Margot Robbie's Makeup Artist Shares Her Skin Prep Routine (All 40 Minutes Of It)

Makeup artist Pati Dubroff is the mastermind behind hundreds of iconic red carpet beauty looks: Margot Robbie's bright blue BAFTAs eyeliner, Priyanka Chopra's glittery Oscars afterparty eyeshadow... It's safe to say she knows a thing or two about getting makeup to last way past midnight, but it isn't all to do with having amazing skin or shelling out on expensive formulas.

Here's everything we learned about how to make foundation, eyeliner, lipstick and more stay put when we spoke to the pro herself.

"I’ll spend a solid 40 minutes on the skin before putting any makeup on," said Pati, who loves the ReFa facial roller and the ZIIP Nano Current Skincare Device. Of course, not all of us have that long to get ready in the morning (or a beauty budget that big), so Pati suggests even 10 or 15 minutes using your fingertips will make for a great base. R29 also recommends trying a crystal face roller alongside a facial oil or moisturiser.

"Facial massage brings more oxygen to the surface of the skin and makes it look much more plump," continued Pati. "Depending on the person and their needs, I massage upwards from the jaw, never down, and then sculpt the cheekbones. I also work on the eye area because that puffiness can be moved away temporarily." After a facial massage, Pati applies a hydrating, priming moisturiser like Augustinus Bader The Cream on just the perimeter of the face. "Moisturiser is important under makeup. It really helps with the vitality of the skin." Avoid the centre of the face if you find your makeup tends to move around.

When it comes to primer, most of us apply it all over to stop the dreaded 3pm shine, but according to Pati, it works better when concentrated to certain areas on the face. "After moisturiser I always primer in the centre of the face where clients tend to get oilier. The reason I use a primer is because I then don't have to use much powder, which looks too heavy. Primer holds the foundation in these oilier places and anything you can do to not put too much stuff on the skin is great."

Aim for the T-zone (nose and forehead) and cheeks, too. "Suqqu Nude Wear Liquid Foundation is my go-to and I've been using it for 12 years because the formulas are the closest thing to looking like skin," added Pati. "I use the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7 to buff it into the skin." R29 also rates Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15 and MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15 for their wide range of shades.

"The key is waiting 'til the end of the makeup to apply powder. If you try powdering right away, you end up having to put on too much because your foundation may look too shiny when first applied. If you let it sit, you allow makeup time to settle, and you'll see which areas need powder and which don’t. If you're super oily and your makeup slips off, I'd recommend using blotting papers, too." And if your skin is on the drier side? "After foundation, sometimes I go back in with moisturiser, using my fingertips on the high points. It acts like a highlighter without the shimmer, keeps makeup in place and just looks like juicy, plump skin."

"If I want blush to last, I apply both cream and powder blush," revealed Pati. "Go in with cream blush first, then apply a light dusting of loose powder (whatever is left on your brush) and top it up with some powder blush. Right now, I love Surratt, Cle de Peau and Stila Convertible Colour, and I always apply them with a fan brush."

Getting eyeliner to stay put can be no mean feat, but Pati suggests ditching the eye cream or moisturiser beforehand. "Don’t use moisturiser around your eyes before you apply eyeliner because it can smudge. Some people’s eyelids are very oily so, again, a primer can help as a barrier to help both eyeliner and mascara to stay where it is. Avoid eye cream close to the lid unless your eyes are very dry."

"Lips being hydrated helps a lot," said Pati, who, unlike other makeup artists, doesn't use lip brushes. "I like to apply lipstick by pressing it into the lip with my fingertips. I find it lasts longer this way than with a thicker coat and I think it looks so much more flattering. Sometimes I even do different tones if I want to give the lips a shape, for example something lighter or darker in the centre."

Pati's top tip for ensuring a smoky eye looks just as perfect hours later? "I will never go higher than the crease. Always stop there and keep eyeliner and eyeshadow tight and focussed to the lash line. Firstly, apply a little kohl or gel pencil and smudge this in. The more things are softened and buffed, the more eye-opening and professional it looks. Also put a lighter shade in the centre of the lid to open everything up and take cues from your hair colour. For example, if you're blonde, start with taupes and camel colours. If you’re brunette, choose chocolate and espresso."