Meet the makeup artist behind Amanda Seyfried and Julia Roberts’ red-carpet moments

When we think of iconic red carpet moments, we picture the faces that grace paparazzi-lined step-and-repeats, the gorgeous gowns that mark a moment in history, and the age-old question: ‘Who wore it best?’

So when Lancôme offered us the opportunity to hear directly from celebrity makeup artist Genevieve Herr about the inspiration behind some of her A-list clients’ looks and how to recreate them ourselves, we couldn’t hail a cab fast enough.

She’s created memorable looks for Anna Wintour, Amanda Seyfried, Connie Britton, and Katie Homes, to name a few. Herr’s philosophy is all about “enhancing what you have already, making it even more beautiful,” she told Alexa. “Everybody has something to offer.”

Herr began her journey after reading an ad in TV Guide about a course in makeup artistry, but her real break came shortly after when her first agent, Timothy Priano, sent her to Anna Wintour’s home to do her makeup. When asked if she knew who Wintour was at the time, Herr admitted, “I had no idea.”

Wintour was so impressed that she kept Herr as her personal makeup artist for five years — until Julia Roberts, whom Herr met while working at Susan Sarandon’s wedding, stole her away.

We spent the afternoon with Herr at the headquarters of L’Oréal, the parent company of Lancôme, founded in 1935, where she shared her top techniques and insights, honed over years of photo shoots, red carpet moments, and iconic award shows.

She walked us through her favorite products and even gave us an exclusive preview of some exciting summer launches, soon to be announced on Alexa.

“I’m very light-handed,” Herr told us of her signature look. She advocates for a more “natural” and “real” aesthetic and avoids heavily contoured styles.

“I’m not that type, so [the Kardashians] don’t hire me,” she joked. “I don’t like to change people’s faces. I like to enhance what you have.”

“If I think you’ll look good with a bold lip, like Amanda [Seyfried] — Amanda has beautiful lips; I’ll go lighter on the eyes and focus more on the lips,” she added, referencing Seyfried’s bold lip color at the 2024 Met Gala.

Herr’s number one go-to product is Lancôme Génifique Face Serum to help create radiant skin as a canvas, especially for aging skin, as it excels in plumping the skin and softening fine lines.

Learn more about her favorite beauty products below to get the glam look yourself.

Instead of reaching for a heavy foundation, Herr opts for Serum Supertint because of its buildable coverage. “You can put it on with your fingers with a sponge with a brush, so it’s very flexible and you can keep building on it.” It has a creamy, lightweight substance that melts gently into your skin for hydrating natural coverage.

If you want to add more throughout the day, she recommends spritzing on some rose water to “freshen up” and dabbing on a little Supertint where needed so it looks flawless after applying.

This fast-drying liquid eyeshadow and liner is easy to apply with its two-sided applicator, it can even be used as a blush highlighting the cheek. “I don’t even work with most eyeshadows anymore, I just work with this,” said Herr. Once it’s on, it’s smudge-resistant and doesn’t crease. It truly doesn’t get much better than that.

Herr loves a full-lash look using an extension-lengthening mascara like the Flutter Extension. Her secret to red carpet-ready lashes? “I use brown instead of black, individual lashes,” she said before applying a black mascara. “It creates that volume in the lashes without looking so faint. I use it on Julia [Roberts], I use it on almost all my celebrities when they’re going to do a red carpet.”

The secret to long-lasting lip color is all about using lip liners, according to Herr. “A lot of people don’t use them, but it’s very important because it keeps the makeup and lipstick in place.” This liner is creamy with a matte finish, plus it’s waterproof.

If there were one serum to rule them all, it would be Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique Face Serum. Herr swears by it as her one and only holy grail of skincare products and uses it day and night. It improves skin elasticity and gently reduces fine lines while plumping the skin.

Although black eyeliner is a fan favorite amongst younger women, Herr suggested lighter shades as women age. “I would never give black eyeliner to somebody who’s a little bit more, you know, older.” Herr said, “I would always do the brown, or I would suggest the gray.” The Idôle liner has a precise tip that glides on effortlessly and lots of color choices to match your skin.

This article was written by Emma Sutton-Williams, New York Post Commerce Writer/Reporter and resident fashionista. Emma is one of the best-dressed ladies in The Post’s office, and also known for finding an unbelievable deal on any one of her stylish outfits. Divulging on everything from the most-popular and most-underrated purse brands to her honest thoughts on Kim Kardashian’s Skims undergarments and apparel, Emma has cultivated an eye for style and an expertise for identifying the clothes and accessories worth your coin. At the same time, she proudly models the products she picks so you can see their fit and function first-hand. Emma has been creating shopping guides for The Post since 2024, and previously held bylines in Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Parents, InStyle, StyleCaster and more.