Makeup how-to: soft focus beauty with celebrity MUA, Lisa Matson

Recently I was lucky enough to spend a few hours collaborating with legendary Aotearoa-based makeup artist and beauty photographer, Lisa Matson. Lisa has spent years creating beautiful makeup looks for some of our most well-known faces, as well as leading teams backstage at New Zealand Fashion Week and on sets the length and breadth of the country. She is also a super talented photographer, creating images like these for a multitude of clients.

Visiting Lisa’s home studio, I unpacked a bag containing some of my favourite makeup go-to’s, as well as some new releases I had been kindly gifted and wanted to put to the test. We pulled the best of the best together to create our take on the #softfocustonalbeauty trend, keeping it simple with minimal products required and - as I’m no spring chicken - suitable for mature skin in particular.
The key to this trend is taking the time to blend, blend, blend—until you’re as soft focused as a sepia-toned Polaroid from summers gone by. I loved watching Lisa working in light layers to gradually build depth, creating a seamless, skin-like finish. She also mixed textures by combining cream and powder products, which in turn adds natural depth while also helping makeup last longer.

You can see a step-by-step reel now on my Instagram, and the final product lineup is as below…

NARS Laguna Bronzing Cream

This beauty is the dream for a soft, warm bronzed look without the glittery effect that some bronzers give off – and that I’ve avoided since my late teens TBH! The shade looks a little intimidating in the jar but blends like a dream, and a little goes along way.
Use a soft, fluffy brush for cheeks and then a little denser one to add definition across the eyes. We added an extra touch under the eyes using a liner brush, for an extra pop of colour. This universal shading-type approach helps ground the entire look, making it feel cohesive and harmonious, and it also means less products in your kit if you’re travelling or making up on the go.

Maybelline SUNKISSER Blush in 06

The SUNKISSER blush and liquid bronzer by Maybelline is the key to dragging out that post-holiday glow even into the cooler months. Its buildable and easy-to-blend formula is enriched with vitamin E for extra lightness and comfort on the skin, and the XXL applicator plus a traditional blush brush to blend makes sheering it on a dream.

Clinique High Impact High-Fi Full Volume Mascara

A new favourite after being kindly gifted a tube, this mascara delivers impressive volume without feeling heavy on the lashes, which is what we all want during the day – and zero fallout.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick in 601 Worth It

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick is. I’ve been so impressed by the L'Oréal Paris lip offering of late, which is consistently on top of trends as well as wearable and super flattering. A powdery, sexy matte lipstick that comes infused with hyaluronic acid for 16 hour, transfer-resistant high impact colour, this formula is also perfect – along with my favourite Maybelline Teddy Tint – for the viral #blurredlipeffect that is the dream for mature skin types in particular.

Glossier Futuredew Solid

Oh, glow on…My go-to last step, every time! The iconic Glossier Futuredew in a creamy solid stick, it delivers a skin-first, targeted dewy glow that lasts and lasts. This beauty elevates a more matte look for day in just one swipe, and is also dermatologist-tested and shown to be suitable for all skin types.

So, what do you think? I loved this chance to collab with one of our industry’s greats, with hopefully many more to come! You can check out more of Lisa's work here.