I, like the rest of the crowd, was completely mesmerized. A night to remember, for sure. 

 

And what did we learn? That with the right makeup and the right hair, even Mother Nature will take a back seat to a shining star. A little rain (okay, a lot of rain) couldn’t put a damper on the phenomenal woman that is Quiana Parler. Next time, let that star be YOU!

 

Here’s how you can recreate Quiana's show-stopping, rain-defying look from the night:

 

1. Use foundation, blush, and a sweep of bronzer to even out your skin tone.

2. For a dramatic look, pair bronze and berry-shaded eye shadows with a cat eye of black liquid liner.

3. Color lips with a dark, rich berry lip stain, line them with a cognac-hued liner, and finish with a dab of gloss.  

4. Don’t forget the shimmer!

5. Add a spray of a leave-‘em-wanting-more fragrance to seal the deal.

 

 

xoxo

Andrew