Last night, “Folded” singer Kehlani took home the gold gramophones for Best R&B Song and Performance at the 68th annual Grammy Awards. And, like her award-winning music, her makeup look was as timeless as it was soulful. “The look is clean, radiant, and intentional,” their makeup artist Troye Antonio tells ESSENCE. “It’s soft with structure in the right places. I wanted it to feel effortless, like real beauty elevated, not overdone.”
It’s a minimal makeup look we saw throughout the red carpet on stars from Teyana Taylor to Tyla, JaNa Craig to Coco Jones. For Antonio, “the inspiration came from Kehlani herself. Her energy always guides the look,” he says. Grounded, soulful, and unapologetic, “I was also inspired by timeless beauty with a modern edge: glowing skin, strong brows, and eyes that speak without doing too much.”
The first step was skin prep to help established a smooth and hydrated base with Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Foundation, which gave Kehlani a natural, even complexion. His technique is all about skin layering as opposed to heavy coverage. “Strategic highlighting and soft contouring enhances bone structure without harsh lines,” he says.
“From there, I define the brows, softly sculpt the face, and build the eyes in layers so everything feels seamless,” he says. And, of course, he keeps lashes for last. “I feel they pull the whole look together,” he says, using the classic volume imPRESS Pre-Glued Strip Lashes to give her eyes more depth against subtly blended eyeshadow.
“The makeup was designed to complement, not compete,” he says, tying into her sheer Valdrin Sahiti gown and natural textured hair. “The hair and wardrobe had their own statement, so the makeup balances everything out. It enhances the overall vibe and keeps the look cohesive from head to toe.”