Gucci’s number one rule for a flawless 8am makeup transformation? “It shouldn’t take more than five minutes.” In fact, her pro method for erasing “morning face”—aka “redness, darkness, puffiness”—is a sixty second affair that’s both low maintenance and major in payoff.
First up, Gucci reaches for a trio of her Westman Atelier Vital Skin stick formulas in shades I, II, and III. “I want to show you how much nicer it is to amplify the actual skin rather than that make it a flat non-dimensional [mask],” she says, choosing a range of tones that corresponds to the natural variations across her forehead and cheeks. Strategically applied together, they make skin look subtly brighter, healthier, and more alive.
If the idea of blending on multiple foundation shades sounds complicated, rest assured—it’s not. It just requires following the simplest bit of color theory: “I use the lighter shades to lift [areas like droopy eyes] and cover dark circles” she says, tapping the creamy skin nourishing formula into place along the inner and outer corners with a tapered brush “right close to the lashes,” then targeting ruddy spots like the corners of the nose. The idea, she explains, is to correct the darkness and redness where it’s not wanted “so I can add back some color [in the form of blush or bronzer] where I like it.”
Puffiness is a different story. “A lighter color is going to emphasize, or draw attention to the puff,” she says of bags under the eyes or the skin along the perimeter of the face. For those areas, she switches to a slightly deeper foundation tone. Just whatever you do, she adds, choose a formula that doesn’t settle into pores—and don’t overthink it. Stand back, look at yourself in the mirror, and blend wherever you want “to add depth or dimension,” then follow with a touch of bronzer.
The goal, says Gucci, isn’t looking like someone else, but a really good version of yourself. And with one more swoosh of the brush, she’s ready for the day. “Alright!” she says with a goodbye wink and a wave. “Let’s do this.”
